Summary
While fans of the series might love the film, Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is an overlong episode that overstays its welcome.
This review of the Netflix film Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie does not contain spoilers.
We have the latest installment of our favorite ninja turtles in form of the upcoming animated movie with Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie hitting Netflix Friday. Is the movie worth checking out? Let’s dive in.
The movie opens with a massive chain of events that sees Casey Jones saving Leonardo from battle. Leonardo tells Casey they need to send him back in time to find the key to stop The Krang. We then see Leonardo fend off some bad guys, which transports Casey back in time.
One thing we can bank on in a Turtles movie is Raphael talking about how he is the boss and everyone else getting mad and him fighting with them. If we had a TMNT movie that didn’t have this, I swear it wouldn’t be normal. As we move to Casey Jones, he hunts down April O’Neil, who takes him down to the Turtles, who don’t believe that he has been sent back in time. However, Splinter says he remembers who The Krang is and believes him. The Krang kidnapped Raphael, forcing the Turtles to join forces with Casey to chase him down and save him.
I am not sure where to begin. I thought the story was great because we know the mission, what the Turtles needed to do, and how they would attempt to accomplish it. However, I am unfamiliar with the Nickelodeon show and did not realize they made the TMNT an absolute JOKE. Yes, the Turtles are supposed to be funny, crazy, and over-the-top, but THIS, this is a pure embarrassment to what I grew up on. Also, what in the world did they do to Splinter? Is he a complete joke now? Why?
Another thing I didn’t love was the animation. While it has some highlights of the Turtles we all loved growing up, the alterations are just plain bad. I didn’t love the animated film as it looked incredibly cheap and cheesy. I was just so disappointed by the presentation.
The only redeeming good character switch was for April O’Neil. I loved what they did with her character and how she isn’t just a reporter. She kicks ass and takes names just like the Turtles do. I was also a big fan of the people who voiced the Turtles, but I wish they would’ve given them better dialogue while not in the middle of battle.
Even with all that being said, the film isn’t terrible overall. It just is entirely rough around the edges. I am sure fans of the Nickelodeon series will have a great time watching it, and good for them. But for me, I was disappointed with so much in the film that I couldn’t find myself enjoying it.
What did you think of the Netflix film Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie? Comment below.
You can watch this film with a subscription to Netflix.
