TMNT in Wizard
 

I picked up the latest issue of Wizard Magazine this week (it's a magazine for comics enthusiasts, for those that may not know), and one of the main features was one that ranked the Top 50 Comic Book Movies of All-Time. To my pleasant surprise, all three TMNT movies were not only included, but also had a decent showing.

#39: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze
"You know you're in trouble when Corey Feldman won't even reprise his role. However, for the rush-released sequel to 1990's 'TMNT' blockbuster, producers proceeded with such offbeat casting as an unseen Kevin Nash as the Super Shredder and Vanilla Ice as himself. (Best Scene: Vanilla apparently ad-libbing the shoulda-been classic 'Ninja Rap' while the Turtles battle a giant mutant wolf and a snapping turtle.) Not as much fun as the original flick, the sequel relies too much on repeat gags (They like pizza! Splinter makes another funny!) and a thin plot, even by Turtle standards (it's a movie about ooze). At least gifted thespian Ernie Reyes Jr. pops up as Keno, the Turtles' sassy new ally."

#27: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III
"By the time the third installment of the 'TMNT' movie franchise hit theatres, the Turtles' popularity had pretty much gone the way of the Rubik's Cube. However, diehard Turtles fans still shelled out cash to see the four pizza-scarfin' mutant amphibians travel back in time to feudal Japan to take on a gaggle of samurai and other assorted baddies. Plus, the surprise return of Elias Koteas as Casey Jones is a welcome treat, even if he doesn't beat people up with sporting goods. If only the kid-friendly 'TMNT III' took on a slightly darker tone (like in the comics), it woulda made more of an impact."

#14: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
"God, we love watching these turtles - and we're not ashamed to admit it! Despite the fact that by the time this movie hit theatres the Turtles had ascended from gritty, underground anti-heroes to kid-friendly, Saturday morning fodder, 'TMNT' still captures what makes the Turtles mythos so cool: the origin of our heroes, wisecracks that are actually funny, badass Casy 'Wayne Gretzky on steroids' Jones and kick-ass action sequences where the Turtles take on the Shredder's Foot Clan! The turtle costumes (created by Jim Henson's Creature Shop) not only look like actual amphibians, but they actually allowed the martial artists wearing them to fight fluidly. As Splinter says at the end, 'I have always liked... Cowabunga!' Us too, dude!"

For anyone curious, here's the full ranking (50 being worst and 1 being the best):

50: Batman and Robin
49: Steel
48: Red Sonja
47: Virus
46: Fantastic Four
45: Superman IV: The Quest for Peace
44: Conan the Destroyer
43: Captain America
42: Tank Girl
41: Supergirl
40: The Crow 2: City of Angels
39: TMNT 2: The Secret of the Ooze
38: The Crow 3: Salvation
37: Superman III
36: Batman Forever
35: Barb Wire
34: Judge Dredd
33: Return of Swamp Thing
32: Bulletproof Monk
31: Men in Black II
30: Spawn
29: The Punisher
28: Howard the Duck
27: TMNT III
26: Mystery Men
25: Batman Returns
24: Swamp Thing
23: Batman (1966 Adam West version)
22: Daredevil
21: Timecop
20: Conan the Barbarian
19: The Mask
18: Blade II
17: From Hell
16: American Splendor
15: The Crow
14: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
13: Batman: Mask of the Phantasm
12: Men in Black
11: Akira
10: Blade
9: Batman
8: The Rocketeer
7: Ghost World
6: X-Men
5: Road to Perdition
4: Superman
3: Superman II
2: Spider-Man
1: X2: X-Men United

Seems pretty accurate to me, but I personally think Batman should be higher than 9, maybe 5. Anyway, debate and discuss. :P

I agree with most of the stuff on the list except maybe one you said. Batman should be higher on the list. It's at least better than the Rocketeer and Ghost World. I'm not really sure those movies are in teh right place. The top movies I agree with though even though I vaguely remember any of the Superman movies. X2 was the best by far. :)

Robin Hood - Men In Tights
was a good movie.........
but if TMNT is on the list then im OK with it

Batman: MotP should be the highest ranking Bat-movie...

Im suprsied Secret of the Ooze is that high on the list, but then again Batman & Robin IS on the list.

LOL :lol: :P

Its kinda wierd that 3 is listed higher then 2 considering how many people here seem to hate it more.

At least Balde is where it belongs in the top 10. Nothing like a move that blows up vimpire heads

I can't believe Steel is on that list. That movie sucks no matter which way you cut it. Superman II should be number 1 though.

If I wear to decide, Balde would be number one, and TMNT would definetly be in the top 10.

I guess they ranked TMNT 3 higher since it does not have so kiddy feeling, they use weapons again and such but the Horrible suits and Splinter puppet spoil it for most people. I would not put neither of the sequels on top 50 list tough.

I think tmnt II should be higher then number III, I dont care if Vanilla Ice was in it, and yes it was completly fabricated but look at the costumes. Jim hensen did such a great job with the first two movies, but when the third movie came out the had a complet overhaul (in a bad direction). This is only my opinion, but I'll stick by it. The 3rd movie was ninja turtles so I'll always like it but my prority is the same as they were released.

Yes, the suits are definetly the best part of TMNT 2.

I'd definitely still have all three TMNT movies on the top 50 list. I mean there aren't tons of comic book movies anyway, what would you replace them with? I don't care how cheesy 2 and 3 are, they deserve to be ranked higher than the Fantastic Four movie. :P

True, in fact I don't think I can think of many comic book movies outside that list... But since 2&3 have little to none connection to the comics, Maybe they shouldn't be called comic bokk movies.

I think their definition of a "comic book movie" was simply a movie based on characters created in a comic book, or part of a much-reknowned comic series. Arnold's version of Connan had little to do with the Conan comic books, for example, but they still consider it a "comic book movie".

Yeah, thats true I guess.

well the list only has big screen movies (minus Batman-Phantasm), if they had included TV movies, the # does increase a bit, 2 'biker' Captain American Movies, several Hulk Movies, Nick Fury, Gen X, (I think this was a movie first) Nightman, Witchblade JLA (live action), ect

Most of the TV comic book movies fall far below avarage, so it's no suprise none of them is on the list. Especially Nick Fury with David Hassehoff. Well I got good laughs from that one.

YIY! X2 is in the first place! I think it is the best movie ever... i mean, that was based on a comic book

aren't these all the comic based movies ever made? ;-)

........Was Timecop even a comic? I bet it failed after the movie....

I think The Crow: Salvation should be a lot higher, maybe 22. And how can DD be worse than Time Cop?! IT HAD KEVIN SMITH IN IT FOR GOD'S SAKE!