Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Movie Franchise

[The Joker]

Checked this out a last night, and thought it was ... OK.

Didn't exactly love it, nor did I hate the film either.

Definitely agree it's better than TMNT III, and I would consider on par with TMNT II: Secret of the Ooze to be honest.

There is indeed alot of wrong with the film, but something that I felt was 'right' was the Turtle's personalities, which I think was captured as well as can be expected. Especially for a movie that felt extremely condensed (like to the point where it's very noticeable how fast scenes are constantly moving along), and could have benefited, to some extent, with a longer running time in order to explain things further, add some dramatic beats, and let the film atleast breathe between all the action sequences (though the script reportedly being re-written numerous times, even at the 11th hour, certainly didn't do the project any favors either).

Like alot of action oriented films associated with Michael Bay, there is plenty of spectacle to go around with TMNT 2014. Some better than others, but the snowy mountain sequence is aces with me.

While the TMNT 1990 film drew inspiration from the B&W Mirage comics, as well as some elements from the '87 Fred Wolf toon, making it a mixture of the two in order to appeal to both kids and adults, TMNT 2014 obviously was much more inspired by the various animated series ('87, 2003, current-Nick-Toon) that have appeared thru the years, and as a result, definitely aims towards a much younger audience.

Since I live in the UK I will not be able to see the new one until October but it looks fine to me far as I can see. I don't think there is a problem with Will Arnett's character. Verne has always been the comic relief and that's pretty much why we remember him and love him. I'm not looking at all for character depth and development from him so that is no problem for me. What I am looking for is seeing that character lifted from animation and onto live action movie screens. And, apart from his camp pink shirt, it would seem they have done that.

I liked Will Arnette in the film, but I felt his Vernon characterization was a bit different than the Vernon found in the '87 Fred Wolf toon. Instead of being a fellow reporter that competes (often underhandedly) with April, and typically comes across as spineless whenever he was directly encountered in any sort of antagonistic manner, the 2014 film Vernon is much more courageous and actually pursues a romantic relationship with April. Something of which was completely absent from his prior incarnation.

Is Irma in there too?

Nope. No Irma to speak of. April has a roommate, but it's not Irma.

At any point in the new one do they use either Partners in Kryme's "Turtle Power" song or even the original animated series theme song?

Don't recall "Turtle Power" from the 1990 film being used, but I believe the '87 Fred Wolf theme song is used, albeit quickly, during a few scenes. I think one particular scene where Donatello hacks into April's laptop to deliver a urgent audio message, you can hear the theme song in the background.

[johnnygobbs]

I just watched the 2014 TMNT on TV.  I started off just casually watching it whilst I concentrated on working from my laptop, which is what I tend to do when I've got something on the TV I don't think I'm going to particularly care for.

But after about fifteen to twenty minutes I was surprised to say that the film had my full attention.  I've never really been a big fan of the turtles but I'm surprised how entertaining this was.  It's by no means a classic but it's much superior to the 1990 movie and its sequel IMHO, the effects are decent as are the action, the story was solid, and the humour was perfectly pitched, particularly thanks to the contribution of Will Arnett.

[riddler]

Kind of surprised about the lack of discussion on Out of the Shadows.

This film is probably the one the initial cartoon fans have been waiting for. Bebob, Rocksteady, Baxter Stockman, the turtle van, and Krang are all elements of the TV show which appeared in the film. Stephen Amell plays a different version of Casey Jones, he's a suspended police officer turning to vigilante justice. I'm reading there are nods to the cartoons from the late 90's/early 21st century but I never watched those (played the 4 video games, watched the 87 cartoon, saw all the live action films but didn't keep up myself). Of course there is controversy; Baxter Stockman is played by an African American but other than that it shouldn't bother many people.

I do think it's a definite improvement over the 2014 film. Probably not as good as the original 1990 film but I'd put it in 2nd for the live action films. Sadly this may fall the way of the Amazing Spider-man 2. Many fans of the source material will probably like it better than it's previous film but due to box office returns we may never see another sequel. Without spoiling the ending it also sets itself up for another film the way ASM2 did. 

[The Joker]

Speaking as a guy who grew up loving the Fred Wolf 1987 toon, I can't say I disliked "Out of the Shadows". I mean, I did like it, considering it finally brought in Bebop, Rocksteady, Stockman, and Krang. All of which I've been waiting to see in a live action movie since I can remember as a turtles fan. Unfortunately I thought the writing could have used alot of work, which is similar to the 2014 film, but maybe even more so with this one. The Shredder and the Foot Clan were much, much more recognizable this go-around, but I wasn't exactly pleased with the use of them. To me, rather than have the Shredder be so trusting of Krang, I really felt at the very least he could have benefited as a character to be established as just as treacherous. As is, he just comes across as TOO trusting which I felt diminished him to some extent. It's a fun movie, if you go in knowing what to expect, much like the Bay Transformers films, but despite it being something of a wish fulfillment type movie by seeing characters finally come to life in a live action Ninja Turtles film, the execution left alot to be desired.

