Throughout the last 40 years, the Ninja Turtles have commanded the attention of pop culture via comics, toys, television, and film. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is the new incarnation of the heroes in a half-shell. The plot is focused around the Turtles having to confront another group of mutants, led by Superfly (Ice Cube; 22 Jump Street), a massive mutant fly who wants to unleash a mutant army of animal-like creatures upon the world.
On its face, Mutant Mayhem might seem like a standard kids film, but it ends up being so much more than that, thanks to its all-too-relatable theme of acceptance. Whereas previous films have depicted the Turtles as outcasts just wanting to fit in, Mutant Mayhem goes a step further by showcasing their desire to be normal teenagers. That’s right. The Turtles want nothing more than to conform to the average teenage experience; going to school, dating, and making friends.
The last TMNT movie, Out of the Shadows (2016), went for a similar approach with the brothers wanting to become human and live among them, but it was more about a journey into adulthood and fame. Here, one feels sorrow for Michaelangelo (Shamon Brown Jr.) as he stares out of the sewers at a world that might not accept him. It’s a heartbreaking scene unlike anything shown in these movies before. At the end of the day, they are just kids who want to experience life like everyone else, but are also missing out on their teenage years and the foundational moments in our life that shape us into who we will become. It also serves as a metaphor for the adolescent experience.
Many teenagers feel like outcasts and misfits (especially at school), where they are afraid of being accepted for who they are. I can only imagine how this will connect with those kids who carry that feeling while watching the film. They will get to see these awesome Ninja Turtles also dealing with these issues of insecurity and acceptance that they may be struggling with. Like the Turtles in the film, they may feel compelled to make new friends and take that leap to let others see them as who they are.
Mutant Mayhem represents the first TMNT project (film and TV) where Leonardo (Nicholas Cantu), Michaelangelo (Shamon Brown Jr.), Donatello (Micah Abbey), and Raphael (Brady Noon) are all voiced by actual teenagers. This is quite refreshing to behold because they sound like kids. The actors also recorded in the same room to bring authenticity to the brothers’ relationship onscreen. They get to talk over each other and make jokes that are then translated so beautifully through their vocal performances.
When the Turtles are chiding Leo about his name, it reminds us of being in middle school and joking with friends. Leo has a crush on April O’Neil (played with relish by Ayo Edebiri; The Bear), and it’s adorable to watch. This is young love portrayed for the first time in a TMNT film (although the 2012 Nickelodeon series did happen to focus on Donnie’s crush for April). The awkwardness of speaking with our crushes and how it makes us do crazy things as teens is hilariously showcased as Leo tries to help out April. Moments like that make Mutant Mayhem feel incredibly genuine.
The directors of the film, Jeff Rowe and Kyler Spears, both worked on the sensational 2021 animated film, The Mitchells vs. The Machines, which dealt with a father trying to connect with his teenage daughter before she moved to college. Mutant Mayhem also features a father trying to connect with his teenage children in the form of Splinter (Jackie Chan; Rush Hour). Arguably the stand-out character of the film, Splinter, gets a ton of fun and emotional stuff to do here. Including an epic action sequence cued up to Paul Engemann’s “Push it to the Limit.”
In one of the film’s most emotional moments, the audience sees why Splinter is so afraid of his sons journeying to the surface through a flashback. One can understand why Splinter is so cautious of his sons exploring that giant scary world above them. There is also an attempt in the film that Splinter makes to keep his sons home, and it is a hilarious representation of a father out of touch with what his teenage sons want. This sequence may or may not involve some famous actors named Chris.
The fear of the surface and humans echoes through the struggles of the other mutant characters introduced later in the film. Led by Superfly, the mutant team consists of Bebop (Seth Rogen; The Fabelmans), Rocksteady (John Cena; Peacemaker), Leatherhead (Rose Byrne; Insidious), Ray Fillet (Post Malone), Wingnut (Natasia Demetriou; What We Do in the Shadows), Genghis Frog (Hannibal Buress; Broad City), and Mondo Gecko (Paul Rudd; Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania). They are an unruly and radical bunch that are based on the many TMNT toys produced in the 80s.
The appearance of these quirky characters adds brand new energy to a film that already feels so lively. Mondo Gecko is a scene stealer as his “surfer dude” personality results in outrageous scenes like him possibly being unqualified to drive a car. Like the Turtles, the mutants are all uniquely different from each other and seek to be accepted by the outside world.
When it comes to their leader, Superfly is more than just a one-dimensional foil. Similar to Splinter, his motivations on trying to keep his fellow mutants safe are elaborated via an emotional flashback. This allows the audience to understand where he’s coming from and his reasoning. He is also an insanely intimidating presence with his giant arm and physique.
The film’s visual design is supposed to resemble what a teenager would draw in a high school science notebook, and in that, they succeeded. Characters are idiosyncratic in their designs, with distinctive shading and awkward body proportions. The animation fully draws the viewer in with every frame. The score composed by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross also brings on teen feelings with its Stranger Things-like synth tracks.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Mutant Mayhem is by no means a perfect him. The first act does start off a bit slow as it tries to introduce all of its characters. Some of the jokes, unfortunately, do not land (especially if you are familiar with a few from previous TMNT movies). But the positives far outweigh the negatives here. The underlying themes of teenage angst and acceptance are undeniably present and executed efficiently. This is the film for all the misfits and outcasts out there hiding under a metaphorical sewer. It’s okay to be different. The world might be scary, but to that, I say, “Cowabunga!”
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem releases in theaters August 2.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
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Sounds like one shell of a good time. *sorry*
Seeing this today. Can’t wait.
No one can resist the puns! Let us know how you like it.