Just saw it No real spoilers

[BigApple3AM]

In chicago, they did a free preview screening. Pretty neat.

Anyone else on this forum at the same screening?

Anyway the movie was ok. It was too myspace-ish modern teenager for my tastes, the turtles that is. They seemed too suburban, though I guess that's not much worse than surfers.

If you wanted something deep, dark, and somewhat realistic like the original mirage comics, then the 1990 movie is perfect. If you wanted something more attune to power rangers then this movie is just right for you. I know we've seen the styles and everything for like a year now, but I wanted to hold my opinion until I saw the movie itself, and it still bothers me. April looks like a bratz/barbie doll and how the heck did she learn ninjitsu better than someone like karai? I think the movie would have benefited with more realistic proportions on everyone. The lips bugged me, it seemed like they had less lips and more gelatin hole openings in their faces. The monsters didn't play a very big part like I thought they would. The movie felt sort of short overall but dragged at times. The brotherly love thing was a bit much but I like the overall message they gave with it.

Really it just didn't feel like Ninja Turtles to me, I like that they were doing their own thing but from the designs to the script it just didn't click with me personally. Some of the voices were better than others and I think they made Leonardo a lot cooler than they ever had before. I might see it again when it opens, but I can't see this film being the definitive turtles movie. It's going to get dated pretty fast, especially with all the odd choices of music. (The score itself though was great and it seemed pretty retro at times, like the original movie's music.)

PS I wanted to add that I really liked the backgrounds and a lot of the animation other than the humans/turtles. The monsters were pretty well done too.

[Rooish]

Hey Ectocooler, that's too bad that you were disappointed. I'm worried the movie will be a little bizarre and sappy, but at least I'm getting fair warning here.

[BigApple3AM]

Heh, Im expecting people to start bashing me for my "review" but I its not my intention to sway anyones opinion. Id give it like a C, I dont see myself rewatching it over and over like the original movie. The trend right now, not just in movies but in all mediums, is to not make things corny but to make them serious and realistic. Like the difference between the 60s batman, 89 batman, and batman begins. But to me this movie was like a step back from the original movie.

Still, we didnt get it too bad. The Transformers fans are the ones who really got screwed.

Have fun everyone, dont let your hopes get too high before seeing the movie!

(PS my apostrophe button broke, I know its really annoying.)

[kerfootw]

WHAT?! You saw the Transformers movie already?!

[FearlessLeader]

I think comparing the film to Power Rangers is a little harsh personally. No it’s not the same as the original film, but I still thought it was good in its own right.

I think I liked it because I was focused on the family aspect of the film, which I found to really be what the film was about, the monster story line just fed into a way to bring the Turtles back to being a family, instead of being the major plot.

As for this being nothing like Mirage... I don't know if I agree there either. It reminded me a lot of there more sci-fi faring adventures, like the whole Space arch, or current volume 4.

Unlike Power Rangers this film has a lot of heart. You feel for each of the Turtles as they struggle to find there place within the family unit. The Raphael and Leonardo fight was amazing.

And please don't be offended by me rebuffing you. It just bothered me that you compared the film to Power Rangers. Don't ask me why, but it did and I just had to rebut that statement a little.

[johnnyblaze]

I like PR so i'm fine with that

and what is that about Transformers? Please spill!

[Greed]

He didn't say he saw the Transformer movie, he was just referring to the fact that the new movie is going to be a pretty big departure from the original or any other Transformers series while the TMNT still kind of feel like the TMNT.

[LogicDonny]

Thank you for the honest review. I can understand how some people would feel this way. Still, he enjoyed it and gave it a C so it's average.

[Nexxorcist]

dude, this movie totally rocked. just got back from watching a screening of it at the new york children's film festival. it was great, and major fun was had by all. then again, i went in there with some pretty low expectations, but even if i didnt, i'd still be impressed.

it was great. no, it wasnt super dark (if i wanted dark though, i'd go and watch Batman 20 times, not Ninja Turtles), but it sure as hell wasn't just some kids show. in my humble opinion, i think they did the turtles justice with this flick. Also, i think the voices were pretty good too. patrick stewart? ziyi zhang? holy crap i didn't expect that.

music was a bit off though. cheesey surfing rock music? errr... but still, that couldn't sway my opinion that much. i honestly, really really enjoyed it.

and i hope they make a part two.

[jezza]

I somewhat agree with Ecto's views there. The 1990 movie is still my firm favourite until I can pick this movie apart on DVD. I also feel that, people with no knowledge of the comic or, more specifically the 2K3 series. Will find this a bit of a departure from the Turtles they know.

My main concern when I took my friends to see the movie is none of them had seen the 2K3 series and only one of them was a big fan of the comics. The Comic fan loved it, since he is as big a fan as me. The rest of them however said they weren't dissapointed, but neither were they amazed. They were just happy to see them on the big screen again.

