I salute Producer Michael Bay (Transformers franchise) with partners Brad Fuller and Andrew Form for forming Platinum Dunes Production, which created their dream team; recruiting Industrial Light and Magic’s Pablo Helman (Battleship, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones) to oversee its motion capture system; along with hiring one of the best sci-fi directors, Jonathan Liebesman (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning, Battle: Los Angeles, Wrath of the Titans), as well as screenwriters Josh Applebaum & André Nemec (Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, Alias, Project Almanac) and Evan Daugherty (Snow White and the Huntsman, DIVERGENT, GI Joe 3)!! I thorough enjoyed this reloaded Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT)!
From the first scene to the end credits, I was glued to my chair, laughing and cheering for the Ninja Turtles! I have to admit, I was impressed after meeting Megan Fox (Transformers, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen), who plays April O’Neil. I discovered she’s a true “fangirl” of the Ninja Turtles franchise since childhood. In fact, she sat in a four hour meeting with the producers of the film, lobbying to get the role during initial casting. She nailed the role of a probing reporter.
For all you comic book fans, Shredder is back to his old tricks of causing mayhem across New York City. However, Shredder’s costume is 21st extremely tech-savvy and a smooth cross between Darth Vader and Storm Trooper. Shredder’s armored suit is ruthless with electro-magnetic blades he can throw and retract. Plus, he’s ready to unleash a diabolical plan that will cause a massive outbreak. Shredder’s henchmen, an evil Foot Clan, are skilled in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) and carry gadgets that can overpower Ninja Turtles. They wreak havoc about the city – from Manhattan to Chinatown to the South Street Seaport.
The citizens are afraid as crime reaches an all-time high. It’s up to fearless reporter April and her wisecracking cameraman Vern Fenwick (Will Arnett) to capture the unlikely heroes on camera.
Now, a reinvented Ninja Turtles save New York. Leonardo (blue mask) (Pete Ploszek, The Tempest, Trofimov) is the cool, Zen-like spirit, oldest brother and trains hardest, wields katana swords; Raphael (red mask) (Alan Ritchson, District 1, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire) is the rebel has fiery temper – he’s wise guy, wields prong shaped sai weapons; Michelangelo (orange mask) (Noel Fisher, Vladimir, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 2), is the youngest brother is the fun-loving, B-boy-style, humorous even during battle, says “Cowabunga”; Donatello (purple mask) (Jeremy Howard, The Pretty One, Suburgatory, Grey’s Anatomy), is the tech-geek and tallest digital inventor, creates most bodacious TMNT gadgets can hack into any system!
Once the Foot Clan conduct a heist in the subways where April is held captive, the TMNT decide to take on the lawless vigilantes. They team up with April to try and stop Shredder from moving forward with his diabolical plan.
In this action-packed adventure, you’ll find unbelievable visual effects that weren’t possible in the previous films! More than 400 digital artists refashioned these turtles into talking, battling beings with quirkier personalities. These turtles also mix MMA with traditional ninja techniques! A heartbreaking fight sequence in the lair occurs when the Foot Clan descends upon the lair and the turtles must help defend their compound. Shredder and Master Splinter face off in a bloody battle.
My favorite action sequence takes place along a winding mountain road in the Adirondacks on Tupper Lake. Here, the turtles, April and Vern are being chased. Rocket-propelled grenades are going off everywhere as they race downward in this harrowing getaway scene in the snow, involving a tractor trailer, Humvees, and SUV’s. From Whoopi Goldberg portraying the publisher doing classic one-liners to the wise-cracking Vern to the quirky Ninja Turtles, there’s plenty of comedy to break up the action in this film. I also enjoyed one of the coolest B-boy beat box cyphers in an elevator scene! Hands-down, I completely enjoyed this movie!
Rated: PG-13
