![]() ![]() Leonardo’s been sent on a mission to learn how to lead his brothers better, leaving the other three to fend for themselves in his absence. ![]() Instead, Munroe made the choice to split the Turtles up at the start of the film. Then again, that’s not really the most interesting part of the film. There are thirteen monsters that have to be assembled, and they all sort of happen to show up at the exact right time and place to make things simple. In fact, if I have any complaint about the film, it’s that the main plot falls into place a little too easily. There are a few key human characters, like reporter April O’Neil or vigilante Casey Jones, but the emphasis has always been squarely on the family relationship between the four turtles, and that’s what Munroe has wisely chosen to focus on. Basic superhero archetypes, but with tongue firmly in cheek. They were trained by a rat named Splinter to be ninjas, and then they embarked on a career of fighting crime in New York while also hiding the truth about their identities. This is the exact definition of what a family film should be: it’s got a little something for everyone, and it doesn’t exclude any part of the audience.įor those who are unfamiliar with the basic premise, TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES is the story of four turtles who were exposed to something that turned them into mutants. It’s funny, but it’s not so broad that an adult will feel punished for sitting through it. But when he is ready to see films, then a film like this is perfect for him. For now, he seems content with watching PEE WEE’S PLAYHOUSE on DVD on endless repeat. I’ve still got a few years before Toshi really starts watching films. I’ll be the first to admit that I watch films through a new prism now that I’m a parent, and I do think about how something is sold and whether it’s appropriate for young viewers or not. Hats off, then, to director Kevin Munroe for making a film that somehow manages to pay tribute to the earlier films in the series and also invite in new viewers with no muss or fuss. Walking into the new feature film opening this weekend, I just wanted to see a film that was entertaining on its own, one that worked (or didn’t) no matter what my feelings were about the series overall. And I had no interest at all in the animated series. ![]() But I thought the live-action films were sort of disastrously weird. I read the black-and-white original run of the comics (thanks to the insistence of my buddy Bill Rosemann, the biggest comics nerd I knew), and I enjoyed them as a goof on the world of Marvel, and DAREDEVIL and the various X books in particular. I’m perfectly indifferent to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles as an overall property. Y’know, I don’t buy into the idea that a film is only good or enjoyable if you’re already sold on a property. ![]()
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