The passing of Hulk Hogan at the age of 71 on July 24 will likely prompt many individuals who grew up in the ’80s and ’90s to reflect nostalgically. A key aspect of pop culture for those who enjoyed the Blockbuster era is the infamously poor 1998 film “3 Ninjas: High Noon at Mega Mountain,” which infamously holds a 0% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Although it received harsh reviews and only had a limited theatrical release, it later gained traction through home video, cable broadcasts, and online evaluations. This film also marked Hogan’s last major appearance in Hollywood, as his career in movies waned following its failure.

In this film, Hogan plays Dave Dragon, the lead of a martial arts TV show titled “Dave Dragon and the Star Force 5,” idolized by the young ninjas Colt (Michael J. O’Laskey II), Rocky (Mathew Botuchis), and Tum Tum (Victor Wong). When they learn of his planned appearance at the Mega Mountain amusement park, the trio eagerly goes there to meet him. However, they soon discover that both Dave and the park have fallen into the hands of the malevolent Medusa (Loni Anderson) and Lothar Zogg (Jim Varney). The young ninjas must complete their training and enlist Dave’s help to overcome the villains.

Anita Gates, a film critic for The New York Times, noted, “It’s a sad day when Hulk Hogan delivers the most heartfelt performance of the movie.” The other six critiques on Rotten Tomatoes share a similar negative sentiment, with Variety’s Joe Leydon describing the film as “absurdly contrived and brazenly illogical.” Despite its original reception, “3 Ninjas: High Noon at Mega Mountain” has experienced a resurgence in appreciation over time.

While “3 Ninjas: High Noon at Mega Mountain” wasn’t given plaudits during its initial release, it’s taken on a certain sort of nostalgic sheen among members of its target audience. Bolstered by years of reruns on networks like HBO Family and plenty of VHS and DVD replays, the movie now stands as a bastion of peak ’90’s nostalgia, packed with rat tails, karate, and neon. Nostalgia podcasts like “The Mighty 90s” praise it for that reason, and vintage wrestling websites like WrestleCrap impugn it on similar terms.

If you’re looking to relive your childhood memories in honor of Hulk Hogan’s memory, “3 Ninjas: High Noon at Mega Mountain” is now available to stream for free with ads on Tubi. It may not be the best Hulk Hogan film, on Rotten Tomatoes or elsewhere, but it does manage to pack in a whole lot of fun. What better way to celebrate the life of “The Hulkster” than to get in a few laughs?