*Yes, this review contains some spoilers!*
"Stay frosty! And keep quiet! And all of those other Leo-isms Leo likes to say!"
The Ninja Turtles have left the farm and they're finally ready to save New York from the Kraang! They're highly trained and oh-so-awesome ninjas, but four mutants against an entire army of aliens and they need to save millions of mutated humans? Yeah, they're looking at a bit of an uphill struggle, aren't they? Thankfully, they're not alone in this fight. The Nick team used the conflict to form their own version of the Mighty Mutanimals! I may not think this episode is as compelling as some of the other gripping and exciting adventures they've created, but it still offers a ginormous amount of fun.
Simply having the new team appear is plenty of fan service, but it doesn't stop there. The team is led by Slash and consists of Leatherhead, Dr. Rockwell, and Pigeon Pete, so it's pretty awesome having another team of good guys running around the city. The show has done such a fantastic job building up the opposition, so to have them take various mutants, throw 'em together and make them fight for the greater good is such an exciting decision. We'll all have our favorites, but I loved the relationship between Donatello and Dr. Rockwell. Donnie is so used to being the smartest one around, so to constantly be interrupted and one-upped by the guy resulted in some very funny banter. As expected, Mikey and Leatherhead's moments are just adorable and heartwarming. From the watery, puppy eyes on Mikey's face to the embrace those two always have whenever they meet, it's just sweet. So many characters are always ripping on each other, so it's nice to have a moment where friends are just happy to be with each other. Be nice to one another, kids. Anyway, Pigeon Pete doesn't really make me laugh (I know, I'm a monster) but I'm sure young viewers will really enjoy him. He's just a little too goofy and silly for me. He's not obnoxious, it's just his dialogue just doesn't tickle my funny bone. Sorry, Pete. That said, I do think it's clever how Slash puts him to use in the missions. As for Leonardo and Slash, well, I'll get to that later. Unfortunately, that's one of the parts I wasn't a fan of.
There's so much great comedy in here. From sharp dialogue to slapstick to like, a gazillion references, the steady amount of laughs is one of this story's greatest strengths. Oh man, Kraang Subprime flexing? I couldn't help but crack up and did anyone else spot a Kraang wearing something like Napoleon's hat?! And the entire opening sequence with Ice Cream Kitty and Mikey smashing the figure and the pizza together while being complimented? Or the bit with Kraang Subprime's hand? There's just so many funny moments that come to mind while thinking about the two episodes! They really went all-out with the levity in this one. I could go on and on about the bits that made me burst into laughter, but I don't want to ruin all of the fun for you. So, I'll just say there's absolutely something in here for everyone; it's guaranteed to put you in a good mood.
Another strength is the directing. Memorable shots aren't in short supply here. Something simple like Leonardo preparing to take on enemies is presented in such an engaging way (e.g. the reflection of enemies on his blade) and something like the shot of Kraang walking through fire was a real attention-grabber. You can't help but love how they always manage to offer solid group shots, too. There's an enormous amount of action here and the shots and editing make sure we're always part of the fun and it never feels static. From simple melees to mayhem with vehicles and weapons, it's all such a delight to witness. They do a great job selling the lighthearted gags as well. All in all, the presentation of the tale is terrific. As expected, the score really enhances just about every beat. I don't remember hearing any new tracks, but the ones they do use certainly boost the experience!
I'm sure I'm not the only one who's wondering how Kraang Subprime survived the last encounter, but honestly, who cares when he's such a hysterical character? I still think it's hilarious the show was able to bring in Gilbert Gottfried and you can really tell he does his best to have a blast with the role. So many of his lines had me laughing and his arrogant personality makes him such an entertaining enemy. "For the glory of Kraang!" Also amazingly entertaining: the return of Savage Mikey! I love how the show really puts Greg Cipes' unique voice to proper use.
As enjoyable as the adventure is, it kind of feels like things were wrapped up a little too easily in the end. Now, there's of course a ton of hiccups when it comes to execution of the plan and that offered us plenty of variety in terms of locations and action, but there was a lot of talk about how out-there and crazy difficult the primary goal would be (cure millions of people, teleport them back to Earth) and then it seems to occur without any issues whatsoever. I'm all for a happy ending, but it seemed convenient how everything wrapped up so neatly. I get time is of the essence with the storyline, but it just didn't have the same level of tension and powerful emotion that I experienced in the other hour-long adventures.
My other criticism is the conflict between Leonardo and Slash feels a little forced. It's also a bit disappointing Raph never stepped up to defend his friend. If they just argued over how to stop the Kraang, that would feel natural, but I thought the team views Slash in a better light after "Newtralized!" I could have sworn that episode was meant to basically redeem Slash's violent actions against the Ninja Turtles (I remember thinking they're finally on fairly good terms and Raph even told Slash he could join them), so Leo's very abrasive attitude towards him didn't feel justified to me. I understand not trusting the dude 100%, but it seemed unnecessarily harsh on his part since they've had other encounters after "Slash and Destroy."
"Battle for New York" is loaded with fan service and bombards you with almost non-stop action, comedy, and sci-fi craziness. However, it does kind of feel like the show's way of neatly resetting the scene in New York. It's such a blast and consistently funny, but the drama didn't feel organic at times and it wasn't as emotional or powerful as some of the other big stories. Still, there's a lot of material to enjoy here. I may not love this one as much as some of the other hour-long episodes (maybe "The Invasion" raised my expectations?), but there's just no denying just how much passion and creativity went into creating this adventure. Now that Slash's team is in New York, who else is really hoping we'll see them encounter Bebop and Rocksteady? I mean, just think about Slash vs. Rocksteady. Jaw-dropping, right?
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