[Aignatius]

Eh, the Mirage comics weren't all that deep and dark, overall. The TMNT didn't seem to have individual personalities in the original story arc, until later. The serious/darkness factor all depended on the person doing the stories, and that was an eclectic mix. The TMNT themselves were a fun loving bunch thoughout the Mirage publications, until something bad happened, and then they had to get serious.

I'm looking forward to seeing the movie, mineself.

[BigApple3AM]

Yeah maybe Power Rangers was harsh, let me try and explain why it reminded me of Power Rangers (but to be honest I haven't seen Power Rangers in years, so maybe that's not the most accurate statement).

The generals felt like the flavor of the week bad guys, kind of like how each Power Rangers episode featured a new bad guy each episode and then we'd never see them again after they turn into a big spark explosion. I don't think the "Kill them" from the trailer was in the movie, the generals had very few lines. Aguila was the main one though. Personally I felt the generals were made to have real villains to sell toys. They weren't a strong point or focus of the movie, I think the whole storyline could have done without monsters/generals.

Still the family aspect wasn't breaking any new grounds, and it felt way more forced to me this time around. If you guys recall the original movie was all about family too, and I personally felt it was more motivated since in that movie their father/main family member was abducted and they had to rescue him.

So when I'm talking original comics I usually mean the beginning of volume 1. This includes the turtles in space arc, even though I'm not a fan of the space stuff I think utroms/triceratons would have been much cooler than monsters/generals. Still you can't deny the first movie was far more based on the older better stuff, it encompassed a whole bunch of issues and even tied them together better imo.

I'm still looking forward to a sequel. There's much more material to work with in cg. I think this script was pretty weak, and if they make a sequel it shouldn't be hard to do better. City at War or Turtles in Space get my vote, the Shredder making a comeback would be neat but I've had my fill of Shredhead even though he's one of my favorite characters.


Here in Chicago the place wasn't full and it was a free screening. Then again it's the day after St Patricks day, which landed on a Saturday this year, plus the movie screening took place on a Sunday morning. It was pretty well filled considering. No one really laughed at the few corny jokes in the movie, there were a few chuckles but nothing great. There was applause at the end, but not like cheering or anything. Just some short clapping and no one stayed for the credits (then again there was no cookie at the end of the credits).

I personally don't like super dark films, not what I was really looking for. Realistic, yeah I prefer realism in movies, if I wanted goofy stuff I could just turn on the tv and watch cartoons. I didn't like most of the voices, karai was one of the odder voices. Patrick Stewart did a pheonmenal job though. I liked Leo's voice more in this movie than any other movie/cartoon, I think they did a much better job making him sound more like a leader.

The movie had great shots of a fictional/realistic city, but not enough sewer action in my opinion, the only real scene in the sewers (aside from their lair) was with mikey skateboarding and that went by really quick. Then again I'm sure they don't want to glamorize sewers like they used to, those things are pretty sick.

I'm glad those who saw it liked it. I hope you all do.

[jezza]

I think you hit the nail on the head there Ecto. I too think that if any sci fi were to be introduced into the movie it should have been Utroms or Triceratons. The Monsters and Generals were unnecessary when Karai and the foot are good enough enemies to span the entire film. Adding in monsters and the generals made it feel like there was a lot less time to develop other characters because they couldn't get eough screen time in the 90 minutes the movie ran for.

[TMNT]

I wasn't expecting the movie to break any new grounds but I can see what the "faults" may be. I have yet to see the film and more so than anything, I just want to see the turtles back on screen. But the way you guys make it sound, we would've been better of with the sequel first huh? Here's hoping it does enough business to warrant one.

[jezza]

If the sequel does get made, you could look at this movie like Spiderman 1. It's just a taster before the REAL action.

[ThemanthatwouldbeRaphael]

I hate to say this but even I don't see the point for having the monsters.

Though I'm cool with it for 3 reasons.

1. I like monsters
2. It's not the main point of the movie
3. Maybe the monsters are a metaphor for something

[TMNT]

If the sequel does get made, you could look at this movie like Spiderman 1. It's just a taster before the REAL action.

Yeah, I get what you're saying. Kind of like the first X-Men. It's establishing a base first.

[ThemanthatwouldbeRaphael]

Originally Posted by jezza

If the sequel does get made, you could look at this movie like Spiderman 1. It's just a taster before the REAL action.

Good point. Hopefully Karai, and maybe Stockman, could be the next central focus.

[johnnyblaze]

from what Munroe has been saying it sounds like he is leaning towards adapting City at War--which would be incredibly bad ass

[jezza]

That would be awesome. Although having only the foot established on the movie universe may make that a bit difficult.

I'm guessing that if they do make a sequel Mikey's Cowabunga Carl van will be adapted to a Battle Shell while Raph's Nightwatcher bike may get the same use it does in the 2K3 series.