Just saw the new TMNT Movie!!!

[Mr. Arctic]

hi everyone. im the new guy. im also the guy who was part of the very first audience to ever see the new TMNT, according to the test screening host. for your reading pleasure, i am posting a review i wrote for the movie, which has been posted to imdb and may appear on aintitcoolnews.com-- enjoy! also, happy to answer any questions!
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i just saw a test screening of TMNT [wednesday, feb. 7 in westlake village] and, although i suspected it would be good, it surpassed my predictions. i should note that i am a pretty big fan of the old movies (1 and 2 anyway) and the old cartoon, and am a collector of TMNT comic art posters-- this may give you a perspective on where i'm coming from before you read my review. Without giving much away, here is what i liked(+)/disliked(-).

+ANIMATION: the biggest thing the movie has going for it is the animation. it is miles ahead of any animated movie I've ever seen. the level of detail is unsurpassed and completely amazing. everything from backgrounds, characters, various surfaces and textures (including skin), lighting and different effects (including a pivotal sequence in the rain) absolutely blew me away.

+DESIGN: along the same lines as the animation, the general look and design of everything was pretty cool. the turtles themselves look different and new, as well as splinter, casey and april. their designs fit in well with the overall look of NY city, which is dark, worn and very impressive. the skyline was very well done. I was also particularly impressed with the design of karai and the foot.

+CHARACTERS & RELATIONSHIPS: especially between the turtles and splinter --and particularly raphael and leonardo-- the relationships are complex, as is traditionally the case for the franchise. in this film they are well drawn and developed and, in the end are fulfilling and cathartic. there are a few surprises to say the least, both within the turtle team and also without. casey also adds to his relationship with raph in this movie.

+SCREENPLAY/STORYLINE: The screenplay is generally okay. the tone is about as perfect a balance you can hope for for a film trying to appeal to the Saturday morning crowd as well as the old school, 20-something fans. it returns to the darker, more emotional tone of the first live action film but doesn't fail to deliver on humor (although some of it is hit and miss-- probably the result of trying to appeal to the younger crowd). Dialogue is decent. the storyline is a bit more on the sci-fi side than most fans of the old movies will be used to, but it seems secondary to the development and relationships of the characters-- a good decision on the part of the filmmakers. the plot is still interesting and fast paced, and the villains are credible.

+ACTION/FIGHT SEQUENCES: generally well done. for me, the centerpiece of the whole movie was a climactic, rooftop fight scene in the rain. other cool sequences include a skateboarding scene, and a huge fight against a bunch of foot ninjas.

-HUMOR: not that is was particularly bad (although michaelangelo was borderline annoying sometimes), but for me, there wasn't enough. i usually associated the turtles with humor, even in their darker pieces like the first live action film.

-SPLINTER'S VOICE: this may be sacrilege, but Mako's voice took some getting used to. I was used to the soft-spoken whisper of past splinters. this one is harsh and grumbly. this isn't to say its bad-- it just took some getting used to.

-CHARACTER SCREEN TIME: michaelangelo and especially donatello were hardly in the movie. there could have been more development about their characters (traditionally leo and raph are the focus, though) although they do bond well as a part of the whole group. Same goes for April. She has usually been a pivotal character in any incarnation of the franchise, but she is minor here. Hopefully there will be future films where these three characters will be explored in more depth.

-APRIL: not only does she have little screen time, but she isn't as "strong" a character as she usually has been, and her fighting skills were kind of out of the blue. besides this, her relationship with casey was kind of flat. hopefully it will be remedied in future films, if there are any.

-CASEY JONES: what happened to the hard-edged casey we all knew? i get that he is supposed to be more "domestic" now, but i didn't even get a hint of the old, violence-crazy vigilante.

-VIOLENCE: i hate for this to be another "there's not enough violence in TMNT" discussion, but although there is a lot of fighting, it seems they've really tried to keep the violence to a minimum, which is understandable considering their broad market (after all, it is PG). depending on if this film is successful, i would like to see them up the darkness and violence a bit more (PG-13 would be cool)-- although even if it is successful, it probably wont happen. wishful thinking i guess.

You will enjoy this film if you are a true old school fan or a fan of the newer cartoon. If you never really liked the turtles, you probably wont like this either. Since this is supposedly based more on the original comics, even the comic fans should enjoy it. Although it is a bit on the dark side, the PG rating is fitting, and isn't too much more violent than the Saturday morning cartoon, id imagine. it is a good action film and a good family film-- adults and non-fans shouldn't be bored. To people who balk at the idea of it being animation ("its a cartoon!") or being PG, i'd say give it a chance-- you might actually like it. like most things, if you walk in hating it, you're gonna leave hating it. but as a longtime fan of the turtles in most incarnations, this film has my seal of approval. it was pretty good, and i expect to see more.

OVERALL: 8/10

[Mandi-chan]

Sounds good to me, although the Mikey stuff has me a tad worried...

I LOVED Mikey in the previous 3 film, I thought he was perfect. Funny (but not annoying or childish) and simply adorable.

But the trailer I saw, and now your comments on him for the movie, give me the impression that he's a clone of his 2003 toon counterpart (who I've found more and more irritating as the show goes on).

So, just give it to me straight...is he a clone of his 2003 toon counterpart?

The rest of it sounds great (thank you for not spoiling anything about the movie in your review :) ), I can't wait to see it.

When are the comics that go with it coming out again? I wonder if they'll explain why April is a fighter now...

[Raph's Girl]

Nice review. I agree about Mike and Don not getting enough screen time. You can really tell this in the novel.

As for the comics. They'll be out in March. One of them will focus completly on April.