I personally would love a series of Turtles films with the tone and direction of the 1990 live action movie, but with characters that originated from the Fred Wolf 1987 toon (Krang, Bebop, Rocksteady), but that's a long shot. Ninja Turtles for the most part, appears to be aimed almost exclusively towards children. It's something of a small miracle we even got something like the 1990 film, especially since it was made right at the height of Turtlemania. As it could have easily been TMNT 2: Secret of the Ooze or TMNT 3 in light hearted tone right from the get go. Fortunately, that didn't happen, and I agree with Riddler, the 1990 still stands as the favorite of the now 6 TMNT movies...

[GBglide]

Of course there is controversy; Baxter Stockman is played by an African American but other than that it shouldn't bother many people.

He's been black in everything other than the Fred Wolf cartoon.

[Silver Nemesis]

I watched TMNT II: Out of the Shadows on DVD a couple of nights ago. Here's how I would rank the six theatrically-released Turtles movies, from least favourite to favourite:

6) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014)

It was obvious the makers of this movie started off on the wrong foot, then tried to course correct midway through production. The end result never quite comes together for me. It's watchable enough, but it offers nothing new for long-time fans. I hated Megatron-Shredder and I didn't think the mo-cap Turtles looked anywhere near as convincing as their live action counterparts from the 1990 film. All in all, a bland and forgettable reboot.

5) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III (1993)

An ill-conceived entry that failed to extract mileage from the source material (not one classic villain appears) or even capitalise on its own premise. A misfire on almost every level. It does however hold a certain nostalgic value for me because I went to see it with some friends for my 8th birthday. I also like the setting of feudal Japan, though they could have done a lot more with that aspect. A guilty pleasure at best.

4) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: Out of the Shadows (2016)

Cringey humour and juvenile storytelling abound in what is a surprisingly entertaining improvement over its predecessor. A lot of the same problems are present as in the 2014 movie, but this time it feels like the filmmakers' hearts were in the right place. This is basically the cinematic version of the Fred Wolf cartoon that fans have been asking for. They got Shredder right this time out, though it would have been nice to have seen him fight someone. I thought they did a great job with Krang; his goofier qualities were present and they nailed his antagonistic relationship with Shredder. Take away the fan service and this is every bit as hollow as the 2014 film, but the nostalgia factor elevates it for me.

3) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991)

This one felt very watered down and cartoonish compared to the 1990 film, but none of that bothered me when I first saw it as a 5-year old. The special effects are amazing and it's exciting to see the Turtles face off against other mutants in the form of Tokka and Rahzar. The plot delves more deeply into the Turtles' origins, but in doing so places less emphasis on the supporting characters than the previous film did. But that's not a problem if you just want to see the Turtles in action. The cheesy Vanilla Ice sequence perfectly encapsulates the pervasive early-nineties atmosphere, and that's also a major part of the movie's nostalgic charm.

2) TMNT (2007)

This was the first Turtles film I didn't see in theatres, which is a shame because I think it's really underrated. The plot is convoluted, there are far too many underdeveloped side characters, and its canonicity in relation to the earlier films is unclear. But the animation's smooth, the art style is attractive, the musical score and voice acting are of a good standard, and the overall tone strikes a satisfying balance between comedy and drama. This one feels closest in style to the 2003 animated series, placing its dramatic emphasis on the relationship between Leonardo and Raphael. Their rooftop battle is a great tribute to Sonny Chiba's Return of the Street Fighter (1974) and settles the longstanding fan debate over who is the strongest Turtle. As I say, I think this one's underrated.

1) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)

The first movie is still easily the best. If Out of the Shadows is the film that most reflects the 1987 animated series, then the 1990 movie is the one that best represents the original Mirage comics. The plot faithfully adapts those early issues while capturing the darker, edgier tone that characterised them. The special effects on the Turtles blew my mind when I first saw this on the cinema as a child, and they still hold up today. The fight choreography is great and the action scenes are effectively balanced by quieter, more reflective moments between the Turtles, Splinter, Casey and April. It's not just effects-driven schlock like some of the other films; in this one they put some effort into developing the characters and the relationships between them. This film also contains by far the best depiction of the Shredder. As with Secret of the Ooze, this movie feels like a time capsule encompassing an insane amount of early nineties pop culture. Not the best superhero film of that decade, but it'd make my top five.

[thecolorsblend]

I loved the Turtles as a kid. But unlike other characters (Batman, Superman, the JLA, etc), it seemed like the Turtles never grew up with me. I mean, as a kid I could watch the Adam West Batman show, which totally kid-friendly. But there was also B89. By 80's and early 90's standards, B89 was pretty balls-out.

These characters matured with me.

