After years of being sheltered from the human world, the Turtle brothers set out to win the hearts of New Yorkers and be accepted as normal teenagers. Their new friend, April O'Neil, helps them take on a mysterious crime syndicate, but they soon get in over their heads when an army of mutants is unleashed upon them.
Director: Jeff Rowe
Cast: Micah Abbey, Shamon Brown Jr., Nicolas Cantu, Brady Noon, Hannibal Buress, Rose Byrne, John Cena, Jackie Chan, Ice Cube, Natasia Demetriou, Ayo Edebiri, Giancarlo Esposito, Post Malone, Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd, Maya Rudolph
Release Date: August 2, 2023
Genre: Comedy, Sci-fi, Animation
Rated PG sequences of violence and action, language and impolite material
Runtime: 1h 39m
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is an energetic reboot that breathes new life into the long running franchise. Jeff Rowe's film has a kinetic energy from the start and he manages to maintain that level throughout. The animation style and characters designs are beautifully rendered with a grungy style that makes each scene pop. They're inventively done to give them a fresh new vibe while staying true to their classic designs. Using real teenagers to voice the titular trio pays dividends since Micah Abbey, Shamon Brown Jr., Nicolas Cantu and Brady Noon all have great chemistry together. Their youthful energy comes through as they bounce off each other naturally. It helps that the script is snappily written even if its not terribly deep, light and straightforward but genuinely funny. Ayo Edebiri makes for a fun April O'Neal who still a stalwart report but just can't handle her nerves on screen. The rest of the supporting cast is made up of stars clearly having a ball voicing the slew of mutants that pop up on screen. Jackie Chan and Ice Cube get the largest play with both delivering hilarious turns as the mentor and villain. The cast provides a fun dynamic which works throughout making Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem a fun lighthearted animated ride that's sure to make long time fans happy and make new ones at the same time.
B+
