The stars have aligned in an ominous sign, and as a legion of malevolent monsters descends upon New York City to wage war against humanity, the only thing that stands between humankind and certain destruction are four wisecracking turtles with a flair for martial arts and a hearty appetite for pizza. Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird's "heroes in a half-shell" return to defend the world against an interstellar threat that comes just once every 3,000 years in a computer-animated action comedy that
marked the final film role of Japanese screen legend Mako -- here providing the voice of the eternally wise Master Splinter. Buffy the Vampire Slayer star Sarah Michelle Gellar lends her voice to the role of the turtles' technical-services worker, April; Fantastic Four's Chris Evans assumes the role of hockey-loving crimefighter Casey Jones; Memoirs of a Geisha star Zhang Ziyi steps in as villainous Foot Ninjas leader Karai; and Star Trek: The Next Generation captain Patrick Stewart voices malevolent tech industrialist Max Winters -- a mortal man whose hunger for profit and power may spell doom for all humanity. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
I guess if you read the comic strip and you played the video games and you watched the TV show and dug the earlier movies, you'll dig this new version. For me, I didn't do any of that stuff.
Worst of all is the lack of genuine laughs. Writer-director Kevin Munroe has apparently forgotten that the Ninja Turtle phenomenon started as rib-nudging parody.
TMNT offers some real thrills. The computer animation gives the turtles relatively believable expressions, movements, musculature and (green) skin tones.
There's an attention to detail in the visuals and sound design that pushes it up several notches above most kiddie fare. It's not art, dude, but it will do.
Almost every good scene in TMNT is an action sequence and a lot of time and thought has been put into them. So much in fact that none seems to have been spared for the story or any of the other characters.
The plot's all over the place, but director Kevin Munroe keeps it at a hare's pace. The sharp graphics impress too. It's nothing to cow about, but it does, more or less, fill its shell.
This mediocre computer-generated action flick is packed full of monsters and sword-fights, but the story-telling is about as deft as a turtle turned on its back, struggling to get up but going nowhere fast.
It won't convert the unfaithful but this messy, energetic action adventure is lurid fun, and may well re-ignite the popularity of the heroes in a half-shell.
Munroe's enthusiasm for the property and this particular film comes through in his informative feature commentary, and Warner Bros. has taken similar care in assembling this fully-loaded platter.
While faithful fans might miss the quirky quartet's trademark humor and low tech special f/x, this edition merely updates the franchise and popular product line for the next generation of young consumers.
A lot of movies now a days have to make sense. Did classic science fiction/action films like Invasion of the Body Snatchers and Godzilla have to make sense to be good? No they didn't. TMNT ultimately stays faithful to its predecessor's with the same witty humour and signature character personalities. Plus a stunning
technological update with a unique animation style, absolutely amazing voice acting and gripping, entertaining and scary dark overtones.
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