Many say that the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' franchise has been reinvented for our time; those in the know realize that this is half the truth--what we're seeing now, with the television series and now the first of, hopefully, more films of this kind, is not so much reinvention as it is return to form--the form of the comic created by Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman many moons ago. Gone are the days of mutagen, foam rubber suits, Channel 6 and Corey Feldman. Some things are borrowed, and a few more overdone, but it's all in good fun, particularly for those with a soft spot for the green guys.
We rejoin the fab four sometime after the Shredder's--apparent demise, in true "Ghostbusters 2" style. The gang have all gone their separate ways, in an attempt by each to find their own paths; Leo to the Aztec jungle, Don (Mitchell Whitfield) to tech support(heh), Mike to, well, party clown--what else, and Raphael (Nolan North) to brooding vigilante, no stretch there. Casey (Chris Evans) and April (Sarah Michelle Gellar) are attempting to make good in the courier business, and Karai (Ziyi Zhang), Shredder's sole heir, has also taken the Foot Clan into entrepreneurial dealings, of late, with business magnate Max Winters (Patrick Stewart). They all have the feeling that something's missing.
In reality, there's too much going on. Crime is on the rise, and new threats from another world are as commonplace as the taxis. Winters appears to be at the center of things, but is he friend or foe? What's really happening? Before our heroes can find out, they have to learn to be a family again.
The film is technically brilliant. It's easily beyond Pixar in the animation department--you feel your seat move as the turtles make their rooftop rounds, and the environments, from jungle to city, to under the city, are nicely rendered. A duel in the rain looks particularly fantastic, and don't be concerned with cartooned designs, they don't get in the way of the drama. Voice performances are nice and tight--note James Arnold Taylor as Leonardo and Mikey Kelley as Michelangelo (that's right), both former Ratchets from "Ratchet and Clank", and the final performance of late veteran actor Mako (Splinter).
The story is rather easy to predict, and they went a little overboard with the one-liners, but even casual fans won't care. Those new to the franchise might be a little put off--but if you pride yourself on an open mind, give it a shot. Note to parents--just because it's animated, don't make the mistake of thinking it's the finest family fare out right now. The film has some heavy moments that may sail over the young ones' heads. If you want family fare, go to "The Last Mimzy" or "Bridge to Terabithia", unless your kids are just begging for a taste of "turtle power". If you like a good action flick, and don't need a lot of thought to go with it, you'll have a good time.
We rejoin the fab four sometime after the Shredder's--apparent demise, in true "Ghostbusters 2" style. The gang have all gone their separate ways, in an attempt by each to find their own paths; Leo to the Aztec jungle, Don (Mitchell Whitfield) to tech support(heh), Mike to, well, party clown--what else, and Raphael (Nolan North) to brooding vigilante, no stretch there. Casey (Chris Evans) and April (Sarah Michelle Gellar) are attempting to make good in the courier business, and Karai (Ziyi Zhang), Shredder's sole heir, has also taken the Foot Clan into entrepreneurial dealings, of late, with business magnate Max Winters (Patrick Stewart). They all have the feeling that something's missing.
In reality, there's too much going on. Crime is on the rise, and new threats from another world are as commonplace as the taxis. Winters appears to be at the center of things, but is he friend or foe? What's really happening? Before our heroes can find out, they have to learn to be a family again.
The film is technically brilliant. It's easily beyond Pixar in the animation department--you feel your seat move as the turtles make their rooftop rounds, and the environments, from jungle to city, to under the city, are nicely rendered. A duel in the rain looks particularly fantastic, and don't be concerned with cartooned designs, they don't get in the way of the drama. Voice performances are nice and tight--note James Arnold Taylor as Leonardo and Mikey Kelley as Michelangelo (that's right), both former Ratchets from "Ratchet and Clank", and the final performance of late veteran actor Mako (Splinter).
The story is rather easy to predict, and they went a little overboard with the one-liners, but even casual fans won't care. Those new to the franchise might be a little put off--but if you pride yourself on an open mind, give it a shot. Note to parents--just because it's animated, don't make the mistake of thinking it's the finest family fare out right now. The film has some heavy moments that may sail over the young ones' heads. If you want family fare, go to "The Last Mimzy" or "Bridge to Terabithia", unless your kids are just begging for a taste of "turtle power". If you like a good action flick, and don't need a lot of thought to go with it, you'll have a good time.