By LUKE SPENCE/Staff Writer
Editors’ Note: This post contains spoilers for “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem”
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem,” or TMNT, was released on Aug. 2, 2023, with little to no buzz surrounding its debut.
The film performed well for its budget of approximately $70 million; according to Aman Goyal of CBR, it has made $152.9 million as of Sept., 12, 2023. This seems low, however, compared to other animated films released in 2023 like ‘Super Mario Bros. Movie,’ which grossed $1.36 billion, or ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,’ which grossed $689 million.
But is the film worth watching? Despite the box office numbers, “TMNT: Mutant Mayhem” has been critically acclaimed by audiences and critics alike, and, in my opinion, it deserves the praise.
The movie follows the standard TMNT cast: brothers Leonardo (Nicolas Cantu), Michelangelo (Shamon Brown Jr.), Raphael (Brady Noon), and Donatello (Micah Abbey), with their father figure Splinter (Jackie Chan), and human friend April O’Neil (Ayo Edebiri).
The turtles are on a mission to be accepted by society, and with April on their side, they try their best to get good publicity by taking down bad guys, which gets them in over their heads.
To start, the visuals are stunning. I was in awe when I first watched the movie, akin to
how I felt when watching the Spider-Verse or Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.
It looks as if the entire movie was moving sketches; you can see strokes of color in each model or scene, and faces are drawn disproportionate and skewed. The whole time, if nothing else, I wanted to watch just for the style.
This story feels, and on paper, is, rather basic, but what makes it so special is the connection the characters share. Another good thing about the movie is that the turtles are the center of the story rather than the action. The TMNT series was built around the action and fighting genre, whether it be to avenge a loved one’s death or to protect New York City, so it is a nice change of pace for long-time fans of the series to have more intimate and vulnerable moments between the brothers.
Whenever there is action, however, it’s among some of the best action I’ve ever seen. The choreography is almost flawless and portrays the youthful energy that the turtles exude, with frantic, chaotic and uncoordinated attacks against their enemies.
The animation beautifully enhances the action we get and makes for engaging content that leaves you wanting more.
A couple of issues with the franchise itself (not this movie) is that often the dynamic between the turtles doesn’t always feel brotherly or genuine, and sometimes they never really feel like true teenagers.
However, their portrayals in “Mutant Mayhem” are the most believable in all of TMNT media as real brothers and teenagers. This is largely in part to the voice actors themselves — all either young adults or teenagers in real life — who improvised many of their lines to make it a more believable family.
The comedy is top-notch and in sync with our current generation’s humor. I thought that was surprising, as it was directed by Jeff Rowe and co-written with Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, Dan Hernandez, and Benji Samit, who are all over 35 years old.
It is chock-full of references to recent popular media, which may make it hard to watch
in upcoming years, but it is definitely entertaining in 2023. Its script is sometimes cringe-worthy, but I believe it is done intentionally to add comedic value and to get a little chuckle.
Despite all of the good in Mutant Mayhem, there are a few negatives which may bother some viewers.
Other than the main characters mentioned previously, there is a massive (though star-studded) cast of supporting characters. These characters rob some screen time from the ninja turtle brothers and create a sense of overcrowding in the film, especially since it has a small runtime of only 1 hour and 39 minutes.
Another problem is the climax of the story. The final fight drags on slightly longer than it needs to, which is time that could have gone to earlier parts of the film.
The end of the fight feels anti-climatic. Immediately after the fight ends, however, the turtles are instantly met with a happy ending detailing their new position in society. This “rubberbands” filmgoers, leaving them no time to breathe or reflect on everything that had just occurred in the film.
I really enjoyed “Mutant Mayhem”. I would recommend it to newcomers to the franchise and returning fans alike. Anyone who enjoys fun should at least experience it once. It’s beautiful visually and narratively, bringing a sense of joy and a familiar bond all through the wacky eyes of a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle.
Watch the trailer here:
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