Teenage Mutant  Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’ is a nostalgic ride

Whether you know the pizza-loving turtles Donatello, Michelangelo, Leonardo, and Raphael by their names, or you simply refer to them by the color of their eye masks, most everyone has heard of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

They’ve had a huge impact on pop culture and our childhoods, yet the mediocre live-action film adaptations of the franchise left a stain on the iconic creatures that they risk being forgotten by the new generation. Thankfully, Hollywood still sees big potential in them by bringing these characters back where they belong – in the animated world!

In this reboot of the Turtles film franchise, “Mutant Mayhem” showcases the origins of the group and their father figure Splinter as they fight a horde of rebel mutants led by Superfly with the help of a teen journalist.

What stands out in this film is its animated style which is clearly influenced by the Spider-Verse Miles Morales films. Make no mistake though, it isn’t a carbon copy of its inspiration. It has its own unique animation that feels like a callback to its original animated series. Yet it feels so modern at the same time. It’s ironic how these turtles feel more realistic here than their live-action CGI counterparts.

The biggest strength of “Mutant Mayhem” is how youthful the film feels. You can’t help but feel like a kid again with the way it plays with viewers’ imagination when it comes to the humor and the action scenes displayed. At the same time, this doesn’t feel solely like a kids' movie. It’s also one where adults can feel nostalgic over the turtles whether they are hardcore fans or casual followers back in the day.

The mix of ‘80s/’90s pop-rock and hip-hop songs also adds to the uniqueness of this take. You can tell that the team behind this, including producer Seth Rogen, is treating this franchise as a love letter to its legacy and to its fans. It also makes sense given the film’s busy street life city setting.

There are a couple of positive messages that kids can take from the film. We should not let limitations get in the way of being heroes. We should also treat everyone equally with respect without any prejudice – perhaps a timely message that needs to be sent even if it’s executed in a generalized approach that can feel like old news or just plain common sense for adults.

Adults who were or are still fans of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles should expect a bit of nostalgia and happiness that the kids today are being introduced to this world in the best storytelling medium ever.

It’s a good call to turn this reboot of the turtles into the animated route. It felt like the medium can properly tell the story of these larger-than-life turtles and their wacky, bad-ass adventures without feeling too “blockbuster-y.” Thankfully, a sequel film and a television series are on the way so their adventures will continue on for the new generation. Three and a half stars out of five.