The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles routinely go through a refresh every few years, whether it’s in comics, movies, or television. Recently, we’ve hadTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhemand its spinoff series,Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which put emphasis on the “teenage” part of the equation. But one movie starring the Heroes in a Half-Shell has flown under the radar for years, and that’s 2007’sTMNT.TMNTwas the first animated movie starring the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and it boasted a star-studded cast, includingPatrick Stewart,Sarah Michelle Gellar, andChris Evans. Despite this pedigree and being an outright commercial success during its theatrical run, two factors stoppedTMNTfrom getting a sequel.
What Is ‘TMNT’ About?
TMNTswings for the gates in its opening act, where it’s revealed thatthe Turtles have split up after defeating the Shredder. Leonardo (James Arnold Taylor) is undergoing training in Central America; Michelangelo (Mikey Kelley) is working birthday parties as a mascot; Donatello (Mitchell Whitfield) is stuck with the thankless job of “IT support,” and Raphael (Nolan North) is still defending New York as the armored vigilante known as the Nightwatcher. Trouble rears its head when April O’Neill (Gellar) and Casey Jones (Evans) deliver a statue to business magnate Max Winters (Stewart).
It turns out that Winters is really a warlord named Yaotl. Eons ago, Yaotl opened a portal to another realm that gifted him immortality and transformed four of his generals into stone statues. It also released thirteen creatures into the world, which serve as the basis for mythological monsters. Winters aims to break the curse, hiring Karai (Zhang Ziyi) and the Foot Clan to help them. Naturally, they run afoul of the Turtles, but when they aren’t fighting mythological monsters or Foot ninja, the Heroes in a Half-Shell are butting heads with each other.
Chris Evans' Casey Jones Is the MVP of ‘TMNT’
There’s a lot to love aboutTMNT. Writer/directorKevin Munroemade a bold choice to utilize supernatural elements while also hewing close to the darker tone ofKevin EastmanandPeter Laird’s original comics. But the best thing would behow Casey Jones is utilized in the story. Casey winds up kicking off the major plot of the film; not only do he and April unwittingly deliver Winters' generals to him, but he’s the first person to learn that Raphael is the Nightwatcher and helps him fight one of the thirteen creatures — a vampire named Succubor — which leads them to find out Winters' true identity.
‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’: All the Easter Eggs and References
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Evans also nails Casey’s tough as nails Brooklyn accent, while reminding the audience that Casey isn’t your typical jock; when he and Raph first encounter Succubor, Casey groans, “You do realize that all I’ve got is a wooden baseball bat, right?” Evans also has some great chemistry with Gellar, which makes Casey and April’s relationship feel believable whether they’re shouting at each other over driving or sharing an embrace in the film’s final act. It’s the same kind of energy that Evans has brought to other roles,particularly his tenure as Captain Americaandhis days as a rom-com lead.
‘TMNT’ Was Meant To Have Sequels, But the Studio Shut Down
TMNTwas a box office success, andMunroe had plans for sequels. One plan would follow up on a line of dialogue that Karai said to the Turtles,and see the return of the Shredder. Other ideas included Michelangelo joining the Foot Clan and the Turtles fighting againstthe extraterrestrial menace of the Triceratons. Those plans never came to fruition because Imagi Studios, the animation company behindTMNT,declaredbankruptcyafter the failure ofAstro Boy.Viacom purchasing the rightsto the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise also meant thatTMNTwas a one-and-done film. But a piece of its legacy has recently resurfaced with theTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Nightwatchercomic book byJuni BaandFero Pe, which places newly minted Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Jennika into the Nightwatcher’s armor as she defends New York City.TMNTwas a unique entry into the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film franchise, thanks to its embrace of the animated medium and Chris Evans' performance as Casey Jones. Turtles fans of every stripe should track it down when they get the chance.
TMNTis available to rent on Prime Video in the U.S.
Rent on Prime Video
