There are a number of signs you can spot to tell when a franchise is in trouble (like any rule, nothing concrete but generally well worth adhering to): an episode is set randomly in space, an episode features a crossover with another ailing franchise and/or an episode decides to pull out all the stops and go the time travel route.<br /><br />The third outing for out heroes in a half-shell (if you don't know about them by now then start at the beginning before even attempting to endure this) provides us with some time travel shenanigans as the quartet find themselves being transported to ancient Japan to fight some angry folk and rescue April O'Neil (played once again by Paige Turco).<br /><br />It's all really rather lame and I find myself unable to get worked up enough to either praise or damn the movie with any energy. The fights are very unexciting, the "comedy" is even more dated and immature than in the previous outings and absolutely nothing happens that stops you longing for the movie just end as quickly as possible.<br /><br />I will never know what persuaded Elias Koteas to return as Casey Jones (and, in fact, as a glutton for punishment he takes on TWO roles this time around though neither of them get that much screen time) but he's a small ember of enjoyment in a rather stinky quagmire of a movie.<br /><br />It's passable and it may well keep the kids amused for the duration but I wouldn't even guarantee that. I am the most undemanding viewer you could wish for, at times, and even I was tempted to reach for the Eject button so make of that what you will.<br /><br />Hopefully, director Stuart Gillard's name is not one I will see attached to any project I am interested in further down the line. It looks like he's stuck in TV land now and even that's more than he deserves judging by his inept handling of our mean, green, fighting machines.<br /><br />See this if you like: 3 Ninjas, 3 Ninjas Knuckle Up, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret Of The Ooze,