A Shell of Its Former Self
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem follows a familiar plotline, with the Turtles emerging from the sewers to face off against a mutant hellbent on world domination. Despite adhering to the source material, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT): Mutant Mayhem falters due to certain creative decisions, ultimately failing to capture the very essence that has made the Turtles beloved to audiences worldwide.
A cornerstone of the franchise’s enduring appeal has been the distinct personalities of the Turtles: Leonardo, the confident and capable leader; Donatello, the brilliant tech-savvy nerd; Michelangelo, the lighthearted and comedic soul; and Raphael, the fierce and aggressive one. However, in TMNT: Mutant Mayhem, the four are reduced to essentially interchangeable characters. Their distinct personalities are blurred, making it difficult for the audience to differentiate between them. The Turtles’ unique traits that make them so endearing are barely noticeable, leaving their personalities feeling bland and underdeveloped.
Additionally, April O’Neil, a central character in the franchise, is portrayed as a generic teen, lacking the distinct personality and charisma that have made her such a beloved figure. Her portrayal as an outcast teenager, while not inherently flawed, feels out of place and disconnected from the April O’Neil I’ve come to know through various adaptations. The modern interpretation lacks the depth and warmth of the traditional April O’Neil, who often serves as a motherly figure or older sister to the Turtles. I personally prefer the version of April who embodies these nurturing qualities. I should also note that there was significant criticism regarding the race-swapping and the physical representation of April. While these choices don’t particularly bother me, it does make me wonder why Hollywood often chooses to race-swap gingers.
Even Splinter wasn’t spared from these characterization flaws; he is no longer the revered and wise mentor. In TMNT: Mutant Mayhem, he is portrayed as the opposite—uninformed, overprotective, and lazy. The once-revered sensei is reduced to a comedic figure, with the Turtles openly disrespecting him and referring to him as “Dad” instead of the traditional “Master Splinter,” altering the dynamic the Turtles have with him— a decision I am not a fan of. Furthermore, while Jackie Chan’s voice acting is undoubtedly talented, it fails to capture the commanding presence and gravitas that I’ve come to associate with Splinter, and therefore felt out of place.
However, as is common in TMNT lore, the supervillains are always a focal point, and they are always portrayed with a sense of drama and grandeur. In this regard, I found the portrayal of Super Fly in the movie to be quite effective, and I particularly enjoyed Ice Cube’s voice acting. He brought a great sense of personality to the character, setting him apart from the standard villain archetype.
Finally, regarding the most noticeable difference and addition to the movie: the animation. it was quite the spectacle to see this new 2D-3D form of animation becoming more prevalent in the animated landscape. The latter half of the movie, in particular, stood out as it elevated the cinematography and action sequences, fully exploiting the potential of the animation medium. However, I couldn’t help but feel that there was room for more distinctive stylistic choices. While I commend the effort to venture into new territory, it didn’t quite attain the level of innovation and visual impact I witnessed in the Spider-Verse movies.
TMNT: Mutant Mayhem comes across as a rather ordinary movie. While it attempted something fresh and succeeded to some extent, there was room for improvement with the resources at hand. Though I acknowledge the film’s target audience is kids, the fact that I can still thoroughly enjoy Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2012) TV Show suggests that perhaps the issue isn’t with me.
