My parents' generation had George, Paul, John, and Ringo, and my generation had (has!) Michelangelo, Leonardo, Donatello, and Raphael.
Sure, the Ninja Turtles are still around today in a major way, but Turtlemania was VERY much in the late '80s and early '90s. That was the height of Turtlemania, and I was right in the middle of that maelstrom.
That said, as a lifelong fan who has seen every Ninja Turtles movie, I'm here to say that I think the new movie, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is the greatest Ninja Turtles movie ever made, and I have 5 reasons why.
They're Actually Teenagers This Time! How Did It Take So Long?
I've seen every incarnation of the Ninja Turtles, be it film or TV show, and something that every version has gotten right is the "Mutant" and "Turtles" part (only a few, however, have actually implemented the "Ninja" part).
That said, the one aspect that maybe only the 2012 Turtles came close to nailing was the actual "Teenage" part, and even that one kind of wavered at times (it was more in the overall tone than the actual Turtles themselves that felt "teenage").
But, in the latest movie, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, which we gave a positive review, the Turtles here are definitely teenagers, and this casts them in a light that I never even imagined before.
As a '90s kid who learned about the Turtles from the 1987 cartoon series, and the 1990 Ninja Turtles movie, which was decidedly more adult, just like the comic that inspired it, I always viewed the Turtles more as grown-ups if anything.
But, seeing them as actual teenagers in Mutant Mayhem, really livens them up for me. Watching them joke around ("bacon egg and cheese") like I might have done with my own friends at 15 really personalizes the Turtles in a way that they never have for me in the past, and that's saying something for this lifelong Turtles fan.
The Soundtrack Is Amazing
In my re-evaluation of Licorice Pizza, I went into how an amazing soundtrack can elevate a film, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem has one of the greatest soundtracks that I've heard in recent memory.
With that said, I never noticed how mid the music was in all the older Turtles' films. Just think about the second movie, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze. They really had us going nuts over Vanilla Ice. Vanilla Ice! (Which is actually referenced in this new movie).
Or, what about the Michael Bay-produced Turtles movies? It's hard to even remember the music in those films. The fact of the matter is, the music hasn't really mattered all that much in the Ninja Turtles films… until now. Each song in Mutant Mayhem hits SO HARD. I mean, they have Funkmaster Flex's and M.O.P.'s "Ante Up," in this movie, and it totally works. This soundtrack is absolutely amazing, and it just adds so much to the movie.
It Pulls Deeply From The Turtles' Toyline
We Turtles fans honestly thought things were moving in the right direction when we got word that fan favorites Bebop and Rocksteady were going to be in the last TMNT movie, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows.
But, as you can see in our review of the film, if it's not a great movie, then all the fan-servicey stuff in the world isn't going to make it good. In fact, it almost seems like Out of the Shadows was trying to float by on JUST bringing in fan favorites, as it also gave us the first cinematic version of Krang, who fans had been clamoring for since the '90s.
You want to know what characters are in Mutant Mayhem, though? Yes, Bebop and Rocksteady are in the movie, but we also get somewhat obscure characters like Leatherhead, and Mondo Gecko, and then SUPER obscure characters like Ray Fillet, Scumbag, Wingnut, and Genghis Frog.
Plus, the coolest thing about all of these characters (many of which I had as toys) is their completely new redesign. Leatherhead is voiced by a woman (Rose Byrne), Genghis Frog is a little guy, and Ray Fillet is singing all the time (he's voiced by Post Malone). I mean, I know the 2007 TMNT movie didn't have Shredder, but it's so good to have a Turtles movie that doesn't rely on their main antagonist (and doesn't suck like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III), and is still awesome. Oh, and about that.
It Doesn’t Have Shredder As The Main Antagonist, Nor Does It Need Him
To save you from spoilers, I won’t say if The Shredder is or isn’t in this new movie. What I will say though is that he is NOT the main antagonist, which is huge, quite frankly. Given that the Shredder is the Turtles’ most recognizable villain, he has appeared in four out of the six prior Ninja Turtles movie as the main antagonist, and the ones where he wasn't featured – those being 1993’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III, and 2007’s TMNT – he was sorely missed.
Not so in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, though, where our main antagonist, Superfly, is a suitable villain all on his own. It doesn’t hurt that he’s voiced by the one and only Ice Cube, who really puts in some of his famous inflections when voicing the character (“What the hail?”), which gives him personality in spades.
I think Superfly also really suits the storyline of the movie. The film’s subtitle, Mutant Mayhem, is ultra fitting. Even more so than Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze, as what’s the secret?! In this movie, we get a huge rogues gallery of mutant villains, and it got to the point that I completely forgot about the Shredder. And for me to forget about the Shredder in a Ninja Turtles story is a massive deal. But, that’s just how good this movie is. Best. Ninja Turtles movie. Ever!
This Is Undoubtedly My Favorite Version Of Master Splinter
I really love this movie’s version of April O’ Neil (voiced by Ayo Edebiri), but she’s not my favorite version of the character. That would go to Judith Hoag in the original 1990 movie. But, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem undoubtedly has my favorite Master Splinter ever, with this version being voiced by Jackie Chan.
This Master Splinter learned martial arts from watching movies, and is pretty much a hermit. He can’t stand humans because of bad experiences he had with them, and he’s content with scrolling his cell phone and eating Doritos. He even has a decision on who’s the best Chris. Not only that, but he’s constantly afraid of people “milking” the Turtles.
I’m not the biggest fan of Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, but I really like that version of Splinter. That said, this version absolutely takes the cake. Master Splinter has never been more nuanced as a character than he is here, which just adds even more to why I love this movie so much, since Splinter is one of my favorite characters. He's right up there with Casey Jones and Raphael.
And, that’s the list. Have you seen Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem yet, and if so, did you love it as much as I did? For more news on all things TMNT, be sure to swing by here often!
