TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: MUTANT MAYHEM | ©2023 Paramount Pictures

Rating: PG
Stars (voices): Nicolas Cantu, Brady Noon, Micah Abbey, Shamon Brown Jr., Ayo Edebiri, Jackie Chan, Ice Cube, Paul Rudd
Writers: Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg & Jeff Rowe and Dan Hernandez & Benji Samit, story by Brendan O’Brien and Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg & Jeff Rowe, based on characters created by Peter Laird & Kevin Eastman
Director: Jeff Rowe, co-director, Kyler Spears
Distributor: Paramount/Nickelodeon
Release Date: August 2, 2023

By now, there have been so many iterations of TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES – comic books created by Peter Laird & Kevin Eastman, television, feature films, animated and live-action – that some specificity is in order.

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: MUTANT MAYHEM is an animated feature film that also serves as the Turtles’ origin story. It seems like it doesn’t deviate so much from the norm that it will annoy old fans (this is a guess based on non-granular knowledge of the TMNT-verse), but it also holds the door wide open for newcomers to the franchise.

Also, TMNT: MM has an uncommon animation style that is less Saturday morning or any kind of 3D than a 2D format made to resemble underground comics. It’s so scruffy that sometimes waves in New York Harbor have little white spirals ascending from their tops. This not only suits the sewer roots of the mythology, but also provides something new and different to the eye.

After a prologue, in which the laboratory of rogue scientist Baxter Stockman (voiced by Giancarlo Esposito) is destroyed in a government raid, some of the transformational ooze he invented seeps into the NYC sewer. Here, it transforms a lonely rat named Splinter (voiced by Jackie Chan) and four baby boy turtles, whom he promptly adopts.

Fifteen years later, the little guys have grown into Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Leonardo (voiced by Nicolas Cantu) is the leader, Raphael (voiced by Brady Noon) is the angry one, Michelangelo (voiced by Shamon Brown Jr.) is gregarious, and Donatello (voiced by Micah Abbey) is on the timid side.

All four of them have been taught martial arts by their loving Dad. However, Splinter believes all humans are evil, murderous, and should be avoided at all costs. He chooses to ignore that all of his sons want to engage with the human world and go to high school.

Then, a ninja practice session gets out of hand and leads to the Turtles meeting teen non-mutant aspiring reporter human April O’Neil (voiced by Ayo Edebiri). Leonardo develops an instant crush and insists to his brothers that they retrieve April’s stolen bike.

This leads the TMNT to the villainous Superfly (voiced by Ice Cube), who supplies much of the mayhem and more of the mutants of the title.

The screenplay by Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg & director Jeff Rowe (the film’s co-director is Kyler Spears) and Dan Hernandez & Benji Samit has good jokes, differentiates the main characters nicely and poses actual moral quandaries about what makes common goals and what are the best ways to deal with oppression. The movie does try to have it every which way with that last one, but at least it’s about more than the usual leaving the nest/dealing with stereotypical bad guys themes.

The voice cast is engaging. The younger actors have spirit and precision. Chan is a perfect choice as Splinter. At least subconsciously, we accept that of course he can learn and teach martial arts, because just listen to him. Chan also brings out the poignancy of Splinter’s loneliness, and the humor of his deadpan observations. Ice Cube puts some joy as well as menace into Superfly, and Paul Rudd is the soul of friendliness as a mutant gecko.

Nobody is going to confuse TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: MUTANT MAYHEM with independent artwork, but for a studio animated feature, it’s got a look of grit and individuality. More than that, we leave the theater feeling relatively cheerful and entertained, which is always a plus.

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Article: Movie Review:TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: MUTANT MAYHEM

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