[Mr. Arctic]

Sounds good to me, although the Mikey stuff has me a tad worried...

I LOVED Mikey in the previous 3 film, I thought he was perfect. Funny (but not annoying or childish) and simply adorable.


ok, ill give it to you straight: i have mixed feelings about mikey in the film. overall, i liked him better than i disliked him, so thats good. i probably would have "bonded" with this character if he'd had more screentime. but truth be told, by the end of the film i felt i knew him better than i did donnie.

i did feel he was annoying at times, but that was mostly because he was the primary source of humor attempts in the film and, as i said, some of the humor was hit and miss-- and a lot of that is attributed to mikey. HOWEVER, a lot of the funniest moments in the movie are also HIS, so dont lose sleep over it. he has more moments where he is funny than where he is not.

also consider that the things we dont find funny in the movie probably made it in there so that they could get some laughs from the younger kids, since they ARE a large part of the market. i think the hit and miss parts can be attributed more to that than to bad writing or trying to be funny and not succeeding. to me, that is plausible, excusable and allowable.

but like i said, there are some really funny moments where the whole audience laughed out load. so dont worry about it too much. just prepare yourself for a good movie. all of the positives far outweigh the minor negatives.

[TerranigmaFreak]

Hey Mr. Arctic, you saw this movie with a large audience, correct? You you tell me the if you know the general atmosphere of the place when the movie was over? Do you know if the general reaction was positive, very positive, negative, or very negative?

[Mr. Arctic]

yes, i saw it with a full theater. the crowd was mostly people in their late teens to twenties, and a few kids and a hand full of people 30+ and 40+. before the film, people were pretty restless, so i was hoping no one was going to be stupid during the movie. as soon as the movie actually stared, everyone cheered and, other than some laughing and a few other cheers, everyone was quietly engrossed the rest of the time.

the the end of the film, i felt it was a pretty positive atmosphere. no one was saying "that was stupid!" or "it sucked!"; rather, i heard lots of people say the liked it and that it was good and better than they thought it would be. one guy sitting behind me (who was probably in his late teens)-- was being really irritating before the movie and kept saying "i hope this doesnt suck!" and afterwards, when his friend asked him how he liked it, he said "it was good. i liked it a lot".

of course, we all had to fill out surveys after the movie. i wish i could have taken a look at those. but everyone seems satisfied and accepting of the movie.

[Mecha Cow]

michaelangelo and especially donatello were hardly in the movie.
This REALLY has me worried.

[johnnyblaze]

how did Leo and Raph come off during the film? Alot of people are nervous Leo is going to come off as an asshole going by what they read in the book. Also how was the Splinter 'lullaby' scene that was supposed to be in the film?

[Mr. Arctic]

This REALLY has me worried.

i guess that is kind of an overstatement. they are there and have presence. like other incarnations of the franchise, their characters are simply not as explored as leo and raphs. raph and leos probably have double the amount of screentime.

how did Leo and Raph come off during the film? ... Also how was the Splinter 'lullaby' scene that was supposed to be in the film?

raph and leo were both very well done. however, i was particularly impressed with leo. he is more serious and thoughtful/reflective now. in the past he has kind of been 2D, as you said, simply a dutiful "by the book" guy and kind of a whiny teacher's pet doing everything for splinter. i think the filmmakers picked up on the past flatness of his character (especially when compared to that of raph) and tried to take him deeper. in the movie, he thinks for himself and has his own feelings, etc. leo was always my least favorite turtle, but because of this movie, he's quickly jumped to my second favorite; right behind raph of course. additionally, their roles are really ironed out amongst themselves and the way to this resolution was really well written and executed.

and im not sure what lullaby scene youre referring to. enlighten me.

[johnnyblaze]

oh Munroe said that they recorded an ad lib from Mako in the studio where his character, Splinter ofcourse, is huming an old chinese song to calm the turtles. apparently its something Mako remembered from his childhood and worked into his performance.

thanks for answering questiosn by the way

[TMNT]

I had a question: are there any flashbacks in the film? I'm pretty sure someone mentioned that there was a flashback to the previous film(s). Also, I was wondering if you can describe some of the humor that you taught was kind of hit and miss. I just want to know what to expect. Last one: to what extent are each turtle's weapons used (including Nightwatcher's chain) because I know Mikey doesn't really use his. Thanks. I'm glad the reaction was positive--I'm sure people will like it given the chance to watch it.

[ThemanthatwouldbeRaphael]

I expect Casey and April to have less screentime, I mean, this should be centered around the Turtles. And they're trying to showcase a more mellowed Casey, so that would explain the lack of crazy.

I hope, if there is a sequel, Don and Mikey get they're times to shine, we should bring this up to Kevin Munroe, lucky he's on our side :D

I just really can't wait to see this movie now. It sounds like I'm gonna love it.

[Mr. Arctic]

...Splinter ofcourse, is huming an old chinese song to calm the turtles...

thanks for answering questiosn by the way

oh yeah! i do remember that! it was actually a pretty funny scene. that did make it in then.

and youre welcome for answering questions. i dont mind at all.

I had a question: are there any flashbacks in the film?

to my recollection, there were no flashbacks to the old film. there are minor references though. there is a "prologue" sequence at the beginning of the film (which is narrated by morpheus himself) that desribes the origin of the turtles briefly and then gives some backstory for the movie's plot.


Also, I was wondering if you can describe some of the humor that you taught was kind of hit and miss.

id rather not get specific since i dont want to give anything away. but like i said, most of the humorous parts are mikeys, although donnie has a few laughs as well as splinter, surprisingly.


