Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem — A Review

12th January, 2024: the Introduction.

Right … in amongst everything else … ?

It’s Friday.

And?

I think I’m going to be watching a movie: I fancy something silly, to be frank.

Silly or not?

I’ll let you know more, tomorrow.

~≈🐢≈~

Just as a quick point?

I’ve recently learnt that superstar DJ, Annie Nightingale, has died.

That’s sad to hear: as Radio 1’s first female DJ, she was a trailblazer.

I’ll possibly say more in the morning.

But will leave you with songs she introduced me too, many years ago.

I’ll see you in the morning.

~≈🐢≈~

13th January, 2024: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem opens with a close up of a manhole cover: that, by its lettering, tells us we’re in the US city of New York.

The camera shifts: to show us a van driven by heavily armed thugs who work for Cynthia Utrom (Maya Rudolph) of the TCRI, the Techno Cosmic Research Institute.

Thugs who are hunting down rogue TCRI scientist, Baxter Stockman (Giancarlo Esposito), a rogue scientist who not only has created a mutagen capable of creating intelligent creatures: but who has also stolen some research subjects.

Research subjects that escape: when Stockman’s lab is raided.

The raiders don’t see the mutant get away.

Nor do they notice the one remaining canister of ooze rolling down a grating: and into the sewers of New York … 

Post titles?

The scene shifts to some fifteen years later.

And we see our four heroes — Leo, Mikey, Donny and Rafe (Nicolas Cantu, Shamon Brown Jr, Micah Abbey and Brady Noon)— getting ready to go out for the evening.

Their adoptive father, Splinter (Jackie Chan), has sent them out on an important mission.

The brothers … ?

Have to get groceries: including the aged rat’s favourite brand of tortilla chips.

It’s only when the boys stop off to get extra salsa, and see a girl in trouble?

That they start … having … problems … 

~≈🐢≈~

Now … what did I make of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem?

And how on Earth did I manage to hear about what is, after all, a kids film?

That second question is the easier one to answer.

I have a thirteen-year-old nephew: one who’s pet rabbit is named after his favourite mutant ninja turtle!

That, and working in a toy shop when the original Turtle craze hit town?

And remembering the role playing game?   And earlier movies?

Gives you a bit of an interest in kung-fu chelonians.

The film itself … ?

Is both upbeat, action packed, funny … 

And possibly one of the most gorgeous things I’ve seen on screen in a very long time

Yes: action packed.   The fight scenes are very well done.

Yes: funny.   With a certain sly sense of very dry humour mixed in with the out-right gags.

Yes: utterly gorgeous.   The animation is beautiful.

And upbeat?

Definitely.

My mood, over the past few days, has been decidedly blue.

So an upbeat, fluffy, outright fun film like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem?

Is decidedly welcome.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.

★★★★

~≈🐢≈~

Now … 

I think there’s little more I can say here.

Apart from letting you I review other things.

I’ll be watching “Perestroika”, the last episode of For All Mankind’s fourth series, on Monday, 15th January: and posting my written and video reviews on the 16th.

Feel to subscribe to my YouTube channel: and to that For All Mankind playlist.

And feel free to follow me, here on Nik Nak’s Old Peculiar.

I’ll see you next time.