TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: OUT OF THE SHADOWS – Review

The “heroes in a half-shell” have repeatedly been reintroduced for almost three decades. Even for fans, it’s hard to keep track of all the different comic series, movies, cartoons, live-action shows, and action figure lines. Michael Bay and his team clearly noticed the success of the Nickelodeon cartoon that began in 2012 (and continues to be amazing) and seemed to think that they could carry over that popularity into a new live-action film series. And so the turtles were born again for the big-screen two years ago. TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES (2014) introduced us to the next incarnation of our favorite crime-fighting turtle team, even if we didn’t exactly spend as much time with the brothers as we do with the bodacious brunette April O’Neil (that’s at least how Michelangelo would describe her). Never did we really just get a scene with the brothers outside of April’s involvement or one not through her eyes. Director Jonathan Liebesman and the writing team seemed content in having her be our tour guide to the sewers.

Such is not the case this time around. As the title suggests, this time around the turtles are out of the shadows and front and center in all their obnoxiously ugly glory (more on that later). After April O’Neil (Megan Fox) discovers that brainy scientist Baxter Stockman (Tyler Perry) is working with the “Foot” gang to break loose the evil mastermind Shredder, the turtles head out to stop the jailbreak and find out what Stockman’s intent really is. The turtle plan hits a major roadblock when Shredder disappears to another dimension with the help of Stockman’s technology, causing the evil leader to join forces with an alien who goes by the name of Krang. It’s now a race against time as the brothers have to work together to stop Shredder and his new mutant goons, Bebop (human warthog hybrid) and Rocksteady (human rhino hybrid), from collecting the parts to unleash a bigger portal for Krang and the Technodrome to enter our dimension and destroy the planet.

If that all sounds really silly, then it’s because it is. But that’s also kind of the point. This time around there is no question that this crime-fighting adventure is made for kids. The first film struggled tonally with who to appeal to. Was it made for older fans, teenagers, or giggling kids? As a result, it suffered from trying to be too much and feeling disjointed. This one is definitely for kids. If it wasn’t for a few foul words from Casey Jones (Stephen Amell) at the beginning and an over the top sexy schoolgirl scene with Megan Fox, I would say it’s like a Saturday morning cartoon complete with fart jokes and nose-picking. And that’s not a bad thing! Older fans, like myself, who grew up with the late 80s cartoon know that that is how many fans remember the turtles. Sure, the black and white original comic was meant to be gritty and absurd – it doesn’t take much to see the inanity of four giant animals that are known as slow and lethargic creatures acting like butt-kicking ninjas. But that’s the joy of this universe. A ridiculous concept is made better because at the core of the story is a family drama of four brothers who are trying to get along with each other and with the outside world.

OUT OF THE SHADOWS has its heart in the right place. It focuses on their bickering and comradery even through all the CGI and visual clutter. They act and feel like they grew up together, constantly riffing off each other and goofing off like teenagers do. The prior film did a great job establishing the characterizations just right. There is no mistaking Raphael from Donatello and so on (if you need a quick reminder, the intro has their names across the screen as they appear complete with unnecessary taglines for each). Through thick and thin these four fighters are brothers, and in the end, the idea of companionship and working together as a family rings true.

Although they feel like the characters we know and love, they still sport the overdesigned ugliness from the first film. This aesthetic applies not just to the characters, but to their world in general. Every shot is filled with gaudy detail and blinding neon color, to the point that you walk away exhausted after the film because your brain has to process so much overbearing visual noise. Decked out in too many bells and whistles, the turtles bounce around busy CGI environments like pinballs, while lights flash and lens flares create an eyeball-melting 90s rave light show.

In the eyes of director Dave Green (EARTH TO ECHO) – new to the series following Jonathan Liebesman’s departure – the heroes and villains can both be lovable. It’s not a matter of good vs. evil as most of these types of films tend to be. TMNT: OUT OF THE SHADOWS can show that you can root, laugh, and cheer for both. Seeing Bebop and Rocksteady chase Casey Jones isn’t thrilling so much as it’s meant to feel like just goofy fun. Nothing is at stake. No harm is felt, nor blood ever spilled. This is more or less a cartoon, pure and simple. Depending on your mood or level of fandom, you might be able to look past the glossy mess on the surface and find charm in the innocent nonsense.

Overall rating: 2.5 out of 5

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: OUT OF THE SHADOWS is now playing in theaters everywhere