Last one: to what extent are each turtle's weapons used (including Nightwatcher's chain)

they all use their weapons throughout the film (including nightwatcher and his chain). mikey and donnies use of their weapons is scaled back, as most have assumed would happen. however you can see them with weapons in-hand during fights; just like in past films/cartoons, although they fight with their weapons, it is rare that they end up making too much contact with them, putting a cap on any bloody violence. and as i said at the end of my review, i hope that they push that a bit more in future releases, but thats probably wishful thinking.


Thanks. I'm glad the reaction was positive--I'm sure people will like it given the chance to watch it.

i think everyone will like it. its about as perfect a film we can hope for considering the broad market. i hope that it does well enough so that more films will get made. that is why ive been trying to spread the good word. feel free to repost my answers and review on other websites (i know i have). now that it has my seal of approval, i want to do my part to make sure its a success.

I expect Casey and April to have less screentime, I mean, this should be centered around the Turtles.

rightfully so. im used to april being with the turtles all the time (as in the cartoon and old movies), so i kinda missed her. the thing is, she is such a good, likable character and ally that there seems to be a small void without her by their side all the time.

same goes with shredder: the reason people are upset that he's not in the movie is because he is such a good villain. people love him. however, i agree with the filmmaker's decision to move the franchise along and develop relationships and storylines. they can only beat the shredder so many times; i mean, they already brought him back from the dead for god's sake.

casey has significantly more screentime than april though, which was good. i just thought that his character wasn't in snyc with what my notions of him are.


I hope, if there is a sequel, Don and Mikey get they're times to shine, we should bring this up to Kevin Munroe, lucky he's on our side :D

true. like i said, spread the word!


I just really can't wait to see this movie now. It sounds like I'm gonna love it.

i cant wait to see it again! i cant wait to own it!

[TMNT]

they all use their weapons throughout the film (including nightwatcher and his chain). mikey and donnies use of their weapons is scaled back, as most have assumed would happen. however you can see them with weapons in-hand during fights; just like in past films/cartoons, although they fight with their weapons, it is rare that they end up making too much contact with them, putting a cap on any bloody violence.

Thanks for all your answers. But I just had a comment about this answer. Is the use of Donny's weapon really censored? The past films had him make contact. I think he had the most contact out of all the turtles. I understand (not really) the concern on Mikey, Leo and Raph (again, they don't get censored as much) but Donny has always been a hard hitter literally. Thanks again. Nice to see an intro with Larry Fishburne that ties the films together. Overall, I have a strong feeling that once marketing picks up, this film will do great.

[Mr. Arctic]

...Is the use of Donny's weapon really censored? The past films had him make contact. I think he had the most contact out of all the turtles. I understand (not really) the concern on Mikey, Leo and Raph (again, they don't get censored as much) but Donny has always been a hard hitter literally.

...Overall, I have a strong feeling that once marketing picks up, this film will do great.

its kind of weird. i thought of that too. donnie knocks a lot of heads with his bo in the old movies. not so much on this film. and i think the whole nunchuck censorship is absurd, really. i guess we have the UK to thank for that. then again, places outside the US dont understand out hangup with sex in the media, so maybe were even.

and i do hope the marketing kicks in. theyd better do the movie justice. this is the kind of film that aggressive marketing will benefit.

[Aztec General]

Mr. Arctic,

Thanks for taking the time to share your info. A buddy of mine almost went the screening himself but had other obilgations (he was rather upset).

Question: Is this movie a worthy sequel to the first film? I ask this because the second and third movies are garbage. I adore the first film as a well done comic book movie and I'm eagerly hoping that this new film will continue that tradition of excellence.

Also can you give us a little more info on the "Intro" (without spoilers naturally).

Thanks so much. :thyper:

[johnnyblaze]

I have a question--fight wise do the turtles get as good as they give? is there a sense of danger when they are in a fight?

[Mr. Arctic]

Mr. Arctic,

A buddy of mine almost went the screening himself but had other obilgations (he was rather upset).

wow, i would have been pissed if i missed it. as it is there were tons of people there. i think they must have had to turn away at least 15-20% of them.


Question: Is this movie a worthy sequel to the first film?

i would say it is. although i like the 2nd film a lot, it doesnt hold a candle to the first. however, this new movie continues more of what the first film started. it is very similar in tone and heavy on character, and thats what i believe made the 1st film the better one.


Also can you give us a little more info on the "Intro" (without spoilers naturally).

yeah. there is a brief intro narrated by larry fishburne that talks generalities about the turtles for people who may not have seen the former films or are not familiar with the franchise: who they are, where they came from, and it mentions past battles (ie, other films). this segues into a prologue to the film (also narrated) that gives needed backstory for the rest of the movie; it basically sets up the villains and their story and doesnt talk about the turtles.

thats all im going to say about the intro/prologue.


I have a question--fight wise do the turtles get as good as they give? is there a sense of danger when they are in a fight?

it really depended on who they were up against. there were certainly times that they "got" much more than they "gave".

[Aztec General]

however, this new movie continues more of what the first film started. it is very similar in tone and heavy on character, and thats what i believe made the 1st film the better one.

This is what I needed to hear. It's good that you feel that the tone is back to the first fim. Thanks again.

[Colliwog]

Can you tell me, what is this big fight between Raph and Leo in the movie that I've been hearing about..?

[ThemanthatwouldbeRaphael]

Questions:

1. Do you really getting that feeling of peril durring the battles, like Kevin described earlier.

2. Do Gato and Mono talk?

3. Was Grey DeLisle voicing Serpentie?

[Spitfire]

Don and Mike hardly in the movie...that sucks being as how my favorite TMNT is Don. Oh well, he was always a background character anyways.

