After years of being sheltered from the human world, the Turtle brothers set out to win the hearts of New Yorkers and be accepted as normal teenagers through heroic acts. Their new friend April O’Neil helps them take on a mysterious crime syndicate, but they soon get in over their heads when an army of mutants is unleashed upon them.
For in-depth thoughts on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, please see my colleague Liselotte Vanophem’s review from its theatrical debut here.
Video Quality
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem comes to 4K UHD Blu-Ray with an awe-inspiring 2160p HDR/Dolby Vision transfer that is sure to wow audiences. That being said, it is difficult to assess how large of an upgrade it is since there is not an accompanying Blu-Ray. One of the most pleasing aspects of the disc comes from the implementation of Dolby Vision for a dazzling array of colors. With every single hue that appears on screen, you truly understand that this is what the format was made for as they shine off with an unbelievable intensity. Highlights are brilliant as they avoid blooming, and black levels are nice and deep with no signs of compression artifacts or digital anomalies of any sort.
Animation has been in an exciting place over the past few years as studios take more of a chance on artistry over photorealism, and this particular feature is one of the best examples of creativity that we have seen. The textured character designs render with perfect uninterrupted movement throughout no matter the obstacle. The level of care and detail the animation team puts into each background will have you wanting to rewatch numerous times to try to catch everything. The textures of the different character designs and environments are a delight and give the film an unbelievable sense of depth. When it comes to the characters, all of the subtle aspects that give them personality stand out on full display. Paramount has provided an enviable home entertainment presentation.
Audio Quality
This 4K UHD Blu-Ray provides a Dolby Atmos track that handles every little nuance the source throws at it. From the opening moments, the film explores all of the surround speakers during both the relatively subdued moments and the thrilling set pieces. Dialogue is crisp and clear without ever getting lost in the music or sound effects. Music is essential to this experience, and it fills the room in an enveloping and formidable manner. The score from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross establishes the atmosphere to complement the terrific soundtrack. Atmospheric sound effects are rendered perfectly within the mix so that directionality is never an issue. The implementation of the height channels is a joy to experience as you settle yourself in the noise of the city. The low-end effects from the subwoofer give moments big and small a significant boost. You could not ask for better from Paramount as this one comes in like a whirlwind. There is a cavalcade of subtitles provided.
Special Features
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: A six-minute featurette that takes a look at the first teenagers to play the titular turtles, the energy it brings to the film, the qualities of each of the vocal talents, and more.
- The Mutant Uprising: A nearly nine-minute look at the mutant-filled world surrounding our heroes including the original antagonist created for this feature outing.
- New York, New York – The Visual World Of Mutant Mayhem: A six-minute exploration of the unusual look of the animation style and the ethos behind executing and evolving it throughout the process.
- Learn To Draw Leo: A 21-minute step-by-step tutorial on how to draw Leonardo.
Final Thoughts
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is one of the most exciting interpretations of the classic characters that we have seen on the big screen to date. Much of this comes from the free-flowing animation style that shows real grit and character to the stylistic flourishes. Perhaps even more noteworthy is the decision to embrace the “teenage” portion of their namesake, giving the film a youthful energy that is never self-serious. Every voice performance feels perfectly executed, and the story is thrilling even with a slight bout of bloat in the second act. This film is pure fun and reminds you of the joy that accompanies “turtle power” at its best. Paramount Home Entertainment has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray with a fantastic A/V presentation and a nice array of brief supplemental features. We cannot wait to embark upon more adventures in this world. Recommended
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem will be available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray, and DVD on December 12, 2023. This film is currently available on Digital.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Paramount Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.