Movie Review: ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’ is exactly what you want from a reboot

By Connor Webber

Growing up, the turtles were some of my favorite fictional characters; whether it was the original movies, comics, shows, or video games, “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” (TMNT) was always present in my life. But, other than a random animated movie in 2007 and a comic line, there hasn’t been any REALLY good TMNT content… until now.

“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem” Cast

There’s a lot to love about “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem,” but the one thing that stands out more than anything else is the voice acting, specifically from the four turtles: Micah Abbey as Donatello, Shamon Brown Jr. as Michelangelo, Nicolas Cantu as Leonardo, and Brady noon as Raphael.

Looking back on previous iterations of the turtles, although their name might say “teenage,” they never truly felt like they were actual teenagers – and they were never dealing with problems that actual teenagers would deal with. In all honesty, they were more like immature college students than teenagers.

The creators of “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem,” specifically cast younger actors for the turtles, making them feel more their “true age,” and boy did it work. The sincerity in the voices and the delivery of some hilarious jokes give “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem” an added layer purely due to the casting of true teenagers. But don’t worry; the iconic personalities of the four turtles shine brighter than ever.

On top of a stellar cast for the turtles themselves, the supporting cast is stacked, featuring Jackie Chan as Splinter, Ice Cube as Superfly, and Paul Rudd as Mondo Gecko. I really enjoyed how they incorporated personality traits from the voice actors into the characters.

For example, Splinter had an improvised style fight sequence similar to old Jackie Chan films, Superfly was full of old hip-hop references, and Mondo Gecko was just Paul Rudd with an accent. These character choices made it seem like you already knew and understood these characters.

“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem” Animation

Aside from the voice acting, the animation was astounding. With a unique layered animation style – described “as if a 13-year-old was doodling in his notebook” – “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem” has some breathtaking shots. Some might look at this animation style and directly compare it to the Spider-Verse films, and while I understand the comparison, “Mutant Mayhem” feels like an entirely different style when watching it.

“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem,” cements itself as one of the year’s best films, giving me hope for a new age of everyone’s favorite turtles in a half-shell. I undoubtedly will be back on opening night to see this film again.

SCORE: “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem” = 4/5

“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem,”  is rated PG and hits theaters on Aug. 2, 2023. There is one post-credit scene.

TMNT In the Parks

Are you looking for some fun with the turtles? Head over to Nickelodeon Universe at the American Dream Mall in New Jersey and check out Shellraiser, the steepest indoor rollercoaster in the world.