Five years later, how do we feel about TMNT (2007)?

[Jephael]

I'm actually planning to watch the movie tonight, as it's part of my ongoing Ninja Turtle marathon. It may be my least favorite movie, but there are still some parts of it I really enjoy!

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by eoireitum7

I guess I'm just glad they did something with the turtles. I'll take anything over nothing!

Horrible, horrible attitude.

[Donatello_ftw]

Originally Posted by Jephael

I'm actually planning to watch the movie tonight, as it's part of my ongoing Ninja Turtle marathon. It may be my least favorite movie, but there are still some parts of it I really enjoy!

Really? You like 3 better than TMNT?

[Powder]

A lot of people do.

[jaymq]

Originally Posted by Jephael

I'm actually planning to watch the movie tonight, as it's part of my ongoing Ninja Turtle marathon. It may be my least favorite movie, but there are still some parts of it I really enjoy!

Originally Posted by Donatello_ftw

Really? You like 3 better than TMNT?

Originally Posted by Powder

A lot of people do.

I'm one of them.

[zodiac brave]

im not. at least TMNT seemed to wanna try. pt 3 was just milkin, milkin, milkin dat cash cow.

[DonatelloNinja82]

Originally Posted by zodiac brave

im not. at least TMNT seemed to wanna try. pt 3 was just milkin, milkin, milkin dat cash cow.

I'm not, either...I love TMNT.

[liugeaux]

TMNT has some issues like, Casey's dialogue, Donny being a supporting character, a plot that seems to come together magically at the end of act 2, a giant plot hole regarding the monsters being captured, and horrid human character models, but I really enjoyed it.

Its one of the most gorgeous movies I've ever seen and the Leo/Raph fight was amazing. There are times I put my Blu-ray in to just watch that part. The intro sequence for the turtles was quite clever and well executed and I like really like the look of the turtles and NYC. Its has a good pace and most of the jokes play well even on subsequent viewings. Everytime I watch that silly movie I find myself grinning through most of it.

Outside of the original movie, I would say TMNT is my favorite. Also, the first three movies suffer really badly from being movies from the 90s. Rather than being seminal timeless movies, they are a product of their generation and it makes them hard to watch at times, especially 2 and 3.

[CyberCubed]

TMNT III had a better plot than TMNT IV, regardless of anything else.

[twopinacoladas]

When I first saw the film I didn't particularly like it, I wanted to like it but it just left a bad taste in my mouth. I saw it a second time and tried to enjoy it and I think I enjoyed it a bit more.

Part of the problem was likely that all of the screen shots that were leaked or released before the film essentially showed every single scene in the movie (same goes with the trailers). I felt I knew exactly what was going to happen and that didn't help. Another problem I thought it felt more like Ghostbusters and not like a TMNT film.

It had some good parts, the voice acting but the whole bunch of statues, monsters etc I just didn't enjoy it. I think later viewings after being desensitized to it I enjoyed it more. I actually enjoyed the behind the scenes stuff on the dvd.

What was done well was when Leonardo got taken and the camera sunk down to below street level with Raph running afterloosing him with the music was actually pretty effective.

The movie wasn't terrible just didn't feel like I was watching a TMNT film if that makes any sense.

[kzekedaurus]

I've been thinking about whether or not I should leave a comment, since everything has already been said, but what the hay. TMNT is a good movie, but not a great one.

The movie has multiple plot points it has to juggle, but the trouble for me was that it never seemed to mesh cohesively or evenly. It plays a kind of pass the baton running game, where its jumping between the family drama and the 13 monsters stuff, but neither is getting ample breathing room. And the pacing, yikes. The slow beginning sacrifices a lot of the running time, so that the action-packed side has to do crunch time as it gets closer and closer to the standard Big Finale™. The end product feels stagnant, bland.

What it definitely needed was some editing. Simplify the 13 monsters/ stone soldiers plot, since it wasn't very interesting in the first place. Surprise!Karai could've been removed without losing anything. There were parallels that could be drawn between the turtles and Winters and his immortal soldiers; more emphasis would've added to and enriched the story. Brotherly loyalty v. Individual wills, mortality and being left behind, separation from the world/one another, all these things are there. They're just not unified or focused enough to feel meaningful. The thing is, it tries. You can see that it does.

It does a lot of things right; the characters have a lot of nuance in their interactions and dialogue. The set pieces are beautiful, from the rain-slicked rooftops and alleyways to the Xanatos-esque castle/skyscraper that Winters owns. Fight scenes are exciting; love how they never stay on the ground level.

I'd compare it to the Incredibles, which also stars a family of outcasts, who must deal with crises on a world and family level, dealing with some deep-seated emotional problems. They come out on top, becoming more unified as a family, and changing the world's perception of them, even if slightly. I guess I rag on TMNT because, while I think it's a mediocre film, I liked the possibilities it had.

[Bjarni]

I really like it. Everything about it.

The only thing that slightly bothers me is the lack of screentime Donnie and Mikey get but of course they going to focus more on Mikey in the sequel that was never made, so it's a lot more understandable when you look at the big picture.

So, I basically love everything about it. It's a great installment in the saga.