[Aignatius]

Don and Mike have some good scenes, though, judging by the book. Personality -wise, I agree, Don is not so much one to be in the forefront, anyway.

IMO it's better for Don to be quietly-- albeit blindingly-- brilliant in the background, so as not to completely outshine his poor brothers.

Hehe...

[Warhorse]

Mr Artic. You said you posted a review over at IMdb. Are you chimp-cadet.

[Leonardo_Warrior_Turtle]

Mr. Artic, I have a few questions about Karai and the Foot.

How well is Karai voiced in the movie?

Does she play a pretty integral part in the film?

Any mention at all of the Shredder?

[Mr. Arctic]

Questions:

1. Do you really getting that feeling of peril durring the battles, like Kevin described earlier.

id say yes and no. it depends on who they are fighting really. some matches are kind of "gee i wonder who's gonna win?" and others are like "wow, how can the turtles win?"


2. Do Gato and Mono talk?

gato and mono have a couple of lines between the 2 of them, if i remember correctly.


3. Was Grey DeLisle voicing Serpentie?

yes, delisle does the voice of serpente


Mr Artic. You said you posted a review over at IMdb. Are you chimp-cadet.

yes i am.

Mr. Artic, I have a few questions about Karai and the Foot.

How well is Karai voiced in the movie?

very well voiced. i think i liked her voice acting the best of everyone.


Does she play a pretty integral part in the film?

i wouldnt say integral; she is more of a supporting character. she has a decent amount of screentime. i want to see more of her in the future.


Any mention at all of the Shredder?

there are a few references.

[Krutch]

Im surprised no ones asked this, since it seemed to be a big thing when revealed....

The 81 minute runtime. Be honest, did the movie seem short?

[LogicDonny]

Thank you for posting the review, I feel very excited to see this movie.

I have a couple questions

1-What would you give this movie out of 10 ?

2- Of all the tmnt movies, do you believe this one outshines the rest?

[Mr. Arctic]

Im surprised no ones asked this, since it seemed to be a big thing when revealed....

The 81 minute runtime. Be honest, did the movie seem short?

actually no, it didnt seem short at all. in fact, im surprised to learn by reading your comment that it was only 81 min. it was a very fulfilling 81 min.


Thank you for posting the review, I feel very excited to see this movie.

no problem!:)


1-What would you give this movie out of 10?


i guess i didnt post that. i give it an 8/10. thats highly respectable by my standards.


2- Of all the tmnt movies, do you believe this one outshines the rest?

hmm. good question. overall, i think i still like the first the best. however, this one is a very close runner up.

[Brodie]

1-What would you give this movie out of 10 ?



He said 8 out of 10....

You didn't even....arghhhh.....I think brain cells just died, behind my eyesssss.

[ThemanthatwouldbeRaphael]

You must feel like Kevin Munroe in the Front Lines thread right now, huh?

Anyways, I forgot to ask. How were Gellar and Evans. Would you say they managed to pull off April and Casey? And was Billy West heard anywhere in the movie?

[Mr. Arctic]

He said 8 out of 10....

You didn't even....arghhhh.....I think brain cells just died, behind my eyesssss.



i dont think you understand how good a rating that is for me. im pretty hardcore when it comes to movies [if you read my intro on the intro board you know that]. 8/10 for me is probably 9/10 for most ppl.

and evans and gellar are just fine, though i was surprised at how well evans did.

sorry for being short-- im posting this from my Wii.

[Barkworm]

i dont think you understand how good a rating that is for me. im pretty hardcore when it comes to movies [if you read my intro on the intro board you know that]. 8/10 for me is probably 9/10 for most ppl.
I think he was just talking about the fact that Donny didn't even read your first post, otherwise he would have known what rating you had given.

[ardnealy]

Does Casey Jones have a fight scene and does the turtles still live in the lair from the 2nd movie? Thanks

[Mr. Arctic]

casey does fight and yes, they do live in what looks to be the same place as the abandoned subway station.

[Sliced]

What about the soundtrack ? Any new theme song, and if so is it a good one ?

And what about the overall music in the movie ? Is it, techno, rock, orchestral ? Just give some general details about those.

Also, any new ''vanilla ice'' kind of prestation. Some special musical guest or something ?

And finally, would you buy the soundtrack ?

[Brodie]

i dont think you understand how good a rating that is for me. im pretty hardcore when it comes to movies [if you read my intro on the intro board you know that]. 8/10 for me is probably 9/10 for most ppl.

and evans and gellar are just fine, though i was surprised at how well evans did.

sorry for being short-- im posting this from my Wii.

That wasn't directed at you, it was because Logic didnt even read your post before he posted in the thread.

[johnnyblaze]

casey does fight and yes, they do live in what looks to be the same place as the abandoned subway station.

hey does Casey say "Class is Pain 101. Meet Instructor Casey Jones" like in the novel? And if so did that get any reaction from anybody in the crowd?

[Mr. Arctic]

What about the soundtrack ? Any new theme song, and if so is it a good one ?

there is no new theme. there isnt a theme at all really.


And what about the overall music in the movie ? Is it, techno, rock, orchestral ? Just give some general details about those.


it is mostly rock. it was pretty good; it fit well.


Also, any new ''vanilla ice'' kind of prestation. Some special musical guest or something ?


haha. no nothing like that.


And finally, would you buy the soundtrack ?

i probably wouldnt, but thats not because it wasnt good music. who knows though...


