TMNT (2007)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Kevin Munroe

Writers:

Kevin Munroe (written by)
Peter Laird (characters) ...

Release Date:

23 March 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Action | Adventure | Comedy | Drama | Fantasy

Tagline:

Raising Shell In 2007

Plot:

The continued adventures of the four adolescent mutated turtles gifted in the art of the ninja, as they attempt to stop a mysterious evil that threatens to end the world.

Plot Keywords:

Turtle | New York City | Ninja | Monster | Martial Arts

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Nolan North	...	Raphael / Nightwatcher (voice)
James Arnold Taylor	...	Leonardo (voice)
Mitchell Whitfield	...	Donatello (voice)
Mikey Kelley	...	Michelangelo (voice)
Mako	...	Splinter (voice)
Sarah Michelle Gellar	...	April O'Neil (voice)
Chris Evans	...	Casey (voice)
Patrick Stewart	...	Winters (voice)
Ziyi Zhang	...	Karai (voice)
Laurence Fishburne	...	Narrator (voice)
Kevin Smith	...	Diner Cook (voice)
John Di Maggio	...	Colonel Santino (voice)
Paula Mattioli	...	General Serpiente (voice)
Kevin Michael Richardson	...	General Aguila / Additional Voices (voice)
Fred Tatasciore	...	General Gato (voice)

Also Known As:

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (USA) (long title)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV (USA) (working title)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Immortal (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for animated action violence, some scary cartoon images and mild language.

Runtime:

87 min

Country:

Hong Kong | USA

Language:

French | English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

Ireland:PG | UK:PG | Singapore:PG | Netherlands:6 | Finland:K-11 | Hong Kong:I | Canada:G (Quebec) | USA:PG (certificate #43348) | Australia:PG | Malaysia:U | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | Germany:6 | Argentina:Atp | Brazil:Livre | Philippines:G (MTRCB) | Norway:7 | Sweden:7 | Denmark:7 | South Korea:All | South Africa:PG | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | France:U | Portugal:M/6 | Peru:PT | New Zealand:PG

Company:

Imagi Animation Studios

Trivia:

Jim Cummings is the only Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles actor to make it into this movie since his first TMNT appearance in the 1987 version of the classic TMNT cartoon series, which he played Leatherhead, Genghis Frog, and the 1991 alternate of Shredder.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the scene where Mikey, Donnie and Leo go to April and Casey to get Raph, when Raph gets up there's no bandage on his arm. In the next shot, a closer shot just as he's sitting down, we can see that there's gauze wrapped around his arm.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Narrator: Four turtles. Four brothers. Genetically reborn in the sewers of New York. Named after the Renaissance masters and trained as ninjas.

Movie Connections:

References Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)

Soundtrack:

Lights Out (Chris Vrenna Remix)

An Excellent Return For The Half Shelled Heroes

It appears that 2007 is going to be '80's Revival Year' with both The Turtles and The Transformers making their return to the big screen. I was very sceptical of a CGI redux of the Turtles especially as a child the live action movie was a Friday night staple but I can happily say that TMNT is the best Turtles film yet and one of the most entertaining films I've seen so far this year.

Writer/Director Kevin Munroe clearly respects what has gone before in regards to Turtles canon and has crafted an original tale that can happily satisfy both newcomers and die-hard fans who's childhood was crafted around the 4 reptilian martial artists (me!).

The film is a semi sequel to the first Turtles film with Shredder defeated, but things have not gone well for the brothers. The Turtles are divided - Leonado has gone to S.America to hone his leadership skills at Splinter's behest, Donatello is stuck in a tech support phone in job, Michaelangelo has taken to performing at children's parties and Raphael..................well always the hot head, Raph has taken to being a solo vigilante, The Night Watcher, trying to recapture past glories but without his family's knowledge.

However an ancient curse featuring monsters, a resurgence in the Foot Clan and a mysterious millionaire is going to be the brother's biggest challenge....if they can get past their problems with each other.

CGI cartoons have become a staple these days with every studio and their dog producing them. TMNT however stands head and shoulders above them by being a film that both adults and kids will love. It's not a happy-go-lucky film with cute furry talking animals - there is fraternal angst as Raphael is finally fed up with following rather than leading and Leonado is forced to reasses his role as leader of the group. The scenes between the two are as dramatic as anything you'd find in a adult drama and when the two comes to blows there are serious reprecussions.

Munroe has made certain changes though. April O'Neil is no longer a reporter but a Lara Croftesque antique dealer aided by former vigilantee and now 'live in' boyfriend Casey Jones. I expected this to be a shocking mistake but it worked mainly due to the fact that these are the characters you know and love. Casey, like Raphael is also keeping up the crime fighting despite April wanting him to grow up.

This unique family need each other to survive and love each other no matter and have to realise that if they're not there for each other, then they are nothing.

The voice cast is amazing with the Turtles voiced by unknowns but famous voices such as Patrick Stewart, Mako, Chris Evans and Zhang Ziyi give the film an A-list film. Even without them though, the animation is first class and at no point do you think is nothing more than a film made by people who love the Turtle brothers.

You may find it crazy, but this in my eyes was a 5 star film. A wonderful animated film, a gripping brotherly drama and an entertaining martial arts epic. Even the Turtles new lean look worked well, something that had previously worried me, as they flip and jump through New York and battle The Foot and the ancient monsters.

Hopefully this film will do well at the box office, as like Batman Begins the ending hints at an old nemesis returning in the sequel............and that's something I can't wait to see.