Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023)

[Alex...]

Title: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023)

Genre: Animation, Action, Adventure, Comedy, Science Fiction

Director: Jeff Rowe

Cast: Seth Rogen

Release: 2023-08-02

Plot: After years of being sheltered from the human world, the Turtle brothers set out to win the hearts of New Yorkers and be accepted as normal teenagers through heroic acts. Their new friend April O'Neil helps them take on a notorious crime syndicate, but they soon get in over their heads when an army of mutants is unleashed upon them.

 

[Alex...]

Seth Rogen Unveils ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ Movie Cast

Rose Byrne, John Cena, Jackie Chan, Ice Cube, Paul Rudd and Maya Rudolph are among the cast.

www.hollywoodreporter.com

 

[Alex...]

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Does this count as another reboot? Looks rebooty!

 

[Jason_V]

Went to see this last night.

First and foremost, my gut kept telling me not to go. Nothing in the trailer appealed to me, but I kept saying I might like it and go in with an open mind. (Note to self: trust your gut. Always.)

Also, I am not a hardcore Turtles fan. Sure, I had the OG toys and whatnot, but this has never been "my" franchise. So I come at this as someone familiar with the property and what came before, but not someone slavishly devoted to all of it.

I don't know who this movie is aimed at. Is it kids? Is it the adults who grew up with this property? Is it families? Depending on which scene we're in, I can make a case for any of the above. But most of all, I found it boring as all get out. The best part is the mid-credit scene which promises something great in the next movie/continuation/whatever.

Why is this boring? I'm down for the normal messages of tolerance and inclusion and growing up and whatever. Not a problem. It's not compelling and, frankly, I just didn't care. (Even aside from the Spider-Verse-wannabe animation, which is annoying.) Everything in this movie could have been sped up and shown as the first 15 minutes of the movie to get to what is promised in that mid-credit scene.

The best part of the movie is the soundtrack. I also know this has a 94% on RT right now and I will likely be in the minority. I don't care. Mutant Mayhem is not good. Complete not recommend.

 

[BobNewport]

This one isn't even on our radar. Looks horrible. Glad my kids are grown and no longer like the Turtles.

 

[Wayne_j]

94% for both critics and audience on rotten tomatoes. I'm seeing this today.

 

[Malcolm R]

The animation for this looks odd. I thought it was some kind of stop-motion clay-mation at first.

I've never been much into TMNT, though I sort of recall enjoying the first live action film back in the 90's. I think I might have reviewed it for the college newspaper.

 

[Edwin-S]

I saw it. I liked the look of it. The look is the closest this property has come in overall look to the original comic. I also liked that it shows the continued evolution of CG animated films from the antiseptic homogeneity in surface textures that CG animated have suffered from since Toy Story, no matter what animation studio was producing the film.

The story was somewhat choppy, ranging from somewhat dark to an on-the-nose preachiness about seeking acceptance and not getting it. There were so many characters introduced that some of them didn't get a lot of development; however, that may change in the sequel which apparently had already been greenlighted, along with a short TV series that is supposed to bridge between this movie and the next.

The denouement is predictable and kind of hard to believe, but I got a few laughs out of the film. For story alone, a C+. As a package, with the emphasis on turtles that really are teenagers, a B+.

Edit: I should add that this film had some good choreographed fight scenes in it, but I would expect that in a film that had Jackie Chan in it.

 

[Edwin-S]

I don't know who this movie is aimed at. Is it kids? Is it the adults who grew up with this property? Is it families? Depending on which scene we're in, I can make a case for any of the above.

I think you answered your own question. I didn't grow up with the property and was not a big fan. I mostly went to this because I like animated films and the look of this one caught my eye. However, I think I can safely say that both of the groups you mentioned were what this film was going for.

 

[Jason_V]

I think you answered your own question. I didn't grow up with the property and was not a big fan. I mostly went to this because I like animated films and the look of this one caught my eye. However, I think I can safely say that both of the groups you mentioned were what this film was going for.

Maybe? There's things in here which shouldn't be a in a movie aimed at kids (Splinter's love interest is just stupid and weird). And it's too juvenile for most adults. Sure, the fans who are now adults are gonna go and laugh at the Laird and Eastman references and whatever else...but the rest is just boring. At least IMHO.

 

[Edwin-S]

Maybe? There's things in here which shouldn't be a in a movie aimed at kids (Splinter's love interest is just stupid and weird). And it's too juvenile for most adults. Sure, the fans who are now adults are gonna go and laugh at the Laird and Eastman references and whatever else...but the rest is just boring. At least IMHO.

While I thought the "love interest" came out.of left field and wasn't executed well, I don't see why it shouldn't be in there. If anything, it was just a ham-fisted attempt to send a message.to kids that looks shouldn't matter when it comes to love. Also, I can't help but feel the "relationship" was basically meant to be a juvenile gross-out joke.

For the most.part, I found it a harmless piece of entertainment. The look and art style of the film was what impressed me the most. It really was like watching the original comic come to life in a sense, because the original comic's art style was pretty unrefined and looked like it had come.out of someone's high school doodles.

It's too bad that you disliked it and found it boring.; however, it just goes to show that movies can't appeal to all people.

 

[BobNewport]

Predictions as to if it's a huge hit ir just a quick to streaming flash in the pan?

I'm going with a mild mid $20 million opening.

 

[Tino]

Predictions as to if it's a huge hit ir just a quick to streaming flash in the pan?

I'm going with a mild mid $20 million opening.

Projections are $30-40 million over 5 days.

 

[Tino]

Predictions as to if it's a huge hit ir just a quick to streaming flash in the pan?

I'm going with a mild mid $20 million opening.

Actually

“Paramount is calling dibs on second with $30M for Turtles and a great 5-day of $45M for this $70M production.”

 

[Edwin-S]

Actually

“Paramount is calling dibs on second with $30M for Turtles and a great 5-day of $45M for this $70M production.”

Is that the official number or still a prediction? If the actual result, then it should make a reasonable profit unless attendance falls off the cliff.

 

[Tino]

Is that the official number or still a prediction? If the actual result, then it should make a reasonable profit unless attendance falls off the cliff.

It’s an official estimate. Final figures will be very close. Maybe even higher.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Saw this the other day - 3D, baby! - and enjoyed it.

It's definitely the best "Turtles" movie to date - granted, that's a low bar, but still.

Not a classic but a fun little ride with enough oddball humor to work for adults.

 

[Alex...]