That wasn't directed at you, it was because Logic didnt even read your post before he posted in the thread.

haha, ooookay. i get it now.


hey does Casey say "Class is Pain 101. Meet Instructor Casey Jones" like in the novel? And if so did that get any reaction from anybody in the crowd?

i dont recall that he did. i may have missed it though.

[Mr. Arctic]

BTW,

aint it cool news DID run my review after all. a link for the story appears on the front page of the web site (yay!) for monday, 2/12/07.

its no different from the reveiw i posted here (i dont think), but directly below the review are comments/reactions to my review, which have been interesting to read. seems their readers are still skeptical, but then again id expect them to be a tougher crowd. anyway, check out the comments, and if youre a member, leave one yourself!

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/31547

funnily enough, some people seem to think that my review was a "plant" by someone inside from the film studio to generate good buzz. haha, thats funny; considering my balanced review, i think thats a pretty weird assumption. anyway, i registered so that i can maybe clear that up.

[LogicDonny]

That wasn't directed at you, it was because Logic didnt even read your post before he posted in the thread.


I missed the one little 8/10 thing at the very bottom. I aplogize.

[LogicDonny]

BTW,

aint it cool news DID run my review after all. a link for the story appears on the front page of the web site (yay!) for monday, 2/12/07.

its no different from the reveiw i posted here (i dont think), but directly below the review are comments/reactions to my review, which have been interesting to read. seems their readers are still skeptical, but then again id expect them to be a tougher crowd. anyway, check out the comments, and if youre a member, leave one yourself!

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/31547

funnily enough, some people seem to think that my review was a "plant" by someone inside from the film studio to generate good buzz. haha, thats funny; considering my balanced review, i think thats a pretty weird assumption. anyway, i registered so that i can maybe clear that up.

still having a review posted on another site is really good news to hear but making it sound different is lame.

[gobo]

funnily enough, some people seem to think that my review was a "plant" by someone inside from the film studio to generate good buzz. haha, thats funny; considering my balanced review, i think thats a pretty weird assumption. anyway, i registered so that i can maybe clear that up.
Some people are just so cynical it's ridiculous. We know you aren't a plant. That much is obvious. *strikes Mr. Arctic from the list of possible studio spies* Are you planning to stick around after the movie is just a memory?

[Ashangelo]

I don't believe anybody asked this yet so I will. How are the turtles voices? Do they fit well with the character or do you think they could have been better?

[TerranigmaFreak]

I'm surprised you were so nice to the AICN folks, Mr. Arctic. If I were you, I would have sent it a review while slamming the previous guy at AICN who reviewed the movie without knowing a thing about the TMNT.

[Raph's Girl]

funnily enough, some people seem to think that my review was a "plant" by someone inside from the film studio to generate good buzz. haha, thats funny; considering my balanced review, i think thats a pretty weird assumption. anyway, i registered so that i can maybe clear that up.

Eh they're just joking. It's an old joke that stems from when there were problems with plants a couple years back and ever since then people yell out "Plant!" whenever somebody reviews a movie before it's out.... :roll:

[Mr. Arctic]

I missed the one little 8/10 thing at the very bottom. I aplogize.

noooooo problem.


still having a review posted on another site is really good news to hear but making it sound different is lame.

wait, huh, wha?

im not sure what youre saying. are you just here to confuse me all the time? (jk)


*strikes Mr. Arctic from the list of possible studio spies* Are you planning to stick around after the movie is just a memory?

thanks for the vote of confidence.

im figurin' to stay around these parts.


How are the turtles voices? Do they fit well with the character or do you think they could have been better?

the voices are good. i especially liked raphs and leos. mikey was more or less the same as i remember him from the old movies. although his didnt particularly stand out, donatello was good also.


I'm surprised you were so nice to the AICN folks... I would have sent it a review while slamming the previous guy at AICN.

i knew a bunch of them would be stupid. but what the heck. i know most people who post on sites like those think they know everything.


...people yell out "Plant!" whenever somebody reviews a movie before it's out...

some of them seemed pretty serious about it. either way, i dont think it is the kind of review a studio would plant about their own movie.

[LogicDonny]

Sorry I tend to confuse people.

It is great to see your review on another site but sometimes they can change things to make it sound different.

did they do that?

[TMNT]

Here's a question: what references (that you can remember) from the old films are there? Does Splinter make a funny?

[LogicDonny]

Here's a question: what references (that you can remember) from the old films are there? Does Splinter make a funny?

oh man, that is a good question. I remember how angry nerd mentioned that in his tmnt 3 review.. First and 2nd movie was good but the 3rd was like wtf happened, splinter wearing a hat "I made a funny" :x

[Mr. Arctic]

Sorry I tend to confuse people.

It is great to see your review on another site but sometimes they can change things to make it sound different.

did they do that?

no, my review wasnt changed and none of the users twisted my words. they just want it to be really bad for some reason. its stupid-- i hate when people have that attitude.


Here's a question: what references (that you can remember) from the old films are there? Does Splinter make a funny?

there are only a few minor references to the old films. and splinter does make some funny's, but he doesnt say that. that would have been cool though.

[Peanut]

Hey, Mr.Arctic. You don't mind if I post a link to this thread on the front page, do you? I'm sure a lot of people would love to get in on this discussion.

[LogicDonny]

no, my review wasnt changed and none of the users twisted my words. they just want it to be really bad for some reason. its stupid-- i hate when people have that attitude.

Ok thanks. Did you see that interview with that women who is a hardcore ninja turtle fan, I heard they edit the interview making her look totally different in the interview.

[Mr. Arctic]

Hey, Mr.Arctic. You don't mind if I post a link to this thread on the front page, do you? I'm sure a lot of people would love to get in on this discussion.

by all means, go for it!


