The story of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles — the four turtles with Italian Renaissance artists’ names who became heroes in a half-shell thanks to radioactive sewer ooze — is one that’s been told in several TMNT TV shows and movies over the years. However, it’s never before been told by “permanent teenager” Seth Rogan. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is set to hit theaters on August 2, but critics have already had a chance to see the film, and they seem all-in for this origin story.
In the latest movie, the four anthropomorphic reptilian brothers set out on a quest to be accepted as normal teenagers in New York City after years of being sheltered from the human world. In addition to the four youngsters who voice the titular characters, the cast includes Jackie Chan, Paul Rudd, John Cena, Post Malone, Ayo Edebiri as April, and more.
Matt Maytum of GamesRadar rates the movie 4 stars out of 5, saying there are plenty of references for those who grew up watching the Ninja Turtles, but as any good origin story should, you still feel like you’re meeting the characters for the first time. Mutant Mayhem is the most enjoyable outing for the bunch since their heyday in the ‘90s, in the critic’s opinion, as he writes:
The young voice cast bring a delightful, bantering energy to the Turtles, fizzing with a natural chemistry as they crack wise and talk over each other (as they’re teens, pop-culture references abound too). They’re a blast to be around, and their outsider status also adds to the relatable teenage aspect. Mutant Mayhem is consistently funny, too: sometimes taking jabs at the lore, but always affectionately.
Kristy Puchko of Mashable calls Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem a chaotic coming-of-age comedy that pays tribute to the turtles’ roots while carving out fresh fun with new characters. The animation style brings a texture and personality to the film, Puchko says, and fans of TMNT should eat this movie up like the turtles do pizza. The critic continues:
This lively reboot is a raucous collage of influences, the foremost of which are the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and their cavalcade of kooky characters and outrageous backstories. But whether you're an expert on the canon or not, the movie sets up all you need to follow its flow. Deep-cut fans will surely pull out references and implications, but newbies won't be lost amid the flood of characters, in part because their main purpose is to be a tornado of energy, action, and comedy.
Liz Shannon Miller of Consequence agrees that the animation is one thing about this movie to be praised, along with a “dynamic” score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. The critic also takes note of the chemistry between the four leads — Micah Abbey, Shamon Brown Jr., Nicolas Cantu and Brady Noon — who are given plenty of time to play off of each other. Miller writes:
The voice casting is pretty near perfect, starting with the brilliant choice of the four leads, who have amazing chemistry together — which the audience gets to experience in an unfiltered way, because the film’s cast recorded together in groups (as opposed to most voice acting performances, which actors record solo). Even a scene of the four boys talking before bed is alive and vibrant because of this; the movie would probably be half an hour shorter if you cut the scenes in which they’re just goofing around, but doing so would mean cutting out this movie’s beating heart.
Germain Lussier of Gizmodo says just when you think Mutant Mayhem can’t get any better, it does, with surprising and satisfying story choices that prove Seth Rogan and director Jeff Rowe’s confidence that the audience will embrace a few new ideas. The critic recalls smiling so wide for so long that his face muscles got tired:
If a movie can make you smile so much it hurts, it’s probably a good movie, and that’s absolutely the case with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem. The film is dynamite, perfectly blending a modern, childlike wonder, with a healthy dose of 1990s nostalgia, wrapped in a heartfelt, relatable story about growing up and feeling different. All of which hit me like a ton of bricks in the aforementioned scene: a beautifully animated, impeccably edited action montage set to one of the most iconic hip-hop songs of the era. But the song plays against type in a way that feels unexpectedly perfect.
Peter Debruge of Variety calls the film a blast at times and exhausting at others. The movie — which he and others say gives Spider-Verse vibes with its creative animation — works best when it’s “unapologetically weird,” but Seth Rogan and Evan Goldberg’s teenage “shtick” is neither relatable nor original. Debruge continues:
The movie’s mostly just meant to be fun, and that it is, skewing young while giving lifelong fans (including those who grew up on the Turtles) plenty to geek out about. Here, in the year 2023, the underlying IP feels tired, and yet, liberated by Sony’s Spider-Verse movies, Rowe and company shake up how studio toons can look. By extending the material’s anarchic spirit to the animation itself, Mutant Mayhem sets the course of not just TMNT sequels, but future studio toons as well.
The critics seem pumped for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, the latest of several big 2023 summer releases. If this is a family-friendly option you’ve got your eye on, you and the kids can hit the theater starting Wednesday, August 2. Be sure to also check out our 2023 movie release calendar to see what other films are hitting the big screen soon.
