December Movie Pick: 'TMNT: Mutant Mayhem'

 

If you're an animation fan, turn off the lights, order some pizza, and play 'TMNT: Mutant Mayhem'. It's a fun watch with kick-ass animation and next-level cool action. While I was initially impressed by the animation in movies like 'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse', 'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse' and 'Puss in Boots: The Last Wish', it took me four movies to get used to it. Now, I'm in awe of how far they can take it. The play with lights in this movie is beautiful, and observing the turtles is both fun and incredibly cute.

"Humans are the demon scum of the Earth. Avoid them. Don't say hi. They lust to murder that which is different from them, to interact with them is to die."

As a fan of these ninjas since childhood, which was a long time ago, I've watched and adored every movie throughout the years, played the games, and read the comics. I love this modern take on them, where they're still outsiders trying to fit in. The adorable back story and the slightly different take on Splinter were enjoyable.

Despite the animation playing with lights, the story took a supa-dupa dark turn more than a couple of times with gruesome murders implied. The camera might move away, but you know what happened to those guys. The action is decent and has a realistic quality to it. I know I'm talking about ninja turtles, but the way bodies bounce into walls and on the ground makes you feel the kicks and hits in a way that's unexpected for an animation.

The villain was genuinely scary, leaving me wondering how they would beat him during the movie, and for a very long time, they couldn't. The tease at the end of the movie was simply fantastic.

The actors were top-notch, and the energy between the turtles was amazing. They felt like brothers and, more importantly, true friends, making their relationship one of the peaks of the movie. In an interview about the movie, Seth Rogen, who I'm starting to appreciate when he's behind the camera, mentioned that he let the kids bond before recording the voice work. This effort clearly paid off, as you could see their connection in the interview mirrored the ninjas. After watching the movie, I declare that these four were a great match. Rogen and the director, Jeff Rowe, did an incredible job.

Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross were the masterminds behind the amazing soundtrack. The collection of songs is dope and versatile, maintaining a funkadelic beat throughout the movie. Even the dramatic classics utilized here are a fun listen. I love the soundtrack and the score. If you want to have a good time, go and play them for yourself to see what I'm talking about. But if you're reading this, I imagine it's to check if I mentioned the soundtrack. Yes, this catalog is definitely the rocket ship that carries the movie.

Iliya Badev