This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the documentary being covered here wouldn’t exist.
Having to reinvent the Ninja Turtles certainly must have been an extremely tough job for Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon. However, after the mixed success of Michael Bay’s live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies, they had no choice. They returned to the original drawing board, and seven years after the last Ninja Turtles movie, they’re back, and how! While Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem has pacing issues, it’s the perfect mix of bold colours, a heartfelt, coming-of-age story and a banging score.
The chances that you’re not familiar with the Turtle brothers are pretty slim, but if you have been living under a rock or a half-shelf, then don’t worry; directors Jeff Rowe (The Mitchells vs the Machines) and Kyler Spears (Amphibia) will bring you up to speed many times during this feature. Whether it’s at the beginning, when we see the origin story, or more towards the middle when we meet the oh-so-cute young versions of Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo and their rat-father Splinter, you certainly get enough background information about this energetic and fearless fivesome.
The turtles are now full-grown teenagers, and thanks to the stunning drawings, and the top-notch voice actors, we instantly see each unique personality. Leonardo is the disciplined turtle, while Michelangelo (Shamon Brown Jr.) is the opposite, as life is one big party for him. Raphael (Brady Noon) is a stubborn fighter who’s certainly not afraid to fight with his enemies and brother Leonardo. Last but certainly not least, Donatello (Micah Abbey) is the technical nerd of the group.
They soon learn that their unique skills are the only things that can save New York when the evil Superfly (Ice Cube) threatens to wipe out humanity. Despite society not accepting the turtles (yet), killing humans is one step too far for the turtles. Together with student reporter April O’Neil (Ayo Edebiri), they take on Superfly and his team of mutant animals. While until that point, the storyline feels predictable and familiar, there are twists and turns around the corner, especially when it comes to the still overprotective Splinter (Jackie Chan).
The story is one of the movie’s strengths, mainly because of its humour, hilarious references to pop culture and catchy one-liners, but it’s also the downfall. It has pacing issues as sometimes it wants to go too fast and in too much detail, while during other moments, it’s too slow (showing the true colours of the turtles), and during those times, the story feels mismatched with the banging score. The music packs a lot of punch and energy, but when that’s not what you see on-screen during those songs, the movie feels out of tune.
While the storyline and the score might not fully sync, the visuals make up for it. Sometimes they’re too dark and lack the vibrant green colours of the turtles due to the grim, crime-filled version of New York, but most of the time, they’re stunning! The filmmakers keep the comic-style look, and the colouring seems done by hand. There’s a lot of creativity and a love for hyperkinetic animation, which certainly pays off.
Despite the Ninja Turtles going strong for 39 years, this is the first time the ‘teenage’ aspect is the main element. We’ve seen glimpses of what the brothers look like as late teens and early adults, but now, we catch them in their prime teenage years. The move to let actual, less-known teenagers voice the turtles is an extremely clever one. Cantu (The Fabelmans), Abbey (Grey’s Anatomy), Brown Jr., and Noon (The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers) make the characters feel unbelievably charming. They have a tremendous, upbeat chemistry and family dynamic. While they mainly portray how exciting teenage years are, they’re certainly not afraid to show us the anxiety and dread teenagers have to deal with.
The scenes in which they meet the other mutants and Superfly are undoubtedly the funniest moments in this movie, partly due to the entertaining performances by Ice Cube (22 Jump Street), John Cena (Fast X), Seth Rogen (An American Pickle) and Paul Rudd (The Shrink) as respectively Superfly, Rocksteady, Bepop and Mondo Gecko. Edebiri (Bottoms) matches the turtles’ energy and playfulness as the charming, determined up-and-coming journalist April.
Deep down, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is about wanting to belong, rejection and fighting for what you want. Those serious topics are mixed with a lot of vibrancy and fun. While the movie isn’t without its pacing problems, the stunning visuals and the young actors breathe new lives into the franchise with their impeccable voice-overs. This latest adventure of the turtles is a blast for adults and children.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is playing in theaters from the 2nd of August courtesy of Paramount Pictures.
Despite its pacing issues, "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem" is a vibrant coming-of-age movie with a lot of heart, fun and humor.
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GVN Rating 8
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User Ratings (1 Votes)
9.5