Ok thanks. Did you see that interview with that women who is a hardcore ninja turtle fan, I heard they edit the interview making her look totally different in the interview.

no, i didnt see that. where can i find it?

[ThemanthatwouldbeRaphael]

I can't believe how those jerks were calling you a plant. Bunch of ****ing artards.

But Impressed about your calm demeanor towrads them, but I loved your response at the end.

[Mr. Arctic]

thanks. i thought it was effective.

[Rooish]

Mr. Arctic, was there any Raph/Mike interaction?

[LogicDonny]

by all means, go for it!




no, i didnt see that. where can i find it?

http://forums.thetechnodrome.com/showthread.php?t=18297

[Mr. Arctic]

Mr. Arctic, was there any Raph/Mike interaction?

there was, but not a whole lot that i remember. one of the funnest aspects was seeing them all interact with each other as brothers. i thought that was well done.

LogicDonny, although i couldnt see the video, i got the idea from the thread. that sucks that they would do that to her. pretty mean.

[ThemanthatwouldbeRaphael]

there was, but not a whole lot that i remember. one of the funnest aspects was seeing them all interact with each other as brothers. i thought that was well done.

LogicDonny, although i couldnt see the video, i got the idea from the thread. that sucks that they would do that to her. pretty mean.

They're VH-1, just as big of sell-outs as MTV. I'd was expecting something more evil from them.

[Sage Ninja]

Mr. Arctic you mentioned that Mikey's voice was not all that diffrent from the first movie. I just want to know does Mikey in the movie use alot of "suffer dude" type of lingo? Or is his lingo more like that of a teenger from...this decade?

how was Karai handled as a character in the movie? Is she portrayed as an indepth character or is she kinda 2D?

Also was there any significant interaction between Leonardo and Karai, like they have had in the new toon. Do you get any sence of mutaul respect for one another in the movie or are they just enemies?

[Mr. Arctic]

...I just want to know does Mikey in the movie use alot of "suffer dude" type of lingo? Or is his lingo more like that of a teenger from...this decade?

he does, to an extent, use surfer lingo, but it isnt like old surfer lingo like "cowabunga", etc. his language is more modern. they handled that well.


how was Karai handled as a character in the movie? Is she portrayed as an indepth character or is she kinda 2D?

she didnt have a develped characterbecause she didnt have all THAT much screentime. but she was still interesting and threatening. she was one of my favorite parts and i really hope they expand that role in furture releases. i think it would be unfair to say her character is 2D or underdevelloped though-- her role didnt demand more than it was.


Also was there any significant interaction between Leonardo and Karai, like they have had in the new toon. Do you get any sence of mutaul respect for one another in the movie or are they just enemies?

no, leo and karai dont have any 1 on 1 interaction, or anything that you described. however, there does appear to be a kind of respect between her and the turtles-- youll see what i mean when you watch the whole movie.

[johnnyblaze]

does Splinter kick some butt in the flick?

[Mr. Arctic]

splinter does kick some butt.

[Krutch]

How would you rate Kevin as a director? and as a writer?

[Mr. Arctic]

i was actually impressed with mr. monroe.

as a director, he has good visual sense. its not very often that i sit in movies and, while im watching them, think "wow, this shot is really well composed". like i said, the lighting was expertly executed and really compliments the films dark, worn look. as i write this, i realize that everything (both positive and negative) in my review are, in the end, attributed to mr. monroe. voice casting and directing, shot composition-- these are the director's main jobs, and he did well one them.

as far as the screenwriting goes, it is good, but not great. the high points include: structure, character development (especially leo and raph) and relationships, speed. the story builds and falls, then reaches a satisfying climax, and does so quickly (in fact, i felt the story moved too fast at times). the dialogue was okay; as with the animation, there were times i consciously noted that i was impressed but sometimes also dissatisfied. sometimes it was a bit on the head, but in other parts it was surprisingly subtle, understated and well done. so i think the only other criticism i have of the screenplay is the relationship between april and casey. it felt forced and underdeveloped. fortunately, it doesnt occupy a lot of play time, so, its not that big a deal.

as ive said many times, i know he was torn between satisfying a broad market, and this affected the screenplay a lot, i assume. i bet the next film (if he chooses to write and direct it), will be even more impressive.

[ThemanthatwouldbeRaphael]

Thats great to hear. Especially since I think this is his first time directing a major motion picture.

Kudos.

Also, is Billy West heard anywhere in the movie? And Kevin siad that wasn't Grey doing Serpente, so do you think Serpentie could have been played by Tara Strong? Sometimes they're voices sound similar.

[Mr. Arctic]

Also, is Billy West heard anywhere in the movie? And Kevin siad that wasn't Grey doing Serpente, so do you think Serpentie could have been played by Tara Strong? Sometimes they're voices sound similar.

in that case im not sure. however, i do know that on imbd, she is listed as the voice of serpentie-- dont know if thats accurate then.

nd im not sure about billy west.

[ardnealy]

Is this the most action packed movie of the series?

[Mr. Arctic]

actually, yes it is. there is a lot of action and the story moves along quickly to allow for it.

[Turtleman100]

Are there any bad words and who say them

[Mr. Arctic]

no bad words that i can remember.

[johnnyblaze]

2 questions: do the turtles fight together as in all 4 of them teaming up to beat a bad guy? and if yes how good did their team work look?

also did the end credits have an actual song or just a score?

thanks again

[gobo]

no bad words that i can remember.
Did "what the shell" make the final cut though?

[ThemanthatwouldbeRaphael]

no bad words that i can remember.

So no damn or hell? Aw dammit all to hell.

