Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Seriously, there’s no other way to set the tone for this. Well okay, there are many ways to set the tone. For instance, I could start this off by using turtle puns, saying “heroes in a half-shell” or cowabunga, I could even throw in the lyrics to the Ninja Rap, but sometimes a direct approach is just as effective.
So yeah, it’s turtle time. If you were grew up in the 80s, you very likely grew up on the Ninja Turtles. I was born right in the middle of the hype, and I’ve loved it ever since. For fans from the very beginning, the franchise started from the comics and then went into the animated series, toys, video games, and, of course, the movies.
If you were to ask any fan what their favourite ninja turtles film is, they’re likely to say that it’s the first one. It captures the gritty feel of the original comics, and the turtles’ personalities are, for the most part, close to their comic book counterparts. Leonardo’s leadership and disciplined nature is there, as is Raphael’s temper and loner attitude; and Michelangelo’s carefree behavior is also spot-on, adding to the film’s charm. Unfortunately, Donatello’s intellect and science smarts aren’t present in the film. His traits are actually better utilized in the film’s sequel.
Just like Tim Burton’s Batman, this film shows people that comic book movies can be given the same treatment found in films geared towards older viewers. And while TMNT does have funny moments and memorable lines to lighten the mood here and there, the movie as a whole is gritty enough without being too dark (although it does pack a punch during tense moments).
The story starts with a series of crimes happening in New York City, often when citizens least expect it. This causes news reporter April O’Neil (played by Judith Hoag) to get caught up in the mess. This, in turn, brings the turtles out of hiding as they find out who’s behind the crime wave and try to put a stop to it. As they encounter the criminal organization known as The Footclan, they run into Casey Jones (played by Elias Koteas), a cocky vigilante who ends up tagging along.
Throughout the movie, various plot points are taken from the original comics, including the final fight and Raphael’s meeting with Casey. These scenes and others keep things moving along nicely, while the character chemistry helps give the film heart in the right places. The filmmakers were even nice enough to give us Sam Rockwell.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a TMNT experience without good action, and there’s plenty of it. They even manage to throw in some humor during the fights, giving the turtles wisecracks and entertaining banter. A perfect example of this is easily the fight in April’s apartment.
Looking at the film now, it’s amazing what the crew was able to accomplish, especially since this was made on a low budget. It presented many challenges, the obvious one being the turtles themselves. Stuntmen had to wear the suits (which weighed around 50 pounds) while performing all the martial arts and acrobatics, while puppeteers would be working the facial animatronics. The suits were provided by Jim Henson’s “Creature Shop,” and in my opinion, this is some of their best work.
The movie’s not totally perfect, but it’s still a lot of fun to watch. If you’re a fan of the turtles and somehow haven’t seen this, do check it out. Buy it, grab some pizza, watch, eat, rinse, and repeat.
Until next time, always know that where there’s a will, there’s money and leftovers just waiting to be eaten. Catch ya on the flip side everybody. o/
Kasey Lewis - Actor, Writer, Creator 