TMNT on DVD: Turtles Are Back!
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Return in CG-Heavy Remake
State-of-the-art CGI and outstanding voice talent make up for the cliché-ridden dialogue in this fourth movie installment based on the TMNT comic books.
In the beautifully animated TMNT, four teenage mutant ninja turtles stop whining about their lost glory days long enough to rise from New York’s sewers to fight a mysterious evil force threatening to take over the world. When the story begins, brothers Leonardo (James Arnold Taylor), Michelangelo (Mikey Kelly), Donatello (Mitchell Whitfield), and Raphael (Nolan North) relax after their most recent victory, with Leonardo visiting the jungles of Central America to work on his mind-body-spirit connection and hot-headed Raphael secretly fighting crime after dark as the masked Night Watcher.
A 3,000 Year-old Curse
When a 3,000 year-old curse caused by the stars’ rare alignment brings a raging army of stone warriors back to life, the crime-fighting brothers reunite, receiving assistance from their human friends Casey (Chris Evans) and April (Sarah Michelle Gellar). Unfortunately for them, the warriors also receive assistance from a group of foot ninja working for a wealthy, high-tech industrialist (Patrick Stewart). Guided by their rat sensei, Master Splinter (Mako), the boys take on all factions, including the industrialist who has been collecting the stone warriors for an unknown purpose.
Based on the comic book series, TMNT is the fourth movie installment – this time using computer-enhanced graphics for the next generation of turtles. These are not flat, color-saturated cartoon characters, but clear, textured, three dimensional heroes who must get past their petty sibling rivalries to band together as one big, happy family of mutants. Primarily a children’s movie, TMNT provides a blast of shotgun humor that misses the mark for most people over the age of 10. The continuous action comes and goes quickly with mock turtle violence where no one bruises, bleeds, suffers, or dies despite the abundance of weaponry.
Exceptionally Good Voice Talent
A lively soundtrack punctuates the action, with exceptionally good voice talent for the variety of characters inhabiting this world, including animals, humans, and ancient monsters. Stewart’s industrialist, Taylor’s Leonardo, and North’s Raphael are particularly noteworthy vocal performances. Laurence Fishburne provides a brief, but memorable narration to set up the story.
Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, creators of the TMNT characters and comic books, originally intended teenage mutant ninja turtles as a spoof of other comic book characters. Instead the series launched its own set of heroes, legions of fans, and lucrative merchandising tie-ins. TMNT uses state-of-the-art computer technology to its fullest advantage here. Even with its ridiculous story, lame humor, and cliché-ridden dialogue, the movie’s amazing animation is well worth watching. The unsubtle morality lessons for children couldn’t be any clearer: preserve the family; fight for what’s right; and prepare for anything.
Turtle fans, anime aficionados, and young children should thoroughly enjoy this latest TMNT adventure on DVD.
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
- Director: Kevin Munroe
- Movie Run time: 86 minutes
- DVD Extras Include: Alternate ending and opening, deleted scenes, audio commentary by writer and director Munroe, interviews with voice talent co-stars Patrick Stewart, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Laurence Fishburne, and the filmmakers.
To learn more about animated films, read Bee Movie on DVD, Kids at the Movies, and Dream Images in Paprika.