[LogicDonny]

Mr. Arctic,

did you make a review on IMDB?

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0453556/

they seemed to have posted your review on that movie page..

[Mr. Arctic]

2 questions: do the turtles fight together as in all 4 of them teaming up to beat a bad guy? and if yes how good did their team work look?

yes, there were a few times they teamed up to fight bad guys. it looked pretty good. some of the most fun times during the movie occurred when they fought.


also did the end credits have an actual song or just a score?


we didnt get to see the credits. as soon as the movie ended, the lights went on and they passed out surveys to us.


Did "what the shell" make the final cut though?

hmm... i dont remember. it does sound familliar, but i just cant remember seeing/hearing it in the movie.


Mr. Arctic,

did you make a review on IMDB?

yes. i think someone asked me that already, but yes, i did post my review there.

[ThemanthatwouldbeRaphael]

Do you think you can give us a list of the battles(in spoiler tags of course), and tell us which ones had all four of the Turtles. Like the Angry Movie Nerd did with the first 3 Turtle films.

[Mr. Arctic]

i promised myself i wouldnt give away that much detail. sorry!

[ThemanthatwouldbeRaphael]

i promised myself i wouldnt give away that much detail. sorry!

Then could you PM it to me, I din't mind spoilers.

[TMNT]

Yeah PM me as well if you can, I don't mind the spoilers because the actual feel I'll get from actually watching it will be just as exciting.

I really want to learn more about that scene down there in my sig.

[Mr. Arctic]

sorry, i have sigs disabled.

anyway, i promised myself i wasnt going to give away major details. i know if i was in your position i would also want to know more, but i dont want to get into that. rest assured that the fights are cool: they are full of action, of course, and some are also funny, and others very serious. i know you hate to wait, but the movie is almost only 1 month away!

until then, dream of turtles.

[VGiselleH]

I read your review and it makes me happy to see it described like that, makes me want to see it even more! And thanks for the self discipline you have with the spoilers, lol, much apreciated :D

[LogicDonny]

I am very surprised members here actually want to spoil themselves on things like the battles and stuff.

Me on the other hand, don't send any PM, I want to see the movie and not have to spoil myself like the others want to.

I cant wait.

[johnnyblaze]

written spoilers are'nt a bother because no matter how cool it seems there is nothing like seeing it all played out on the big screen. written spoilers just hold us over and increases our hype. gauranteed those of us who get/want spoilers will be just as excited at what they see as you

[johnnyblaze]

also--in the case of Casey Jones how are his fight scenes?

[discordiatookie]

I'm just posting here to say that I havent read anything in this post, (except for the first paragraph or so...) I just dont want to spoil things for myself!!

but congrats for seeing the film. you lucky devil!!!

[In The Clouds]

I'm glad you liked the movie. I think that overall the film will be pleasing to most, and will do well. There is one thing that depresses me every time I think about it though: So, I know that the Leo and Raph scenes are gonna rock, and I totally can't wait for them to go head-to-head. And I'm really glad that Mikey was well done rather than over done. But, in the novel and in most of the reviews I've read, it seems like Donnie is not even there. Now, I know that he gets less screen time, but can you tell me, in the parts he IS in, is he at least likable? Does he have more character than just spewing scientific facts whenever they're needed?

[gobo]

And thanks for the self discipline you have with the spoilers, lol, much apreciated :D
I second that. Thanks, Mr. Arctic. Kevin Munroe would be pissed if you told us everything.

[Mr. Arctic]

I am very surprised members here actually want to spoil themselves on things like the battles and stuff.

i go back and forth with spoilers. with some things, i dont mind knowing whats up ahead of time. if someone had spoiled TMNT for me, though, id be pissed!


also--in the case of Casey Jones how are his fight scenes?

i think i covered this somewhere back there <--, but anyway, he doesnt fight all that much, but he does fight. his stuff is good, but i would love to see him get freaking crazy brutal sometime.


...in the novel and in most of the reviews I've read, it seems like Donnie is not even there. Now, I know that he gets less screen time, but can you tell me, in the parts he IS in, is he at least likable?

his techiness and braininess arent exaggerated or annoying, but it is apparent that he is into that stuff. he is likable and funny (esp with mikey) and, although he doesnt get as much time, he is still "a part of the team" and does have his good moments.


I second that. Thanks, Mr. Arctic. Kevin Munroe would be pissed if you told us everything.

yeah, i know. im not out to spoil it for anyone though. if anything, im out to make sure i do what i can to spread the word that it is good. id love nothing more than to see it be successful. and even better, it deserves to be successful.

[Sage Ninja]

Was the Cowabunga Carl thing handled well, or was it painful to watch and an eye roller?

[Mr. Arctic]

Was the Cowabunga Carl thing handled well, or was it painful to watch and an eye roller?

oh no. THAT was funny.

[aabxx]

"(although michaelangelo was borderline annoying sometimes),"

Good to hear... Mikey is SUPPOSED to be annoying... :lol

[TMNT]

You've mentioned "references" to the Shredder...do we ever see him in a flashback or something of that sort? And also, is his presence felt? Thanks for answering questions and I understand exactly why you don't give out spoilers. The more I think about it, I don't really need them with a month to go. In fact, I recently keep having dreams about the movie and how certain scenes will play out. That makes me crazy doesn't it?

[gobo]

:blanksta: *steps away from the admittedly crazy person*



Kidding, people. :)

[Krutch]

any scenes with any turtle without thier bandana on?

[Mr. Arctic]

there are only brief, minor references to the shredder.

and i dont recall there being any scenes of the turtles with no masks. i may be wrong though... i just cant remember.

