Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, directed by Jeff Rowe is a comedy/adventure film released in 2023 in movie theaters. Let me just say, the 7.3/10 does not do the film justice in any way, shape, or form.
The film, running just over an hour and a half had me yearning for more once those credits started rolling. Well, there were some cringy moments in the movie, but that just made it all the more realistic.
Frankly, I’m tired of seeing movies and shows in which teenage characters act like and are portrayed by adults. Watching a movie in which four teenagers act like and are voiced by actual teenagers felt nice. The turtles being sheltered out of the real world and having their entire knowledge of humans being from pop culture and acting like cringe teenagers is a breath of fresh air because it makes you feel as if the movie has some realism to it (even though you’re watching an animated film).
Obviously, it’s not very canon with the main villain of this film being Superfly instead of the normal big bad, Shredder. with the four turtles trying to navigate their way around New York while also growing up with their strict father, Splinter.
While every other aspect of the movie is perfect, I don’t like how they used most of the film to build up to them finally discovering who they’re meant to be. it felt like a big waste of time and resources. I feel like they could’ve used all of that time that was wasted to actually make more action scenes and brotherly moments.
Don’t get me wrong, there are brotherly moments. like when they all sing “Butter” by BTS to make Donatello feel better or when they’re all pretending to be stereotypical New Yorkers after defeating a horde of bad guys saying things like “we outside” and “let me get a bacon, egg, and cheese. With the bev.”
I still reminisce on it even days after watching the film. Overall, my experience with the film is one that I will never forget, and it has easily become one of my favorite movies. All in all, I give the movie 9.5/10 for making me love the four turtles again. I would highly recommend the movie to anyone planning on watching it.
