VERDICT: Watch In the Theatre
The Turtles are back… again. But this time they are animated… again. But this time, it’s well done! Let me start off by saying if you are a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fan, you may or may not like this one. But there are 19 different continuities for this franchise so if you are afraid of yet another incarnation of the TMNT, give this version a shot. The turtles and splinters origin is again re-imagined this time. Told through a flashback by this incarnation’s Splinter, voiced by Chinese actor Jackie Chan, who honestly steals the show in my opinion. There is no Foot-Clan, Shredder, Krang, or Hamato Yoshi connected to the Turtles this time, but at least they aren’t aliens (insert eye-roll).
On top of Jackie’s performance the four Turtles are voiced by actual teens for the first time ever, which is refreshing. That one simple change can make all the difference. This choice on voice casting has been a big selling point for this new generation of turtles. But I for one also love that the “Teenage” aspect is so well used with these characters this time around. I’m in my 30’s and these characters are using slang like “sus” and videoing everything on phones, instead of using cowabunga, gnarly, and variations on “dude”. Also the fact that Mikey has finally evolved out of the 90’s surfer-stoner-dude voice is again, so refreshing.
As far as the story goes this time, the beloved Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles take on a different quest: the pursuit of popularity. Gone are the days of solely fighting crime and protecting their city - these teenage heroes now yearn for something more. Their desire to be recognized and celebrated resonates with the aspirations of modern teens.
The turtles find themselves longing for viral fame as a means to gain acceptance and live among humans. In this interpretation. It reflects the reality of today's-teen-society, where popularity and fame often seem like the ultimate keys to happiness.
But it's not just the turtles who have dreams of stardom. The introduction of the new April O'Neil adds another layer to the story. This April, portrayed by an actress of African heritage, challenges the traditional depiction of the character. And while purists may initially balk at this change, it's time to embrace diversity and move beyond rigid expectations. After all, what truly matters is the essence of the character.
Dressed in her distinctive yellow jacket, this April shares the same ambition as her predecessors: becoming a top-notch reporter. By reimagining her role as a determined journalist, the story offers a fresh take on April O'Neil's character. It emphasizes that her role is not solely defined by her appearance, but rather by her aspirations and courage.
In this fascinating new narrative, the turtles' journey into the world of human-society and April's pursuit of an impactful reporting career intersect. Their shared desire to be noticed and celebrated for their unique talents provides an exciting and relatable twist to the familiar Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles saga.
Ultimately, this reimagined story shines a light on the universal yearning for acceptance and recognition. It challenges our obsession with fame in today's society, prompting us to reflect on what truly matters in our pursuit of happiness. By deviating from the source material to explore these themes, this adaptation offers a fresh and thought-provoking take on the Teenage Mutants.
The villains this time around are a gang of other-mutants led by the Ice-Cube voiced “Super-Fly”! Cube honestly does a wonderful job as the main villain, giving a charmingly-evil meanness to the character. With the rest of the gang being filled out with celebrity voices from Seth Rogen’s previous movie and the 900th movie credit for John Cena (why is he in everything now?). By the end of the movie you will either be onboard of the ridiculousness or not. Don’t go in expecting Leo to stab anyone or take this idea to
The other advantage this movie has over the regular summer-animated movie is the newly emerging art style this movie uses. Obviously someone really liked the hyper-stylized “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” as well as “Mitchells vs the Machines” and said “let’s do that”… and it works. TMNT comic-creators Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird’s rough style and dirty-inks look to inspire the consistent look of this world than the multitude of media that the “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” has the advantage to pull-off. It can be distracting for some on the first-viewing, but can also be a gate-way for injecting some more movies to pursue a different style instead of the common Disney-look that most animated movies copy.
SHOULD YOU TAKE THE KIDS?
Yes! Take the kids! But be warned there are some slight uses of the words "Suck," "god," "Jesus," "crap," "piss," "hell," and "damn" respectively, mostly by the Villain Super-Fly… it’s not offensive in any-way… just unexpected.
UNEXPECTED BONUS
The Trent Reznor/ Atticus Ross score and needle drop music is best heard in a good movie theatre surround sound. The aesthetic of the artwork and design of this world is just too cool to not watch on the bug screen.
MID CREDITS SCENE: YES
AFTER CREDITS SCENE: NO