Movie Review: TMNT (2007)

When I was a kid, I wasn't a huge Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fan until the first live action film was released. I really liked the creative costumes and sense of humor. It really grabbed me and made me a fan for life. The sequels (yes, including the terrible one with Vanilla Ice) were also fun. I was excited about the turtle quartet returning to the big screen, but I wish that it had been in a live action format

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The story starts out with the turtles in four different places in life. It's a nice little reminder that we haven't seen them in awhile. The only one still fighting crime is Rafael, and he does it under a pseudonym. Casey Jones eventually joins him, and with time, the remaining brothers get into the act.


I know I might be looking through nostalgic eyes at this movie, but it just wasn't working for me. There was no Shredder, Bebop or Rocksteady. None of the classic villains were represented. The story wasn't bad, but it didn't really offer any clear bad guys. There was a monster, but it didn't have any kind of motivation other than chaos. In the end, the cause of the trouble was someone you had to sympathize with.

Like any reinvention, TMNT can be tough for older fans. New fans might like it, but I don't think this movie will really draw them in. It was just bland throughout, and while Leonardo and Raphael were highlighted, Mike and Don were afterthoughts. I would have liked more focus on all of the turtles, but maybe we'll see that in a sequel.