Turtles

A quartet of mutated humanoid turtles clash with an uprising criminal gang of ninjas.

First of all, it is worth noting that the late editor Sally Menke (1953-2010) worked on this film before going on to make some of Quentin Tarantino's best work. When watching Tarantino, it is hard to imagine that the same hand was responsible for the Turtles, and yet this is the case.

Growing up in the 1980s, the two big influences on my childhood were the Turtles and He-Man. Both received feature films. The Turtles received this -- a clever, dark and yet humorous story along with a worthy sequel. He-Man had some bizarre alternate dimension story. (Let us not even talk about Super Mario Brothers.) Not only is this film great, but it is even better when you realize how horribly wrong it could have gone.

Further, for me, this was a defining role for Elias Koteas. He has been in many big films, but this was his breakout role and still the role I picture him in despite the added decades and receding hairline...

Whether film buffs would ever admit it or not, the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie is a classic film, arguably way before its time. Although for the die-hard fans of the comic book this movie did lack the apparent actual violence it did instead have great dramatic scenes blended in with witty comedic lines.

With a dark tone and gritty cinematography filmed with fantastic sets and locations around New York this 90s movie is far from something to be pigeonholed 'just for kids' or a 'family movie'.

The aforementioned 'surfer dialogue' criticised in other reviews can be put down to personal taste, as the majority of fans do find this lingo both entertaining and quote-worthy. Who could forget Splinter exclaiming "I... have always liked... COWABUNGA!!" Casey Jones is one of the greatest characters in film for a long time and the performances given throughout, even though can be labelled slightly b-grade, are lovable all the same from Chief Sterns to Charles and Master Tatsu. The angst of Raphael to the cheekiness of Michelangelo there is nothing not to like about the characters in this movie.

The musical score is great and ranges from intense to comical - very fitting for a movie that is exactly that in its mood, without becoming corny unlike its follow-up films. MC Hammer creates the best songs of his career. Shameless fun.

All of the scenes are special in different ways to different fans of this cult classic; from Casey Jones vs Raphael in the park to the Antique Store battle.

Extremely under-rated. One of the best comic-book adaptations ever made and one of the defining films in a LOT of people's childhoods. A fantastic film for anyone with direction and storyline that remains highly enjoyable through the test of time.

Brilliant.

Forget the "kid friendly" sequels, forget the Michael Bay remakes, forget the CGI experiment. This, right here, is and still remains the definitive Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie. This got the vision laid out by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird most accurately: A dark, edgy, tongue-in- cheek parody to Frank Martin, Daredevil, Cerebus and New Mutants. Sure, you still had some of the cartoon elements thrown in for good measure (the colored masks, the surfer lingo), but compare this one to the other movies and this one followed the closest to the original comic book series, which was written for adults. The violence has been toned down significantly, as has the cursing, but it's there, on a lower level. As a kid, I was confused about why this was so dark and almost scary. Later, reading the underrated comic books, I learned this was what TMNT was originally envisioned as. Eventually, toy sales and Saturday morning TV won over the comic book, but here, for one brief movie, the turtles, as they were meant to be seen by their original creators, got their time in the sun. The writing isn't terrific and the acting not award winning, but still a fun movie to watch from time to time.