But the Ninja Turtles... I don't know. I honestly don't remember giving a crap about them since 1993. When I was 12. And even then, that was peppered with a bit of nostalgia. My thesis is that it's possible to be "nostalgic" for your "childhood" at the age of 12.

I've read some of the original Mirage comics and those are pretty decent.

The only film I could ever picture rewatching is the 1990 one. There's a fair bit of nostalgia there too but the voice acting is pretty solid and even if it gets a bit slap-stick'ish (and it does, God knows), it has some heart to it. Why that (relatively) more serious tone was sacrificed in the subsequent movies is beyond me. Even as a kid I recognized the first movie set a viable standard that future movies could and should be expected to live up to. It wasn't an impossible task... though you wouldn't know that based on the subsequent Turtle movies.

[The Laughing Fish]

I loved the Turtles as a kid. But unlike other characters (Batman, Superman, the JLA, etc), it seemed like the Turtles never grew up with me. I mean, as a kid I could watch the Adam West Batman show, which totally kid-friendly. But there was also B89. By 80's and early 90's standards, B89 was pretty balls-out.

These characters matured with me.

But the Ninja Turtles... I don't know. I honestly don't remember giving a crap about them since 1993. When I was 12. And even then, that was peppered with a bit of nostalgia. My thesis is that it's possible to be "nostalgic" for your "childhood" at the age of 12.

I've read some of the original Mirage comics and those are pretty decent.

The only film I could ever picture rewatching is the 1990 one. There's a fair bit of nostalgia there too but the voice acting is pretty solid and even if it gets a bit slap-stick'ish (and it does, God knows), it has some heart to it. Why that (relatively) more serious tone was sacrificed in the subsequent movies is beyond me. Even as a kid I recognized the first movie set a viable standard that future movies could and should be expected to live up to. It wasn't an impossible task... though you wouldn't know that based on the subsequent Turtle movies.

I feel the same way. I grew up loving the 1990 film, and when I go back to the Turtles, that's always my favourite interpretation. That said, I really liked the CGI 2007 movie too. I remember being pleasantly surprised how that turned out better than I expected.

Blame the 80s cartoon if you want, but going back and reading those Mirage comics does get hard to sit through. Very depressing stuff. I think the 1990 film, while dark, was nowhere near a downer.

[The Dark Knight]

I loved the Turtles as a kid. But unlike other characters (Batman, Superman, the JLA, etc), it seemed like the Turtles never grew up with me. I mean, as a kid I could watch the Adam West Batman show, which totally kid-friendly. But there was also B89. By 80's and early 90's standards, B89 was pretty balls-out.

These characters matured with me.

But the Ninja Turtles... I don't know. I honestly don't remember giving a crap about them since 1993.

Bingo. As I posted three years ago:

It could be so much more. The brand comes off as juvenile, gimmicky and one note somehow. To be extremely simplified its a bunch of talking turtles swinging sticks and eating pizza. I long outgrew it.

I have a strong feeling the brand just isn't strong enough to deliver consistent quality.

The franchise is littered with dud films. If the concept does have potential, it's very rarely realised.

[Azrael]

I loved the Turtles as a kid. But unlike other characters (Batman, Superman, the JLA, etc), it seemed like the Turtles never grew up with me. I mean, as a kid I could watch the Adam West Batman show, which totally kid-friendly. But there was also B89. By 80's and early 90's standards, B89 was pretty balls-out.

These characters matured with me.

But the Ninja Turtles... I don't know. I honestly don't remember giving a crap about them since 1993. When I was 12. And even then, that was peppered with a bit of nostalgia. My thesis is that it's possible to be "nostalgic" for your "childhood" at the age of 12.

I've read some of the original Mirage comics and those are pretty decent.

The only film I could ever picture rewatching is the 1990 one. There's a fair bit of nostalgia there too but the voice acting is pretty solid and even if it gets a bit slap-stick'ish (and it does, God knows), it has some heart to it. Why that (relatively) more serious tone was sacrificed in the subsequent movies is beyond me. Even as a kid I recognized the first movie set a viable standard that future movies could and should be expected to live up to. It wasn't an impossible task... though you wouldn't know that based on the subsequent Turtle movies.

My current indifference towards Turtles is one of the things that help me not feel bad for still enjoying as an adult things I loved as a kid (like Burton's Batman, B:TAS, Star Wars, Indy etc.).

As a child, I was one of the biggest fans. The cartoon, the toys, merchandise, Konami's games. The 1990 movie was the best thing ever. Even my preference for pizza started from TMNT.

I also haven't watched anything after 1992-1993, and not a single second of footage from the more recent rebooted cartoons. Still haven't watched the 2016 sequel yet.

(I still like pizza though. Who doesn't)

TMNT media is maybe an example of how some things are only for kids and don't hold up while some other "child" things you grew up with have genuine merit and aren't mere nostalgia and yearning for simpler times.


That said, it seems the 1990 movie, alongside the original comics, deserve another look.