I can picture Jackie Chan in the meeting for this film saying “I’ll only do the film if you let me do my own stunts” but Jackie it’s an animated film LOOOOL… what a legend! The heroes in a half shell are back on the big screen in this new 2023 animated iteration of the turtles in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, given to us from the bonkers and forever teenager mind of Seth Rogen. In the words of the bros them WE OUTSIDEEEEE!!
We are introduced to the wacky scientist named Baxter Stockman who has created a mutagen to form his own family. His first subject is a house fly and just as the process is due to complete, he is interrupted by the sinister company TCRI and killed in the altercation. The mutagen however falls down a drain and into the sewers just where our turtles just so happened to be. We skip to 15 years later and the turtles have transformed into humanoid, grown teenagers who have been raised by their rat father Splinter, who was also affected by the mutagen. Due to Splinters experience with humans, being chased and attacked regularly, he is not a fan of them and has raised the boys to avoid them so they live down in the sewers. However, through different mediums i.e., the internet etc the boys just want to be treated like normal teens, go to school, experience the upside world etc. to protect themselves Splinter teaches them ninjutsu and with that they are able to traverse the world without being seen. Their cravings for the world and their curiosity gets them caught up with a journalist named April and from there they go on an adventure to prove that they belong in this world as much as anyone else.
For the first time we are actually blessed with young teenagers who get to voice the turtles this time round. What this does is add a high level of authenticity. You can feel these lot are childish, energetic and just plain old’ alive. It works! They all put their own spin on the turtles and were courageous to try something new. Nicolas Cantu is Leonardo and captures the anxiety and pressure Leo has as the leader of the group. Brady Noon is Raphael. The bravest and believed to the toughest with the bad temperament. Noon’s version however is a lot more funny and not so serious like we usually know him to be, he was a brute but still fun. Shamon Brown is Michelangelo and is still the spirit of the team. This time round I did feel although still the comedic source he toned down a little bit. He wasn’t the usual surfer dude persona and I liked his new sense of depth. Micah Abbey plays the wise and resourceful brother. He was probably the only character that kept to the original displays of the character and that’s not a bad thing, if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it. It was an excellent performance. April O’Neill is voiced by Ayo Edebiri, she’s goal driven, recovering from a traumatic experience and Ayo does all very well. Although a young adult but playing a teenager she was able to reel it back to that young age and match the boys energies.
Jackie Chan was one of the highlights for me. It was the perfect casting and also the perfect timing.
He could have been involved in this franchise at any point in his career but the choice to have him come in as a seasoned martial arts sensei is perfect. He played himself. Witty, funny and passionate. Even his fight style in animation format was reminiscent of his real-life stunts. He was brilliant. Ice Cube plays the big bad, Superfly and he’s in his Magneto bag, wanting mutants to rule over humans. He’s boisterous, fresh and gangster. Cube shows its conflicted head space where he just wants his family to be good but at the expense of all humans. He’s so menacing and its brilliant.
This is an astounding production. The art style is unique and refreshing. It adds massively to the story and engagement. They use a format of where you can tell the bad guys, as they’re art styles have disjointed faces or limbs whilst the heroes all look evened out. There are some brilliant camera techniques for the fight scenes with additional affects to give that comic book feel. There’s one in particular where the cam is rotating as they are fighting off enemies and its awesome! In true typical TMNT fashion the soundtrack is amazing. Classics ranging from Blackstreet, A Tribe called Quest, and many more. We even get that nostalgia treat, the Vanilla Ice 90s theme song.
It’s a good story. I enjoyed it. It wasn’t perfect for me and I can explain why. I’m an 80s baby and a turtles fan. I may be labelled as stuck in my ways but there were some key characters who were changed up a slightly which made me a tad bit less excited for the future but I am pumped for it. This movie opened my eyes and made me realise something I’ve been missing for the past 30 years. THESE TURTLES ARE THIEVES!! CRIMINALS!! I never deeped it before, they really sneaking around at night robbing your local supermarkets LOOL.
It’s a brilliant remake and endless amounts of potential. I can appreciate the new direction. It has humour, action, a great soundtrack, interesting characters and most of all an enthralling message. A relatable story about acceptance. The need of wanting to be loved in light of all our differences. Redemption, brotherhood, family, forgiveness is all touched on. It does pull on the heart strings. It’s a must watch for me!!
Who was your favourite turtle? Who was your favourite villain? Did you stay for the post credits? What do u think of this new direction? Excited for the future? React and comment below…
