The Amphibious four-Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo-are back in “TMNT,” the modern abbreviation and movie title for the new “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” film features a computer-animated version of another half-shelled adventure.
The teenage mutant ninja turtles already starred on the big screen in 1993, but they still managed to earn more in their first week than battle epic “300.” The PG movie debuted to 25.4 million in its first week in the U.S. and Canada and has reeled in a reported $53 million to date.
This time, Raphael, is having trouble adjusting to his brother Leonardo’s new role as leader of the four. Meanwhile, with Shredder (their primary arched-nemesis) out of the picture, the four brothers take on ancient monsters in attempt to send them back to their alternate universe.
The new computer-generated turtles are fun to watch as they ride motorcycles, climb tall New York buildings, skateboard the twisted sewer tunnels and kick monster-butt! Yeah, it’s a kid movie, but it’s also a nostalgic trip for those of us who grew up with the gang on Saturday morning cartoons-this time packed with more action and special effects.
The turtles, as well as other characters, have a newly animated physic, and they appear slightly thinner. April (voiced by Sarah Michelle Gellar), the reporter that was once notorious for featuring the turtles in her news stories, is not even associated with the media in this new film. The newly animated April is a crime-fighting bombshell with a black-belt. Evidently, Hollywood has given up hope in the press as a means to unearth unlawful behavior and to bring criminals to justice. Our new hope is to be found in a blond spin-off of Laura Croft.
Splinter, the turtle’s mentor, maintains the same caring character but looks slightly cuddlier than usual. The characters’ voices are remarkably similar to the originals, which only add to the blissful memory of any true TMNT fan. Although the film’s plot lacks anything more than a Saturday morning spin-off, it is all-around entertaining for kids and turtle-loving adults.
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