That's right, you've got a third Road to. Didn't think that'd happen but hey, I get to review some of my favorite franchises so I can't complain. And with Mutant Mayhem coming out this year, it's time for me to review one of my favorite childhood heroes. Also, before you mention it, yes I'm also aware the film Turtles Forever, and I already reviewed Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Now with Turtles Forever (or really both films), I'm taking an approach where I'm only reviewing all of the theatrical released films. So if you were looking forward to a review for that...well, sorry I broke your hearts?
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a comic book movie based on the comic book series by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, and the first film adaptation of the Ninja Turtles. It was produced by Golden Harvest, Limelight Productions, and 888 Productions and distributed by New Line Cinema. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was written by Todd W. Langen and Bobby Herbeck and directed by Steve Barron.
The story is young New York reporter April O'Neil has uncovered a story about an underground crime empire. After she's attacked by ninjas she meets up with a group called the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, along with their master, Splinter. This doesn't go unnoticed, and soon the leader of this organization, the Shredder, plans to put a permanent end to the Turtles.
- Negatives
I've got nothing negative to say about this movie folks. Just keep scrolling down.
- Mix
Now, some of you will most likely disagree with me on this, and that's fine. But for me, Shredder and the Foot seemed just okay to me. I didn't by any means hate them, but it felt like there could've been just a little bit more. Although that might have been a conscious decision to focus more on the theme of the movie. Which you'll read about soon.
- Positives
What really worked for this movie is pacing. This film just flies by. Even when I put it on pause to either refill my drink, put more popcorn in my bowl, or have a bathroom break (either for myself or my dogs), the movie still just goes by real quick.
Now because we're dealing with ninjas both human and turtle, we get a perfect amount of action. The marital arts and acrobatics in this are executed perfectly. Which is pretty amazing considering those Turtle suits weren't the easiest thing to move around in. Whether the fight is serious, goofy, or a mixture of both, the action is awesome.
Since I brought up goofy it's time for me to give my thoughts on the humor. It's pretty good. Does it work every time? No, but for the most part it works. The best part about it is that it didn't ruin any of the more serious moments, like a lot of comic book movies do. Looking at you Marvel Studios.
Then there's the practical effects, which are done at a top notch level. Probably isn't surprising considering they were made by Jim Henson's Creature Shop. But what really makes them work is they're timeless.
Now we move onto the tone. While there are hints of the 1987 cartoon thrown in this. It's still a pretty dark movie, and the reason being it's clear the filmmakers were primarily inspired by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird's earlier comics during the Mirage Studios era. And it's kinda funny how the tone, along with the violence, was criticized by parents, cause they felt like it wasn't appropriate for kids. Which I find hilarious, cause had I been a kid back in 1990 and told the exact tone, I would've begged my parents to take me. Why? Because if a comic book movie's dark and gritty tone is well executed, it's an awesome experience.
The last thing I'll praise is the theme. What I've come to realize about the movie is, there's a strong theme of fathers and sons. Whether it's with the human character Danny and his dysfunctional relationship with his dad. Shredder's twisted version of being his henchmen's father, or Splinter with the Turtles. A matter of fact, even though the Foot Clan is involved, the Turtles don't really care. The primary story is them wanting to find their dad. It really added another layer to the movie, which I hope gets discussed more in the near future, if it hasn't been already.
While I did have a slight issue with the movie, overall it's pretty good. But despite its quality I'm surprised it doesn't get discussed more. Oh well, still an amazing film.
My final rating is, Great.
Well, that's going to do it for me. Come back on Feb 16th, for my review of...actually I'm not too sure. You'll either get a review of season two of the revival of the Animaniacs or Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey. It'll really depend on what hand I'm dealt with. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day.
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