[jezza]

One question that I don't think has been asked is, what of the soundtrack?

Did Cobra Starship actually do the Bebop and Rocksteady song during the Leo and Raph fight? and are there any other bands in there that you recognised?

[Mr. Arctic]

hmm, im not sure. i think i did replay to something about the music. however, i dont know about your questions. i didnt recognize anything familiar.

[johnnyblaze]

was the Leo vs Raph fight long?

[Mr. Arctic]

id say so. it was perfect.

[Sage Ninja]

How was Splinter handled? Was there any "aww-inspiring" Splinter+turtle fatherly moments, or was Splinter mostly in kick-ass sensei mode?

[Ramboraph4life aka Matt]

hi Mr. Arctic

I apologize if this has been asked, but i'm a big Raph/mikey fan. They play off each other well.
How does the 'mikey liking nightwatcher' part play off? cute? meh? and also when mikey finds out that it's raph, again cute or meh reaction?

I guess basically, do Mikey and Raph share at least a couple of good moments together? Again sorry if this has already been asked. Thanks

[Mr. Arctic]

How was Splinter handled? Was there any "aww-inspiring" Splinter+turtle fatherly moments, or was Splinter mostly in kick-ass sensei mode?

there were a few fatherly moments. his character has retained that. splinter was actually very cool and funny, once i got used to his voice.


hi Mr. Arctic

How does the 'mikey liking nightwatcher' part play off? cute? meh? and also when mikey finds out that it's raph, again cute or meh reaction?


it feels like its been a while now since i saw it, so im really straining, but i cant remember a whole lot about the interaction between mikey and raph. however, i do recal that he admires nightwatcher, but his feelings are pretty much summed up in one scene.

[ThemanthatwouldbeRaphael]

Stupid question but, the TMNT and the Generals do battle each other right?

And if so, how was it, intense, ok, or weak?

[Mr. Arctic]

yes, they do fight. its pretty good. it could have been more intense, but it worked well the way it was.

[gobo]

It almost seems like people want there to be no surprises at all. :P It's just another 4 weeks, people!

[Splinter's Iroonna]

Awww, c'mon! Surely you used to rattle the ol' Christmas presents under the tree before the big day!

:lol: :lol:

[ThemanthatwouldbeRaphael]

It almost seems like people want there to be no surprises at all. :P It's just another 4 weeks, people!

I hate surprises.

[Mr. Arctic]

you'll still be surprised. ive barely given anything away! i mean, of course the good guys will fight the bad guys.

[ThemanthatwouldbeRaphael]

you'll still be surprised. ive barely given anything away! i mean, of course the good guys will fight the bad guys.

In your opinion, what was the best fight of the movie?

[Mr. Arctic]

In your opinion, what was the best fight of the movie?

by far, leo and raph. as far as the actual fighting goes, it was good. what made it even better was the character arcs of both of them, as well as the emotional impact it has on the audience since there is a long history of conflict between the two that finally builds to a breaking point here.

second, though, for me, would be the diner.

dude, i sooo cant wait to see this movie again. like, 5 times.

[Sage Ninja]

ooh, i'm really looking foward to seeing the Leo+raph fight. In what portion of the movie does the fight take place in? Fairly early one or in the middle of the movie?

Also I was just wondering, in the live action movies the turtles had no communicating devices like turtle com or shell cell like they do in the cartoons. In this version of the turtles did you notice any wacky communicating devices of this kind?

[ThemanthatwouldbeRaphael]

Can you tell us what Gato's and Serpentie's voices sound like?

[raphaelprime]

Can you tell us what Gato's and Serpentie's voices sound like?


I have a feeling of some sort that Gato's voice is in the 3rd tv spot(the green fighting machines one, but ofcourse as always, i could be wrong)

[Turtleman100]

Who do the Monsters Belong to.

[MAESTAS]

I cant wait to see this movie! Someone freeze me and then unfreeze me the day it comes out!:lol:

[Mr. Arctic]

ooh, i'm really looking foward to seeing the Leo+raph fight. In what portion of the movie does the fight take place in? Fairly early one or in the middle of the movie?

Also I was just wondering, in the live action movies the turtles had no communicating devices like turtle com or shell cell like they do in the cartoons. In this version of the turtles did you notice any wacky communicating devices of this kind?


the leo+raph fight is more towards the end of the second act.

and no, they dont have any communication devices.


Can you tell us what Gato's and Serpentie's voices sound like?

at this point i cant quite remember, but i do remember all of those guy's voices were kind of gruff and low. the female voice was the same, but kind of whispy.


Who do the Monsters Belong to.

the monsters are the result of a supernatural, cosmic occurence that happens only every something-thousand years (cant remember the #).


I cant wait to see this movie! Someone freeze me and then unfreeze me the day it comes out!:lol:

i swear im gonna see it at least 3 times when it comes out.

[Turtleman100]

How did you like the Movie. What would you rate it 10 being the best and why.

[kerfootw]

Serpentie is going to be voiced by Grey DeLisle. She's voiced a number of shows such as Foster's Home ...(Frankie), Fairly OddParents (Vicky), but most importantly Avatar (Azula), etc.

[ThemanthatwouldbeRaphael]

Serpentie is going to be voiced by Grey DeLisle. She's voiced a number of shows such as Foster's Home ...(Frankie), Fairly OddParents (Vicky), but most importantly Avatar (Azula), etc.

Didn't Kevin say Grey, while in the movie, she isn't voicing Serpentie?

[kerfootw]

That's not what I read.

[Raph's Girl]

Grey Delisle is in the movie but she doesn't voice Serpiente. Kevin Munroe confirmed this.