Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023) Review!!

Synopsis – The Turtle brothers as they work to earn the love of New York City while facing down an army of mutants.

My Take – It is hard to believe that the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, ever since they were created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird as an underground comic, have been around for nearly 40 years. Mainly as since the original animated series launched back in 1987, the heroes in a half-shell have never been too far away from our screens, both big and small, with varying degrees of success.

While their first live-action venture, that released in 1990, will always the remain the OG, its immediate 1991 and 1993 sequels were too campy for their own good, with diminishing returns killing at least their theatrical appearances for a while.

That is until they attempted revival once again with the criminally under-seen animated venture, TMNT (2007), and then again with the ambitious yet misguided Michael Bay-produced CGI fests Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014) and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows (2016).

However, this latest animated iteration, backed by permanent teenager Seth Rogen, immediately stands apart by honing in on the teenage aspect of the sewer-dwelling foursome. And combined that with a moving story about their desire for acceptance and a gorgeous yet unique animation style, the resulting film is an exciting, hilarious, chaotic, and amazing adventure that delivers one of the most enjoyable outing since their ’90s heyday.

Directed by Jeff Rowe (The Mitchells vs. the Machines) and Kyler Spears, who are working from a script co-written by Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, Dan Hernandez and Benji Samit, the film straddles the line between self-awareness and seriousness. There are references and gags that’ll please long-time Turtles fans, but isn’t overburdened by references to past glories. As a good origin story should, it makes you feel like you’re meeting these characters for the first time, and leaves you wanting to spend much more time in their company.

Plus its decision to adopt the particular visual style, in the vein of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023), eschews realism for a deliberately hand-drawn, cell-shaded look that harkens back to kids scribbling the amphibious IP in their notebooks. It’s a brilliant decision and makes the film worth watching for the visuals alone.

The story follows Leonardo (voiced by Nicolas Cantu), Raphael (voiced by Brady Noon), Michelangelo (voiced by Shamon Brown Jr.), and Donatello (voiced by Micah Abbey), four mutant Turtle brothers, who live in the sewers of New York City with their adoptive rat father, Splinter (voiced by Jackie Chan). Not only did he raise the boys, but he also trained them in martial arts so that they may protect themselves from the above ground humans who would harm them.

Forbidding them to leave the sewer except when groceries and pizza are needed. But the teens, longing to be accepted by humans and live normal lives, often stray from Splinter’s rules and find themselves caught up in a plan with an aspiring human high school journalist April O’Neil (voiced by Ayo Edebiri).

Deducing a plan to win over other humans like April so they can go to her high school: they’ll track down a new criminal mastermind in NYC called Superfly (voiced by Ice Cube). Little do they know that Superfly really is a seven-foot fly who was mutated by the same mysterious green Ooze that made them. And he’s willing to welcome the half-shelled quartet as cousins if they help him and his family of mutants wipe out humanity.

There is a lot thrown at the screen as the Turtles try to prove themselves by saving NYC from the other mutants, and sinister organization the TCRI, led by Cynthia Utrom (voiced by Maya Rudolph), are also on the periphery. But even if it feels overstuffed at times, it’s never less than enjoyable. Mainly as the young cast bring a delightful, bantering energy to the Turtles, fizzing with a natural chemistry as they crack wise and talk over each other. They’re a blast to be around, and their outsider status also adds to the relatable teenage aspect.

It helps that the script is packed with humor and heart that will entertain everyone in the audience. At its core, this one is a coming-of-age story about acceptance and overcoming prejudices. A flashback deftly handles their origin story while also laying the groundwork for the conflict that pushes the family’s bonds. Splinter has a very real and justifiable reason for not wanting the teens to be around humans.

However, its biggest sell is its animation style, as it embraces the blend of classic comic book animation with street art. Leaning into the original comic book drawings of Eastman and Laird, coming off rougher around the edges than what we see as the standard in animation. It works and moves like drawings in a sketchbook. There’s an intentional jerkiness to how the turtles move in their computer-generated world that slyly nods to stop-motion animation.

Meanwhile their eventual combat with the fellow mutant creatures, who sometimes drool green neon ooze, likewise will reminds viewers the turtles came from an era where faint disgust was a selling point to kids. There’s so much to appreciate here, such as the film’s dynamic score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, or the needle drops, which aren’t just delightful picks on their own, but integrated into the action with thought and care.

Voice performances wise, Nicolas Cantu, Shamon Brown Jr., Micah Abbey and Brady Noon are perfect, all of them are pretty much the ideal embodiment of their corresponding Turtle and the chemistry is instant and just doesn’t stop. They quip constantly and almost all of them land as well as bringing the depth as they long to live above ground.

Ayo Edebiri exudes her usual likable energy. Jackie Chan was a natural choice for Splinter and he’s obviously fantastic and Ice Cube makes shoulders a lot of load in making his villain charismatic, funny, and threatening at the same time.

In other roles, Rose Byrne, Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd, John Cena, Hannibal Buress, Natasia Demetriou, Giancarlo Esposito, Post Malone, and Maya Rudolph are great. On the whole, ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem‘ is a hilariously entertaining and chaotic adventure that is likely to win over both old and new fans.