Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
The perfect balance between Millennial nostalgia and powerful storytelling
Shamon Brown Jr., Micah Abbey, Nicolas Cantu, and Brady Noon breathe life into the surprisingly touching Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle: Mutant Mayhem.
Sheltered teen brothers Michelangelo, Donatello, Leonardo, and Raphael are beginning to bristle under the overbearing rules of their dad Splinter (Jackie Chan). They can’t hang out with friends, they can’t go to movies, and they can’t even go to school. This is a real bummer because the boys want nothing more than to explore their New York City home.
Sure, the whole family is comprised of mutant animals, but the teens are confident that they can win over the city and earn a place in society. Splinter, a rat who has spent his life trying to protect his turtle sons from the horrors of humanity, doesn’t even want to consider leaving their safe sewer home for a look at the world above. Splinter once tried to be part of the human world and only encountered violence and prejudice. He’s desperate to keep his boys from the same harsh lessons.
But like most teenagers, these boys aren’t going to be dissuaded by a silly little parental rule. When they accidentally save high schooler April (Ayo Edebiri) from a robbery, the turtles hatch a plan: If they become heroes, humans will accept them and welcome them into society.
They decide to take down master criminal Superfly, how hard could it be for a team of four?
Can the turtles capture Superfly? And more importantly, can the turtles ever find acceptance in the world?
Full disclosure: I not only have seen all the original TMNT films, but I also dragged my poor father to the Coming Out of Our Shells Concert Tour (ask your parents, kids). So, I am primed to be dismissive of recycled intellectual property repackaged to capitalize on nostalgia and a younger generation. But even though I have very fond memories of those nightmare-inducing Henson Studios turtle suits, even I can admit this film gets it right.
Funny, touching, and jam-packed with enough 90s nostalgia to have every viewer over 30 murmuring “radical” to themselves, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is a great example of how to take a familiar media property and update it for modern audiences. Sure, there are plenty of Easter Eggs for the TMNT-dedicated to find, but more importantly there’s a moving story with a strong message at the heart of this film.
Also, you get to hear Vanilla Ice’s “Ninja Rap”, so that’s worth the price of the ticket right there.
Directed by Jeff Rowe and Kyler Spears (making his feature debut), the minds behind the wonderful Netflix family film The Mitchells vs The Machines, Mutant Mayhem combines real heart with some genuinely funny moments. The film takes a page out of the Spider ‘Verse animated films, combining 2D and 3D animation as well as a few styles of art. It’s a bombastic collection of colors and striking visuals that feels like a comic book came to life. Rowe and Spears also echo the graffiti culture of early 90s New York, helping to ground the film in its setting.
Great visuals are complimented by a strong script from Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, and Rowe. While on the surface Mutant Mayhem is an action romp about four silly ninja turtles and their antics, the film is also a touching story about building your community and seeking acceptance without compromising who you are. Yes, the mutant turtles are kinda startling when you first see them, but if you get past the initial shock, they’re good kids. But getting past the initial shock is harder for some than others. Still, the script has an important message about being true to yourself and not seeking approval for the wrong reasons.
And though the filmmaking is strong, the best part of the film is the voice acting. The four actors behind the turtles — Shamon Brown Jr., Micah Abbey, Nicolas Cantu, and Brady Noon — have the perfect combination of youthful exuberance and teenage idiocy that make the core group endearing. It’s a tall order to keep a group of kids taking phone videos and yelling about drip from becoming obnoxious to the older viewers, but Mutant Mayhem does an admirable job. The boys are loud, silly, brash, and exasperating, but at their core, they’re trying desperately to do the right thing. It’s a sweet portrayal and one that helps to ground the story.
Whether you’re a fan of the original comics/movies/ill-fated concert tour or looking for a fun family film that’ll keep everyone happy, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is well worth the ticket.
Verdict: Funny, smart, and full of heart this movie will have you yelling Cowabunga, Dude!
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is rated PG and available in theaters.
