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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

3

The heroes in a half shell have returned to the big screen! Come read our thoughts on the franchise's reboot.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a franchise I've always been particularly passionate about. I grew up with the animated show, bugged my parents to buy me the toys and, just like many others, dressed up as the characters for Halloween (my mom was kind enough to make me a costume one year). Needless to say, I get pretty thrilled when a new TMNT movie heads to the big screen. I was in college when the 2007 movie came out and I made sure to see it twice in theaters. Even though my love for the franchise wasn't all that strong at the time, the rooftop fight between Raphael and Leonardo blew me away and the rest of the film was legitimately enjoyable. Now, Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman's creations are getting another shot on the big screen. I'll be completely honest with you, kind readers: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles isn't a good movie, but it is a fun movie. I know that may sound silly, but stick around and I'll do my absolute best to explain!

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First and foremost, the writers get the popular heroes right. Yes, these mutants may look and sound different, but none of them feel out of character and they definitely manage to entertain in the scenes that revolve around them. The character dynamics you'd expect from them are front and center and there were several bits of banter that made me laugh out loud. As usual, Raphael is the only one to walk away with some development, but the others still amuse and the proper personalities are present. It just rings true. Mikey is sure to make you chuckle at least once, Donatello's "geek factor" is played up but he serves a critical role and still shines, Raphael's temper is always on display, and Leonardo's just trying to make sure everyone gets along. And thankfully, they live in a universe that allows them to make plenty of references to other superheroes and franchises and those lines are certain to at least make you, my fellow comic book fans, smirk. So, when the heroes in a half shell are around, it's consistently lighthearted and most of the humor can appeal to moviegoers of any age.

When it comes to action scenes, Shredder's a boss and most of the battles are a good dose of amusement. Even though his armor appears to be over-the-top and clunky, he's still able to move fluidly and shows a great amount of skill. Thankfully, there tends to be an extended wide shot for the better melee fights and this allows us to really appreciate all of the movements and brutal connections. Odds are you've seen plenty of the snow chase sequence in trailers and it's without question the highlight of the movie. There's some fairly creative shots thrown in there and it's consistently thrilling. The rooftop battle with Shredder is a blast -- even if it is loaded with tropes -- and the villain's encounter with Master Splinter is also pretty exciting. However, when it comes to Shredder as a character, he's seriously lacking. The villain's agenda is totally cliche and it has quite a few plot holes along the way. To top it off, he also has some pretty silly dialogue. There's an older and memorable line that's brought back but it really doesn't work with this new tone. In a cheesy video game or cartoon? Certainly. As a legitimate threat? Not really. Sadly, there really isn't any depth to the fiends in this one and their mission is very generic and, as said above, quite flawed. There's also a noticeable amount of blatant exposition on this side of the story. I didn't mind it with the turtles (especially with the illustrated opening sequence), but it began to add up with the bad guys. Lastly, Karai is apparently just there for fans to say, "look, there's Karai!" Her role really is limited to shouting orders and failing miserably.

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Aside from Splinter -- a character who looks very fake compared to everything else -- the visual effects were solid. I can't say the designs have won me over, but I've come to accept it's a totally different incarnation and, a creepy expression or two aside, I didn't mind how the turtles appeared. Their size means there's an extra emphasis on their strength and durability, but this comes at a cost: their stealth is lacking. Yes, they're still fast and skilled, but I definitely wouldn't call them sneaky (yet somehow they manage to vanish from a crazy scene in Times Square during the day without being spotted?). There's only a moment or two where the visuals faltered a bit, but the motion capture does a fine job often making it feel like these large mutants are flipping across the rooftops or interacting with the humans. Speaking of the humans, Vernon Fenwick (Will Arnett) brings a good dose of levity and charisma to the movie. I mean, did you really expect otherwise from the Arrested Development actor? Meanwhile, the movie tries too hard to tell us April O'Neil (Megan Fox) is this determined and fearless reporter instead of actually showing us. She has a moment or two of bravery, but some of her scenes with other human characters tend to drag or feel dull compared to the rest of the movie, and having her talk about how passionate she is about reporting and her career becomes repetitive and just uninteresting. So when Arnett's in her scenes, it definitely keeps things more engaging. That said, Fox does get a few moments to land the laughs. Considering she's chasing an absolutely ridiculous story, they use her serious delivery of really silly lines to drop a few laughs. There's a few lines in the film that are a bit cringeworthy, but April has a few intentionally ridiculous lines and having her say them in a completely earnest manner pays off.

As stated above, the villain's plan isn't compelling or original, and it turns out that the changes to the Ninja Turtles' origin comes off as pretty unnecessary. They take steps to establish a stronger connection between some of the leads, but it'll instead likely have you asking a few questions about the logic behind a couple of decisions and doesn't really expand the mythos all that much. In fact, the twist isn't even needed to establish a strong bond between certain characters. Still, I'd be a total liar if I said I didn't think the look at the mutants' earlier years wasn't absolutely adorable.

