Classic Trailer Rewatch: Comedy ‘Surf Ninjas’ 35mm Trailer from 1993
by Alex Billington
August 24, 2025
Source: YouTube
“We’re not being kidnapped, we’re starting a revolution! Everything is ‘cool.'” Time for another blast from the past! A brand new 4K scan of a 35mm trailer print for the original 90s comedy Surf Ninjas recently appeared on YouTube. This ridiculously cheesy comedy adventure for kids was made and released in 1993, right after the massive success of 3 Ninjas in 1992, so Hollywood went totally crazy on ninja movies for kids. Surf Ninjas is a 1993 comedic family film involving martial arts, that follows two teenage surfers from Los Angeles who discover that they are crown princes of the Asian kingdom Patusan and reluctantly follow their destinies to dethrone an evil colonel that rules over the kingdom. It is directed by Neal Israel and written by Dan Gordon. The movie stars Ernie Reyes Jr. (who was also in The Last Dragon and Rush Hour 2), Rob Schneider, Nicolas Cowan, and Leslie Nielsen as the bad guy Colonel Chi. Surf Ninjas was filmed in Los Angeles, Hawaii, and Thailand. A video game was also developed and released in conjunction with the film. This is one of the most zaniest and funny 90s trailers, with a voiceover explaining everything going on.
Here’s the official theatrical trailer (+ original poster) for Neal Israel’s film Surf Ninjas, from YouTube:
And here’s a fan-made alternate trailer (by Taylor Stell) created for Surf Ninjas, also found on YouTube:
This trailer was scanned from the 35mm original print by Denis-Carl Robidoux (more info) on his YouTube.
Brothers Johnny, an adolescent surf talent, and Adam, a preadolescent video-game addict, grow up care-free in California as adopted sons of Marines veteran Mac, inseparable friends of wacky local lout Iggy. Colonel Chi’s military reign of terror culminates in the island state Patusan, off the Vietnam coast. Former royal guards officer Zatch comes to summon the brothers to return & restore the monarchy, because they are the sons of the murdered king, whom Mac took in exile for safety. They are joined on the adventurous journey by a bored Californian police detective whose attention was drawn by the ninja team that failed, thanks to Zatch, to kill the brothers in Mac’s home. Surf Ninjas is directed by American filmmaker Neal Israel, directing his sixth movie at the time after Breaking the Rules (1992); following this he would only ever direct TV movies after. The screenplay is written by Dan Gordon. Produced by Evzen Kolar. Released by New Line Cinema. Surf Ninjas originally opened in theaters in August 1993 at the end of the summer that year. It’s only available on DVD or VHS and to watch on Tubi. Anyone a big fan of this 90s comedy classic?
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