Ask 100 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fans what they love about TMNT and you’ll likely get 100 different answers. 

The series debuted in 1984 as a violent black-and-white comic book inspired by dark and gritty characters like Daredevil and Batman.  

Much like Batman, the TMNT characters and lore sustained their grip on pop culture for decades through constant reinvention. 

They’ve evolved from violent and brooding ninja warriors to Saturday morning cartoon show clowns, video game heroes, ‘90s kung fu movie stars, and even campy Power Rangers knockoffs. 

In 2023, the Heroes in a Half Shell mean many different things to each generation of fans. 

I’m the quintessential lifelong fan. As a kid, I was hooked on the cartoon show, read the comics, and caught the live-action movie on opening weekend. And as a grown-ass man with a soft spot for these characters, I’ve made peace with not falling into this reboot’s target audience.  

Now, after watching the film, I’m excited to admit I had it wrong. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is the Ninja Turtles story I’ve only dreamed of seeing. This movie speaks as much to me as it does to the seven-year-old experiencing the Ninja Turtles for the first time. 

Directors Jeff Rowe and Kyler Spears pull off an impressive feat, offering a heartfelt animated comedy that retains the essence of the series while presenting a fresh take on the material that makes sense in 2023. 

Sixteen years ago, four baby turtles cast away in the New York City sewer system trudged through some glowing ooze. That genetically engineered ooze transformed them from ordinary turtles into extraordinary mutant humanoids.

All these years later, teenage brothers Leonardo (Nicolas Cantu), Raphael (Brady Noon), Donatello (Micah Abbey), and Michelangelo (Shamon Brown Jr.) have developed wanderlust after spending their entire lives concealed below ground. 

Their father, a mutated rat named Master Splinter (Jackie Chan) has experienced the horrors of the surface world. Splinter hid his boys away and trained them in the ways of ninjitsu to protect them from the humans who naturally fear them.  

But a chance run-in with teenage reporter April O’Neil (Ayo Edebiri) teaches the turtles that not all humans pose a threat. April and the turtles team up to track down a mysterious crime syndicate run by a ruthless mutant calling himself Superfly (Ice Cube).  

If the turtles are ever going to be accepted by the aboveground world, they must stop Superfly and his crew of mutated henchmen before they show the world mutants are dangerous. 

Mutant Mayhem dishes out 99 minutes of pure pleasure. The film looks and sounds phenomenal. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’s sinister electronic score evokes the moody ambience of a David Fincher film. But Mutant Mayhem has some party anthems too, featuring catchy high-energy tracks from De La Soul, Bruno Mars, and A Tribe Called Quest. 

Mutant Mayhem looks unlike any other animated film out there right now. While the Spider-Verse movies may seem like an easy comparison, there’s a world of difference. Unlike the Spider-Verse’s hallucinatory visuals, Mutant Mayhem employs a highly-stylized yet grounded hand-drawn look and feel.  

I’m all in on its raw, unpolished aesthetic with its asymmetrical designs and pencil mark flourishes. I could turn off my TV’s soundbar and still enjoy soaking up the painstakingly-crafted visuals. 

The mesmerizing animation and dope soundtrack are just the icing on the cake. The film truly shines thanks to its endearing ensemble cast and how the story embraces four decades of TMNT’s zany mythology without a slavish devotion to it. 

Co-writers and producers Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg treat TMNT’s gonzo mythology as a feature, not a bug. You couldn’t ask for better material for a creative duo who have never been afraid to let their freak flags fly.

Rogen and Goldberg infuse their signature charm and irreverence into the story while embracing TMNT’s campy B-movie elements. One of Superfly’s henchmen is a mutant manta ray named Ray Fillet (voiced by Post Malone). The character’s whole thing is that he always sings out his name. It’s a silly (and painfully simple) comedic bit that works like gangbusters in Rogen and Goldberg’s hands. 

Having viewed all the TMNT films, I’m used to seeing the turtles portrayed as invincible action heroes, but not always as compelling characters. Mutant Mayhem proves there’s no reason they can’t be both. 

This film marks the first time Leonardo, Donatello, Michaelangelo, Raphael, and Splinter feel like an actual family. Their unwavering love and friendship are as integral to the story as pizza and nunchucks. 

Sure, this is a bonkers sci-fi kung fu movie, but it’s all grounded in very real, very relatable emotional stakes. As a result, the turtles come across as vibrant characters with a shared history beyond the scope of what we see onscreen. They exhibit a boisterous camaraderie previous films failed to capture. 

Casting young actors who sound like actual teenagers helps make the turtles finally feel like teenage brothers. Watching them goof around and banter never gets old. The young ensemble possesses the same crackling chemistry as the Stranger Things cast. 

Again, all of the mutant ninja kookiness only works because, at its core, this is a straightforward coming-of-age story that’s full of heart. It’s a time-tested tale of outsiders looking for a place where they fit in. Even though we’ve seen films explore this concept countless times, I’m impressed by the perspective Mutant Mayhem brings to the conversation. 

The story delves into the concept of conditional love and acceptance. The turtles strive to become heroes in order to gain New Yorkers’ approval. The underlying message is that people can never accept them for who they are unless they perform some extraordinary act. 

This theme mirrors the challenges marginalized communities often face when dealing with a population who sees them as stereotypes first and unique human beings second.  

In this scenario, the marginalized must transcend a stereotype in order to reclaim their humanity. This leads to behaviour like code-switching, where Black people downplay their blackness in white spaces. Boots Riley beautifully captures this phenomenon in his 2018 satirical gem Sorry to Bother You. 

No one should have to project “an ideal” version of themself to be treated with respect. We shouldn’t have to prove we’re not a threat to receive a shred of common dignity. But this is an unfortunate reality for any community that’s been “othered.” 

Mutant Mayhem’s endearing characters, beautifully crafted visuals, and banging score make it the best Ninja Turtles movie yet. What I love most is how this big-budget family film isn’t afraid to be magnificently weird. Mutant Mayhem is a glorious homage to 40 years of TMNT, offering something for every generation of fans to love.