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Is this the best Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie? No, I'd say the 1990 and 2007 ones have way more depth and much better stories. But is it a fun movie? Yes, and ultimately, isn't that what many of us want when we buy a ticket to see Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? The plot may be all kinds of generic and filled with some noticeable holes, but they do have a good grip on the team's personality and there's plenty of entertaining action and legitimately enjoyable banter along the way. It likely won't pull at your heartstrings, but they do manage to work in the message about the importance of family, too.

Very young TMNT fans will likely have a blast as they're able overlook the plot's numerous issues and just appreciate the visuals, laughs, and fighting. As for everyone else, if you're a TMNT fan that's been enjoying the recent trailers and clips, odds are you'll have a decent time. It likely won't blow you away or have you reflecting on it for very long, but it's an okay way to spend a couple of hours. But if the trailers and clips have left a bad taste in your mouth or have you feeling mostly uninterested, I seriously doubt the final product will change your mind. Honestly, that crowd would be better off seeing Guardians of the Galaxy or Dawn of the Planet of the Apes again (both are awesome, by the way).

If director Jonathan Liebesman's reboot does well enough at the global box office to warrant a sequel, I'm really hoping the next project will have a far more compelling narrative and take more steps to expand the mythos. All in all, this is a fun albeit mostly forgettable experience. The visuals, action, and humor are solid, but everything else comes off feeling pretty cliche. Oh, and if you do wind up strongly disliking the movie but still love the franchise, please remember the animated show on Nick and the IDW series are both consistently excellent!

133 Comments

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betogonza

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I hate how the turtles look.

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k4tzm4n

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k4tzm4n  Moderator

All in all, not as bad as everyone thought it would be. (And the 2007 movie didn't have depth. Mikey and Donnie were friggin' extras.)

But I still think Sarah Michelle Gellar would've made a better April.

LOVE how they brought back Shredder's "turtle soup" line.

I agree 100% that Michelangelo/Donatello were cast aside in the '07 movie, but I think it had an infinitely more compelling "villain" and did a way better job handling the dynamic between Leonardo and Raphael.

And I couldn't help but cringe at that line when it was used in that context, but hey, glad you enjoyed it.

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amazing_webhead

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The_Martian

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Did no one else notice the similarities in plot to Amazing Spider-Man or was it just me?

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Omega Ray Jay

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Haven't liked the design from the outset, and the thought of sitting thought a Megan Fox movie isn't all that appealing either. I'll stick to the 80's one.

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aspenation_366

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Edited By aspenation_366

I watch TMNT last night, but to my opinion it's a damn good movie. Splinter and Shredder are both badasses, the turtles are awesome and Megan Fox did a fine job as April. I don't think the turtles aren't that creepy and the looks of them are intense. People can criticize, moan and complain about Megan Fox all they want, but to me she earns a bonus check for a great role. The past is past, people. The TMNT future gets better, deal with it!

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Teerack

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Edited By Teerack

Only 3 stars?

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chaos911

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I just saw it and it was exactly what I said earlier. It was fun movie that I wouldn't mind watching again. I particularly enjoyed the adrenaline scene and flashbacks of them as kids. Cowabunga

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w0nd

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Edited By w0nd
@the_martian said:

Did no one else notice the similarities in plot to Amazing Spider-Man or was it just me?

no i noticed it right down to the tower falling over lol.


obviously this will have spoilers.

It was watchable, I like the on screen chemistry of the turtles, could have done with them not wearing their accessories 24/7 those sun glasses would fall off at some power I'm sorry. And there was no connection to Splinter and japan or ninjitsu at all, other than reading it in a book. I know "watching" and learning was ridiculous in the first movie, or turning from human to rat in the cartoons bugged some people , but him either being the master or learning from a master was there some how, now he is just a rat with an accent (some how) who taught himself how to fight from reading a book.

I am not going to say this movie robbed me of my childhood or anything silly like that. Each series of ninja turtle has been different. NONE have been the same aside from the character, so pretending this is in any way different would just be silly.

there were some cringe worthy moments like him telling the turtles the plan or a certain character being the only one in the room with a gun, fully wanting to kill, but hiding away from them as if they had guns too. And splinter telling them it was their destiny to protect humanity, even though they have no connection to it what so ever.

April had the same amount of screen time as she did in the older movies, that focused on humans just as much as this one did people are going to act like it didn't.

This movie is not amazing by any means, the mixed reviews are fair, 3 stars are fair, but i think people are being a little unforgiving when it comes to the changes, I mean in the 80's 90's version Raph wasn't a "hot head" he was sarcastic, and the bad guys were bumbling idiots, shredder ran away more often then fight.... and in the 2003 one shredder was an alien...in the 2007 movie shredder wasn't in it and April is now a ninja, they all have their flaws. If you go in hating the movie you will hate it.

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Nightwingfoo3

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I watched it in Imax 3D , it was an okay movie, the action scenes where cool

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deactivated-097092725

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Getting to read a review from someone known for their enjoyment of these characters is appreciated by me. I am hearing a lot of criticism about this film from a lot of people, but it's mostly centred around Bay and Fox so I've decided to tune that biased static out.

