By: Cade Sullivan & Joe Briseno

*Note: This article contains spoilers

‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’ marks the return of our favorite crime-fighting turtles back to the big screen. Unlike other TMNT films of the past that struggled with finding its identity, this film knows exactly what it wants to be. This movie is an entertaining time for all ages, a modern story of teenage life and brotherhood with a few elements of fiction to make it original.

The story follows four familiar faces in Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael. The turtles meet a girl named April O’Neal, who gives the teens a shot at becoming heroes if they can take down a mysterious mutant named “Superfly”.

This film does a great job with balancing action with comedy, as the Turtles’ witty banter keeps the intense fight scenes light and funny. The pacing here is consistent, and we never once felt like the movie dragged on or outlived its welcome.

‘Mutant Mayhem’ does a great job of including real-life human elements to its story, one of those being April’s anxiety about being in front of a camera. April had an unfortunate incident happen to her while she was on camera for her high school, which caused her to never want to talk in front of a camera again. However, this changes when the villain Superfly attacks New York. April runs to the local news station and pleads her case that the turtles aren’t villains. Her passionate words change New York’s perception of our shelled heroes, and soon the turtles are able to defeat Superfly with the help of New York citizens.

Another human element to this story was Splinter’s unwillingness to let his kids go. I’m sure parents can relate to this one; Splinter wants to keep his boys safe and is distrustful of the human world. It’s only after hearing Superfly saying that his way is the only way, something Splinter told his boys before, that he realizes the error of his ways. Splinter then apologizes, stating he trusts his boys, and allows them to go to high school in New York.

‘Mutant Mayhem’ brings the turtles to life with a unique animation style, which makes them appear as genuine creatures rather than ugly hyper realistic CGI. The film’s cinematography impresses with an active moving camera that gives new angles to fight sequences. Vibrant colors mix with dull ones, giving the animation further layers and originality.

‘Mutant Mayhem’ may be a lot different than what we’ve previously seen from the Turtles, but the brothers’ personalities are here to stay with Leonardo’s leadership and commitment to his brothers, Donatello’s intelligence and dry wit, Michelangelo’s humor and innocence, and Raphael’s hotheadedness and determination. The Turtles are played by actual teenage actors who voice their characters authentically. This is a far cry from past TMNT productions where adults voice acted in these roles. New and old characters make their way into the story, some to be recognized and others to establish their place in the new era of TMNT.

The film’s soundtrack combines nostalgic 90s tunes with new age techno tracks. This mix of songs complement the film’s fresh energy and enhances action sequences and emotional moments. Sound design is crisp and well-done, helping to further immerse viewers in the Turtle’s world. Care and attention to detail in terms of audio  heightens both the action sequences and the overall experience.

‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’ is an exhilarating and action-packed cinematic adventure that captures the essence of our beloved turtles. With its engaging plot, fantastic visual effects, well-developed characters, and a great soundtrack, it’s a must-see for enthusiasts of the TMNT franchise. The film skillfully strikes a balance between honoring the Turtles’ roots and introducing fresh elements, which provides an enjoyable experience for both newcomers and long-time fans. So grab your popcorn, get comfortable, and prepare for an awesome, shell-shocking adventure!

Overall, we give the movie 4/5 stars. You can watch ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’ on Paramount+.