The once-very-popular Turtles, who are trained in the martial arts courtesy of their master, a rat named Splinter, are duty-bound to save the city from a group of youths that are known as The Foot, who have been stealing and committing crimes within the area. They end up befriending a young reporter named April O'Neill, who reads the news on the local TV station, after she is rescued from an attack from The Foot. Once she is home our shelled friends find that The Foot has captured Splinter, and so must rescue him and face the might of The Foot's leader -- Shredder! I was already familiar with the cartoon series (that had apparently been censored somewhat on its arrival in the UK for fear that children would copy the martial artistry), so I was a little dubious as to whether this would work in live-action. Strangely enough, even when I saw it for the first time in 1991, aged 18, I enjoyed it! It was brilliantly done, Shredder looked particularly menacing (as did his right-hand man Tatsu), and Splinter's voice sometimes moved you almost to tears, especially with the charming musical score. The martial arts action is quite well done (although Michelangelo did not have his Nunchaku weapon that his comic-book and video game version does), and the dark look of the whole thing suits it perfectly. This is certainly worth a look.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) is actually a cult classic Epic Action film and one of the best movies. It is one of my personal favorite comic book films and it is also one of my childhood favorites. It is my number 1 personal favorite Ninja Turtles movie! I love this movie to death it defines my childhood I grew up watching this movie! You haven't already rated the movie well, please do so we can push the current 6.7 rating as high as it can go!! As a lifelong Turtles fan, I can honestly say that everything about this movie works. From the casting, to the fight scenes, to the music, there is nothing that I would have done any differently. There is just enough comedy, each turtle is given their own unique, identifiable, and believable personality, and the story is fast paced and gripping. Jim Henson's people did a stunning job on the Turtles themselves, and the Shredder looks even better than he did in the Cartoons. The film really pays homage to the original comics by introducing Casey Jones, dealing with Raphael's anger. Here they are Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, Michaelangelo are bad ass. Splinter, Tatso, Casey Jones they are all bad ass including Raphael. My favorite best movie.

There is everything I love in this film. The acting, Jim Henson's creature shop were awesome. Fighting scenes, the foot clan, children who steals for foot clan. All characters are awesome. The cast, the plot everything is Terrific in this film. Why rebooting this film? Why? The original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) is the only film for me that I absolutely love to death! I grew up with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, I had an album of the animated series from 1987, I was collecting action figure from the third film that failed. I grew up watching this film and is always my favorite best action movie of the 90's I have ever seen. The fight stunts are awesome, the Acton sequences are amazing. Everything is just great in this film.

The film has some Drama in it, the character development between the Turtles and Splinter was really touching and amazing. Another character development in this film that touches me is between Danny and Charles a father and son. That scene is so touching.

Judith Hoag did an amazing awesome Terrific job as April O'Neil, a reporter for Channel 3 News she acted her character very serious and convincing. For me April O'Neal will always and only be Judith Hoag. I don't get it why was she replaced in the sequels which that didn't just work. Elias Koteas did an amazing performance as Casey Jones, a street wise vigilante who becomes an ally of the Turtles. He was the only Casey Jones for me he kicked ass! Seriously he did!!

The fight scene on the end of the film is the best I have ever saw. Here the foot clans and Ninja Turtles are using weapons. Like foot clans use Axes in April's apartment to kill the Turtles, but they failed. One of the foot clan Ninja's used a nunchaku weapons similar to Michelangelo weapons. The fight scene with Raphael on the roof was fantastic one of the best scenes in the film I love. This film is highly entertained, it is fast paced, not too over long or boring or lame it is a are real true Comic book Ninja Turtles film. It also has a heart bringing a family together like Danny and Charles father and son together when they were falling apart. The fight scene with Turtles and The Shredder was the best scene in the film, the combat was awesome. Tough the Turtles were no match for him, Leonardo was the only one that wounded him with his sword. The last fight scene when Splinter faces The Shredder is the best thing in a film that ever happened. Splinter come on the roof he confront Shredder and in final showdown he defeat Shredder. Shredder attacked him and Splinter throw's him with Michelangelo's nunchakus and says: "Death comes for us all Oroku Saki but when you Die it will be without.....honor." And Shredder try's to stab him and Splinter let's him fall in a dumpster! End and Death of Shredder in the original movie.

The film opened at the box office in North America on March 30, 1990, entering at #1 over the weekend and taking in more than $25 million.

I love this film is my childhood film and Judith Hoag is the only April O'Neil for me. Elias Koteas will always be Casey Jones for me. I love this film to death! I love it. I love it to death!!! The best movie in the whole world.

What else would you want in this film? There are a lot of martial arts in it. There were plenty used of weapons in the film: Leonardo used twin Ninja-Tou, steel swords of usually inferior make to samurai swords, roughly sharpened and straight bladed, Donatello wielded a bo, a staff made of tapered hard wood, Raphael wielded two sai (both singular and plural), dagger-shaped truncheons with two curved prongs and Michelangelo fought with twin nunchaku. Fight clan also used Axes. I love also the music score by John Du Prez and I love the song 9.95 Performed by Spunkadelic. 10/10