FILM REVIEW! - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem

 

Director: Jeff Rowe

Writers: Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, Jeff Rowe, Dan Hernandez, Benji Samit

Based On: Characters created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird

Music: Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross

I’ve been a fan of “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” since the premiere of the 1987 animated series that was based on the independent comic book by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. It was also the show that initially created the phenomenon that sold a lot of toys and started a mega franchise. Over the past 38 years, the Turtles have gone through various changes, some good (the 2003 and 2012 animated series were pretty good) and some that were god awful (the less said about the two Michael Bay produced live-action films, the better).

Now, producer and co-writer Seth Rogen and his crew have taken the reins and gifted us with “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem”. So, how does the new iteration of the Turtles stack up in the long-running franchise? Well, it is slightly different… and a total blast!

In “Mutant Mayhem”, the four Turtles known as Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Donatello are actual teenagers that have largely been confined to the sewers by Splinter. Their master is a mutated rat who does not like humans and he just wants to protect his adopted sons. Splinter is aware that there are humans out there that are cruel, bigoted, and would do anything to destroy something that is different from them.

One night, though, the Turtles run into April O’Neil and help her recover something that was stolen from her. She is a high school student that is trying to track down the mysterious Superfly, a criminal boss that is stealing high-tech equipment for unknown purposes. Seeing through April that not all humans are bad, the Turtles decide that if they do good things, then maybe the human world will eventually accept them… but is this the best reason to become heroes?

The movie is being compared to “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” due to having a similar artstyle, but take it from me, this movie has its own identity. Every scene oozes (pun intended) with frames that look like they were taken directly out of someone’s sketchbook during class. The animation is fun to watch and captures the spirit of the Turtles perfectly.

Now, I can say that the mutants’ origins are changed slightly here, especially Splinter’s own backstory. Yes, this may anger some of the gatekeeping purists out there, but ignore them. The changes actually play a role in telling the film’s story which has a not-too-subtle theme about prejudices built on past trauma and how we can all fall victim to said prejudices if we wanted to.

Another great aspect is that the Turtles are actually played by teenagers and all four voice actors (shoutout to Nicholas Cantu, Micah Abbey, Shamon Brown Jr., and Brady Noon) are fantastic. The supporting cast that is stacked with stars such as Ice Cube, Paul Rudd, Rose Byrne, Maya Rudolph, Hannibal Buress, Seth Rogen, John Cena, and Giancarlo Esposito also successfully add their talents to the proceedings. Aside from all of them, though, I think a special shoutout is due for Jackie Chan as the Turtles’ protective father figure Splinter.

The movie is packed with a lot of action and a few twists and turns. The animation is solid, the performances are good, and the movie is a charming addition to the franchise that isn’t afraid to add its own unique identity to the story when it is needed. There has already been a sequel greenlit by Paramount and if they want to continue with more films and other properties set in this new era, then I’ll be the first in line!