[us_sofcskey]

I thought the movie had a great opening and decent action throughout but it just felt like they rushed the last 10 or so minutes of the movie just to end the movie....... not to mention the CGI was great throughout the movie however those last 10 or so minutes just felt like I was watching somebody play a video game not an actual movie just my .02

[Bjarni]

Originally Posted by us_sofcskey

those last 10 or so minutes just felt like I was watching somebody play a video game

I've heard this before but I never got that feel with the end battle. Although I understand where it's coming from.
I liked all the action scenes and I found them well executed. The only one I had a problem with was that one small red creature that cartoon-ishly handled Raphael. I know the movie was targeted for kids and probably need more light moments due to some of the heavier scenes, but it was the one thing I could do without.

[Matches Malone]

Just watched this again today. Agree with some; I really liked the recap of the turtles. Again, like most, the plot is pretty dismal. It's incoherent, contradictory, and doesn't tie in with that nice little intro at all. Why bring up the Shredder at all as background, if it has nothing to do with this story?

As with the rest of the 2000's turtles, it's got the tone right, more or less. A little more serious and character-oriented, but the execution is definitely lacking, with most of the conflicts feeling very forced. The animation is great, though.

It always drives me nuts to see the stone generals "turn" on Max Winters at the end when they "realized" that hunting these monsters would break the curse. What did they think they were doing?? And the Nightwatcher thing is pretty silly. I didn't know Raph could build something like that. Or that they were superheroes whose mission was fighting crime. Why would they retire from that if Leo went away, anyway? And how can you quit your family?! Okay, now I'm just rambling... Basically it just felt like the writer, I guess in this case Kevin Munroe, did not understand the characters at all and just substituted every superhero cliche he could think of. Either that, or the studios injected all of that stuff to make the turtles easier to understand. Overall, a pretty movie with some nice moments, but one that falls apart pretty early on and continues to do so at an accelerating pace.

[Bjarni]

Originally Posted by Matches Malone

And the Nightwatcher thing is pretty silly. I didn't know Raph could build something like that. Or that they were superheroes whose mission was fighting crime.

It's explained in the prequel comic books released alongside the movie that the Nightwatcher was a real crimefighter that died in Raphael's arms and he took over in his memory. He didn't build anything.
And their mission isn't to be superheroes, because Leonardo scolds Nightwatcher in the movie with no idea who it is.

I think the Shredder recap was just to showcase that we weren't getting the origin again. That the audience could tie the film either with the first 1990 movie or the 4Kids show (even though it wasn't meant to follow the 4Kids show, I could see that kids could totally interpret the movie like that).

[Matches Malone]

Originally Posted by Bjarni

It's explained in the prequel comic books released alongside the movie that the Nightwatcher was a real crimefighter that died in Raphael's arms and he took over in his memory. He didn't build anything.
And their mission isn't to be superheroes, because Leonardo scolds Nightwatcher in the movie with no idea who it is.

Ah, that makes more sense. Never got around to reading those prequel comics. But is it a good idea to leave important info like that out of the movie? Maybe it wouldn't fit with the movie, but then, maybe they should have dropped it for an idea that was a little more straight forward. As for the superhero thing, they don't mention it, but they make plenty of allusions to it. The standout line being, "Crime never took a break. You did." This definitely implies that they took a break from stopping crime, but when did they ever do that? And multiple references to "getting this team back together." They could just be talking about getting back into practicing martial arts, but like I said, the lines altogether imply the cliched idea of a "retired superhero team." And Leo scolds him, sure, but isn't Casey Jones a vigilante too? That's what I mean by contradictory. There are lines that seem to say the turtles used to fight crime and need to get back into it, and others by Leo saying vigilantism is wrong.

Originally Posted by Bjarni

I think the Shredder recap was just to showcase that we weren't getting the origin again. That the audience could tie the film either with the first 1990 movie or the 4Kids show (even though it wasn't meant to follow the 4Kids show, I could see that kids could totally interpret the movie like that).

I understand that, but it just feels a little pointless to make an effort to tie it in with the movie continuity but not do anything with it. "We fought and defeated the Shredder, but this story's not about him at all." and then you get to the end of the movie where it goes, "OR IS IT?" Just feels a little thrown together and incoherent that way.

[Spitfire]

Originally Posted by Donatello_ftw

Really? You like 3 better than TMNT?

The fact anyone likes 3 at all shocks me. But then again people like and actively defend Troma movies too. I know opinions and taste but there's a difference between liking garbage and admitting it's garbage and liking garbage but acting like it isn't.

[CyberCubed]

Originally Posted by Spitfire

The fact anyone likes 3 at all shocks me. But then again people like and actively defend Troma movies too. I know opinions and taste but there's a difference between liking garbage and admitting it's garbage and liking garbage but acting like it isn't.

The actual plot of TMNT III is on par with many comic storylines and the cartoons.

I fail to see how the Turtles being trapped in Feudal Japan and having to deal with waring warlords and defending a village is out of place for the TMNT franchise.

[Spitfire]

Never did I say the premise is bad. All my comments are clearly directed at the execution.