TMNT (2007)

 

This might feel like the odd one out in the Turtles-franchise, but really? It's not that much of a stretch. This one got lambasted for not being as 'realistic' as the previous outings, but you can wonder what in the world is realistic about mutated turtles being ninjas in the first place. Nevertheless, the story does take a little getting used to. 

The story begins when roughly 3,000 years ago, a warlord opened a portal to another dimension, granting him immortality. However, his generals were turned to stone and 13 monsters were unleashed upon the world. 

Cut to present day, where Leonardo is doing solo-training in South America, Michelangelo and Donatello have jobs and Raphael is playing vigilante during the night. A wealthy businessman by the name of Winters is collecting the statues of the generals. 

Yes, that is the same guy from the start. No mystery there. 

The generals are brought back to life in order to catch the 13 monsters (that all happen to reside in New York, talk about convenient), but they realize their brother wants to end it all and they're not too happy about that. So now the Turtles and what's left of the Foot have to band together and try to stop the stone generals before the portal closes. 

Yes, the story is a little bonkers and also highly predictable. But to find it is too far from the Turtles' other stories... I mean, if you've seen the cartoon or read the comics, you know it doesn't take too long before aliens and a plethora of insane plots make their appearance, so for this animated feature, it's fine. The animation is done very well and there are plenty of action scenes to sink your teeth into. 

What also caught me off guard, are some of the big names they got to voice certain characters. Chris Evans as Casey? Sarah Michelle Gellar as April? Sir Patrick Stewart as Winters? The only downside is that Stewart sounds tired and a little stiff, but chances are his line delivery is a little dull because he is playing a 3,000-year-old man who is tired and fed up of his life, so in that respect, it works. Or I could just be wrong. 

In truth, there's not a lot to say about this one. It's definitely for the fans, as someone not familiar with this franchise will find little to enjoy. But the animation is more than decent, the action is fun and the characters work well within their framework. Don't expect a masterpiece, just something to pass the time.