Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem Review: New Turtles With New Style

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a franchise that constantly gets rebooted. While each generation has grown up with a different iteration of the pizza-loving reptiles, there is no definitive version that fans unanimously agree is the best. TMNT: Mutant Mayhem is the latest attempt at popularizing the franchise, and it could be the version that makes younger audiences fall in love with the turtles.

‘TMNT: Mutant Mayhem’ introduces audiences to a younger and goofier version of the turtles

Mutant Mayhem might throw Ninja Turtle purists for a loop as it is a pure origin story for the turtles. We see the turtles at the very beginning of their crime-fighting careers. The turtles are true teenagers, as they act and sound like young, high-school-aged kids. All they want is to be accepted by humanity, as they try to become heroes to prove they’re not frightening monsters.

While fans might not be used to the four turtles sounding and acting this adolescent, it truly works for this version. The four brothers simply want to fit in, and their motives are not only relatable but believable for kids their age. Their dynamic is excellent and charming as well. The four voice actors for each turtle recorded their roles together and the comradery between them is present in spades.

Other familiar characters receive small changes that work for this reboot. April O’Neill is a high-schooler who wants to prove herself as a legitimate journalist. However, she’s camera-shy, and overcoming her shyness is an essential part of her arc. Mutant Mayhem perfectly works her story into the plot without taking the focus off of the turtles. Splinter (Jackie Chan) is also slightly different, representing the more fatherly side of his character, rather than the martial arts master. Chan’s performance is both hilarious and heartwarming as you fully understand why he has a strong prejudice toward the human world.

The movie has a stacked voice cast that includes Paul Rudd, Seth Rogen, Post Malone, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Natasia Demetriou, and John Cena. Ice Cube shines as the main villain Superfly, a giant mutant fly who wants to destroy humanity. While his ultimate goals are basic for these kinds of villains, his backstory does make his motivations more captivating than a standard antagonist. However, the climax against him does turn into a massive, CGI-destroying sequence that is less interesting than a more intimate battle between his posse and the turtles.

Stellar animation and a catchy soundtrack take this reboot to another level

What makes this iteration of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles feel even more unique is its animation style. It’s hard to even describe what it is. It’s clearly influenced by Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse but it doesn’t have the same comic book style. It looks like early concept art and sketches that were blended with CGI. It creates a distinct atmosphere that mixes perfectly with the fast-paced and energetic movement of its characters.

Alongside the animation is a great soundtrack that incorporates many hip-hop classics from the 1990s. It’s a throwback to the first appearance of these turtles but it still fits in with this environment. The turtles are pop culture nerds, and many of their references are throwbacks. The dazzling and dizzying score is also created by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, who enhance each action set piece with lively synthesized tracks.

The script itself is solid, with many heartwarming moments that mesh well with its more comedic tone. However, the jokes can go on for too long and it often relies too heavily on pop culture references that will one day make Mutant Mayhem seem outdated. Still, the characters are written very well and it’s intriguing to see the turtles figuring out their roles within the group.

Mutant Mayhem is a wonderful family film that should please both newcomers and franchise vets. While old school fans may struggle with the more adolescent versions of the turtles, they seem like they will, pun intended, grow into their shells. Yes, there are jokes that fall flat and too many pop culture references, but it’s still an engaging animated flick that sets up many possibilities for it’s future.

Final Rating: 8.2/10

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