Quartile rating: 5.5/10 · 1 rating
The four turtles travel back in time to the days of the legendary and deadly samurai in ancient Japan, where they train to perfect the art of becoming one. The turtles also assist a small village in an uprising.
TMNT III is widely regarded as the weakest entry in the original trilogy. The time-travel-to-feudal-Japan premise had novelty on paper but was executed poorly, with a muddled script and underwhelming action sequences. The acting is flat even by the franchise's modest standards, with a noticeably lower budget resulting in cheaper-looking turtle suits and uninspired cinematography. The ending wraps up predictably with little emotional payoff. The film recycles beats from the earlier entries without the charm or energy that made the first film work, making it feel formulaic despite the exotic setting.