Every generation grows up with some franchise that defines their childhood. Whether it be the Hardy Boys, the Jetsons, or Pokemon, every kid has it. Meanwhile their parents don't understand it and think whatever they had as a kid was better. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was that sort of thing for my childhood, and it's interesting to see this franchise reborn when anyone who might really have been a fan is largely all grown up. Sure, there have been TV revivals in recent years, but let's face it - these characters will never appeal to kids in the way they did to those who grew up in the late 80's and early 90's. That, perhaps, is why this film is flawed."TMNT" is never quite sure who its audience is. Should it be a silly kid's movie aimed at preteens, or should it be dark and gritty, with inside jokes for those who grew up on the Turtles? It tries to be both, and never quite fulfills the promise of either. Much like last year's "Superman Returns," this film is a reboot that acknowledges the continuity of past films. Shredder is still dead, and the four Turtles have gone their separate ways. Leonardo is in South America trying to learn to be a better leader, Michelangelo entertains children at birthday parties (one of many moments that bring to mind "Ghostbusters II," oddly enough), Donatello runs a computer help-line, and Raphael is a masked avenger who protects the city by himself, unbeknownst to the other Turtles. When a horde of monsters invade New York, the Turtles come back together to try and save the day. The film has a lot of setup for what ultimately feels like very little payoff. The film lacks any real central villain, as the one we think is the villain really isn't all that villainous after all, and the monsters themselves are merely obstacles thrown in the Turtles' way. But where it lacks in interesting plot, it makes up for in characters.
Never before have the turtles been so well developed on screen. Sure, Donatello gets little screentime, and Michelangelo is still a goofball, but Leonardo and Raphael have a lot of development, and that almost makes this film worth the experience alone. There's always been a tension between these two characters in past incarnations, and finally it comes to a head in a scene that is quite satisfying from a fan's perspective. What's a shame is that they decided to throw out Shredder. Some heroes don't need an archnemesis in order to work (Batman works without the Joker), but there are some heroes who are partly defined by who their villain is, and the Turtles need the Shredder, as proven by the lack of tension in this film (and "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III," for that matter). Which brings me back to that central problem with this revival of the franchise.
It's been said that the man who created the original comic books upon which these characters are based hated the cartoon show and movies. He refuses to embrace most aspects of those iterations, but unfortunately much of what makes these characters so popular comes from those cartoons and movies. We'll never see Bebop and Rocksteady in a film because he won't allow it, and he believes that there is more to the Turtles than facing off with Shredder. That is why the film feels more like "Ghostbusters," in which the main characters simply track down monsters one by one, instead of using their ninja skills to fight other characters. You get the feeling that the filmmakers wanted to acknowledge the cartoon, as there are subtle references at times, but because they are forced to abandon much of what made the franchise popular, it becomes difficult to make a good movie. Still, the four Turtles are fun and as well-defined as ever, and if you are a person who grew up on the this franchise, you will probably want to see how they hold up roughly fifteen years later.
