D3: The Mighty Ducks (1996)

20% of critics liked it
(15 reviews)
50% of users liked it
(160,046 ratings)

Everybody's favorite underdog youth hockey team hits the ice for a third adventure in D3: The Mighty Ducks. This time out, the Ducks' improbable success under lawyer-turned-hockey player Gordon Bombay (Emilio Estevez) has earned the group of misfits a certain degree of fame, and the entire team is… More Everybody's favorite underdog youth hockey team hits the ice for a third adventure in D3: The Mighty Ducks. This time out, the Ducks' improbable success under lawyer-turned-hockey player Gordon Bombay (Emilio Estevez) has earned the group of misfits a certain degree of fame, and the entire team is given scholarships to attend Eden Hall Academy, an upscale private school with a rich and snobbish student body. The Ducks are dismayed to discover that they have a new coach, Ted Orion (Jeffrey Nordling), and they soon learn that, as freshmen, they get precious little respect from the Varsity team, and the team's melting-pot lineup makes them stick out like a sore thumb in the white, upper-class surroundings of Eden Hall. However, by the film's final reel, the Ducks will have taught their fellow classmates a lesson about teamwork and overcoming adversity. This proved to be the last film in the Mighty Ducks series, but it was followed by an animated television series that improbably turned the team into hockey stars from another dimension. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: PG, 1 hr. 44 min.
Directed By: Robert Lieberman
Genres: Comedy, Kids & Family

In Theaters: Oct 4, 1996 Wide
On DVD: Sep 3, 2002

Critic Reviews

Andy Seiler, USA Today
Nothing to quack about there.
S. Jhoanna Robledo, Common Sense Media
Predictable sports comedy sequel offers some life lessons.
Fred Topel, About.com
Rousing conclusion of the trilogy following through on several character arcs.
Alex Sandell, Juicy Cerebellum
Oh, GAWD ... they can get WORSE!
Clint Morris, Moviehole
Don't be fooled...Estevez is only in it for 5 minutes! and that can't even save this average sequel
Kevin N. Laforest, Montreal Film Journal
Predictable, moralistic, dumb and unoriginal, yet it's still entertaining!
Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com
Arrives much like the same way a third TV commercial often follows a second.

Read all 7 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Jeff "

Third entry in Disney's The Mighty Ducks franchise is a bad, unimpressive third film that really scarps the bottom of the barrel of ideas. This film is terrible, unimpressive with a bad cast, poor story and poor directing. D3 is the worst film in the series, and it's clear… More
Third entry in Disney's The Mighty Ducks franchise is a bad, unimpressive third film that really scarps the bottom of the barrel of ideas. This film is terrible, unimpressive with a bad cast, poor story and poor directing. D3 is the worst film in the series, and it's clear that there is nothing good about this film, and it's soul purpose for its existence was to cash in on the success of the first film, and they studio felt the story needed some sort of conclusion. Well this is a sad conclusion. Fans of the first film will be disappointed with this film as it doesn't have the amusing aspects of the first film, and it is a mess. This is a tired film of which a franchise is starting to show its age. This is a terrible, pointless film that unfortunately doesn't do anything whatsoever for fans of the first film, and overall D3 is a very bad film that should never have been made, but of course it was made only to cash in on the success of the first, and it shows how greedy studio executives can get; because with this film they delivered a piece of garbage and they made a lot of money off of it, instead of focusing on a quality story, they rushed it, and made an awful film with nothing good about it. This is simply put an awful third entry of which you shouldn't waste your time on. This film is simply a waste of time and money. As far as uninspired films are concerned, D3: The Mighty Ducks is one of the prime examples of such a film.
Alexander D

THE MIGHTY DUCKS begin to fall flat.
Chris W

I could give a pass to the first one, and yeah, even the second one, but not this. I'm glad they stopped after this one, but even here it's hard to continue to care about the story. If you thought that the fact that half of Team USA from the second one was made up of members… More
I could give a pass to the first one, and yeah, even the second one, but not this. I'm glad they stopped after this one, but even here it's hard to continue to care about the story. If you thought that the fact that half of Team USA from the second one was made up of members from one pee wee team was ridiculous, then tryi buying into the twists here (namely how the Ducks all manage to stick together and how Portman comes into the story. Even when I first saw this I knew it wasn't that good. Now imagine how I feel that I'm older and actually have gotten into film.
Conner R

The weakest of the series, but I think it was mainly due to the fact that Emilio Estevez was reduced to having nothing more than a cameo appearance. The child actors are really good, especially Joshua Jackson who grew throughout the whole series. While it doesn't really know what… More
The weakest of the series, but I think it was mainly due to the fact that Emilio Estevez was reduced to having nothing more than a cameo appearance. The child actors are really good, especially Joshua Jackson who grew throughout the whole series. While it doesn't really know what to be in terms of tone, it's a fun movie none the less.
Wahida K

Ice Hockey, my Favorite Sports that is why I love this Movie so much.
Bobby H

The third installment tries to pick up where the last two left off - both of them were solid and equally classic this one not so much, but not so bad either. People are not giving it enough credit for the fact that this is a threequal and for being so, it's a well done one.… More
The third installment tries to pick up where the last two left off - both of them were solid and equally classic this one not so much, but not so bad either. People are not giving it enough credit for the fact that this is a threequal and for being so, it's a well done one. They switched the plot up a little as this time the ducks are trying to be accepted among there peers at a private academy by beating the varsity team (there junior varsity) with a new coach, the team falls apart. Fairly same plot, with new twist and it's done okay. The problems are: There's one to many characthers to really involve yourself with, the plot is becoming a little stale at this point, and this jokes and scenes that we once seen in the other two duck movies are simply "straight diseny" in this one. There just a tad bit childish and over all you can tell that the writers are finally losing there grip on this. Overall: The series is amazing and this is a pretty damn good movie for being a third addition. As far as comparable to the rest, it's not quite there, but if your a fan of the series then it is something you need to definatly rent and watch.
Lenny M

Gordon Bombay sucks
Jon L

I'm surprized Emilio is still around for the 3rd one. I can't remember this one if I saw it or not.
E.J. B

It's a shame that the final chapter in one of my favourite childhood sagas is so dull.
Jason S

I'm a big fan of the Ducks. This one was just as good as the others.
Dean M

Quack! Quack! Quack! The Mighty Ducks return again to play at the college. Joshua Jackson is great as the captain of ice-hockey team and acts alike Emilio Estevez's side.
James A

Ok now they need to calm down with the duck bullshit.
Jackson W

Unnecessary repetitive sequel
Leo L

Funny!