Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem

Pretty much everything I've wanted in a TMNT movie for decades, just a ton of fun in the theater. I'm as surprised as anybody that we have Seth Rogen to thank for this, but hey, whatever works. And there's plenty to be said about the art style borrowing from the Spiderverse movies, but it just fits. The Animation is vibrant, kinetic and absolutely lends itself to both the action and the humor. The whole movie looks like the margin drawings of a high schooler's notebook, that unrefined pencil and marker aesthetic.

For me, the biggest present under this Christmas tree is the age-appropriate cast. Their chemistry is incredible and the turtles actually sound and feel like teenagers for once. As much as I gravitate towards Mikey in any given iteration, Donatello had all of the killer one-liners here; I loved Micah Abbey's performance.

Maybe it's because of this Summer's frustrating movie season, but I left the theater with a real high after this. If the turtles needed a reboot, this was the way to go, and I enjoyed it from start to finish. Even that feels like an understatement ... I had a blast!

Prior to showering it with compliments, I'd like to address a couple of minor criticisms. To begin with, Splinter underwent significant changes from the familiar and beloved character. Certain villains were left with insufficient screen time to truly shine, and Raphael's anger wasn't adequately explored.

Moving on to the positives: The animation boasted exceptional uniqueness, accompanied by superb pacing. The humor was genuinely delightful, and the turtles authentically conveyed their teenage nature through their dialogue. The voice acting was skillfully executed, capturing both the tone and essence of teenage voices. Particularly notable was Jackie Chan's portrayal of Master Splinter, which stood out significantly. Overall, this movie provides a highly enjoyable viewing experience.

I really liked this for being a fun movie. It was a good take on TMNT with a nice looking art style to boot. The turtles and April were portrayed well, and they bantered like actual teenagers. The other mutants were also likeable, and I'd be interested in seeing them fleshed out. Also, I do have to point out that the soundtrack by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross is outstanding, and the old school hip hop songs were nicely implemented. My biggest issue with it was the formulaic story, with plot points than have been done 1000 times before. Hopefully the sequel will improve. Overall though, not a bad watch at all.

"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem" is the new film based on the acclaimed cartoon that aired from the late '80s to the mid-'90s, both animated and live action film adaptations had previously been made, this new film stands out with its computer animation mixed with some scenes based on the look of a comic, in addition to the excellent use of shadows and colors. The script is common telling the story of people trying to fit in and family relationships, all from a mutant perspective. The soundtrack is good, having an eighties style in some of its compositions. A well-made film, with an unoriginal script but wonderful animation.

Firstly, the animation for this film is exceptional. A truly unique depiction of New York. It's gritty, it's rugged but it also feel inviting. The scenic images and close up character shots feels like they have been ripped from the pages of a comic book.

Whilst this may be an origin movie, the film is well paced and doesn't dwell on any one area for too long. After an introduction and 15 year time jump, we quickly get to understand the feelings and motivations of the characters which drive the plot in a natural manner.

As a result the characters feel real which make for interesting on screen interactions. Splinter is an overly protective Father whilst the turtles are teenagers trying to grow out of their shells. Set in modern day New York, these Teenage Turtles are up to speed with pop culture which leads to funny one liners, easter eggs and mentions.

The voice acting is great all round. Ice Cube is fantastic as Superfly, a street wise villain with a disdain for humans. At its heart, TMNT: Ninja Mayhem is a film about fitting it, growth and acceptance between amongst both humans and 'mutants'. This results in a perfect mix of a fun, comedy and a heartfelt story which can be enjoyed by everybody young and old.