I'll probably catch this sometime this upcoming week or next, and I'll go in there with this write up in mind. Thanks for the guidance.

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amazing_webhead

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@lvenger said:

A fair enough review Gregg and I guess it turned out how you thought it would. A fun popcorn flick, nothing more, nothing less. That's not enough to make me waste money on a Michael Bay related film that doesn't do justice to yet another famous and well loved 80s franchise but it is a balanced critique nonetheless on your part.

I agree. It has plenty of action and humor, but once the initial adrenaline rush wears off, it still has many of the same flaws as every Ninja Turtles movie before it.

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The_Martian

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@w0nd: Oh good, it just wasn't me. I was sitting there thinking, "I've seen this movie before."

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w0nd

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@w0nd: Oh good, it just wasn't me. I was sitting there thinking, "I've seen this movie before."

I know several other people who mentioned it before as well haha

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SpitfirePanda

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This is a movie that I'll probably have to skip due to time constraints. Still, I'm not that surprised at the bad critics scores.

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Sammo21

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Edited By Sammo21

As stuck up as as it might sound, I don't have time for a 3 star film. With how much movie prices are and how little free time I have I can only go see movies I am super hype on or that have amazing word of mouth. Ninja Turtles...is not that film.

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w0nd

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@sammo21 said:

As stuck as as it sounds, I don't have time for a 3 star film. With how much movie prices are and how little free time I have I can only go see I am super hype on or that have amazing word of mouth. Ninja Turtles...is not that film.

yeah tickets are pretty darn expensive, that's a fair reason not so see one.

they movie could have been really good with minor tweaks that's the sad part

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DcNoobReviews

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you said that thankfully this movie is based in a universe that allowed them to make referances to other heroes? who do they mention???

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Fenderxx

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@the_martian: I noticed it too dude, I wrote about it in my user review, but I was expecting andrew Garfield to swing by during that last scene!

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w0nd

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Edited By w0nd

@dcnoobreviews said:

you said that thankfully this movie is based in a universe that allowed them to make referances to other heroes? who do they mention???

they mention fortress of solitude, the bat man voice and just...things like that. They are aware of comic book heroes, and media, but I don't think it means these heroes exist. Or did I miss something

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MatthewParker

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@mars8254 said:

Im excited for this. Im just going to tune out when Megan Fox get on the screen and give my attention to the turtles.

you will have to tune out a lot then, the whole beginning part is about her.

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MatthewParker

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Did no one else notice the similarities in plot to Amazing Spider-Man or was it just me?

it wasn't just you, i saw the similarities too!

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The_Martian

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Astro_Zombie78

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Should not have even gotten 3 stars.

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w0nd

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@mars8254 said:

Im excited for this. Im just going to tune out when Megan Fox get on the screen and give my attention to the turtles.

you will have to tune out a lot then, the whole beginning part is about her.

i think the human/turtle ratio is about the same as the old one, between april danny and casey.... the only difference is Megan never feels like a hot shot reporter, she feels like she should be hosting the teen choice awards...and everything she does is stupid, she has no actual proof but whines that no one believes in her stories....I hate when characters are written stupid, who should by all means be smart.

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phocracker

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Solution - stop watching trailers. I thought the movie was a blast. This isn't some lore movie, it's nickelodean. Great movie. 8.9/10 - 1.1 docked for basic story. Still a great show but seriously, stop watching trailers. They spoil movies.

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mogo1

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Just watched it the other day and I really liked it. I went in knowing that there was a lot of changes I wasn't the most excited for and came out completely entertained

Wasn't to pleased with the size and characteristics of all the turtles. Didn't like shredder Size from commercials. Always hated Megan Fox. Didn't like splinter

Came out thinking Splinter was super BA. Shredder ended up being cool. Fight scenes were all really good. Loved the silliness of the turtles. I also didn't hate Megan Fox at the end.

And I'm not ashamed at all to say I was all teared up from Raphs speech at the end. I love him

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Teerack

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I wonder if IDW is mad at how Transformers, TMNT, and G.I. Joe turned out. I started to catch up in both Transformers MTMTE and RID, but then after I saw Transformers 4 I lost interest, and now I've been getting into the Ninja Turtles book but I haven't been able to get into he mood to read it since seeing the movie =_=

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vandinejd_1991

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I have yet to see this movie, but even though it might be bad it has made me interested in these characters which I didn't really care about before. So far I've seen the first four movies of which I liked the first, second, and fourth ones are my favorite; and I've seen the first 6 episodes of the newest animated series which is really good.

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KingStandup

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After everything I read and heard about this movie, I had little to no expectations when I finally went see it last night. But I am pleased to report that I thoroughly enjoyed it! Great visuals and plenty of laughs! Nice to see our favorite turtles back on the big screen. There's a ton of potential for a sequel and I sure hope it happens.

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mightypug78

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Its on Netflix. not the best movie but its fun to watch like they said. The fights scenes are especially fun to watch. Too bad they went with Meghan fox. doesn't match her role. Maybe they should have used the girl who play Emelia Pond in Doctor Who.