Official TMNT: Out Of The Shadows Review Thread (There Might Be Spoilers)

[sethmartin]

Originally Posted by Bry

So a mediocre-ish popcorn movie with a bunch of fan-service? I guess that's he best one can expect from a Michael Bay production, but I know I can't/won't lower my standards to meet it. Others' mileage may vary.

I'm expecting this to be an even bigger fanbase-breaker than the last one, honestly. It feels a lot like another missed opportunity to me -- I want a legitimately good movie first and foremost, and this very likely isn't one. A comic movie in the year 2016 can't and shouldn't coast on fan-service alone, y'know?

I wouldn't call it mediocre. It's definitely enjoyable. It scratches an itch to all the fans that have been waiting 20+ years to see the Technodrome and those characters on the screen. It does a good job of balancing it all. It's worth seeing. It's a much better film than the last in every aspect. However, I don't think a third movie in this series could possibly be better. It didn't feel like the writers and platinum dunes had as much creative control this time to just do whatever they wanted.

[Majcvd49]

Can you layout what exactly April does in the movie? Does she see any action?

[TrickOrTreater]

Originally Posted by sethmartin

I wouldn't call it mediocre. It's definitely enjoyable. It scratches an itch to all the fans that have been waiting 20+ years to see the Technodrome and those characters on the screen. It does a good job of balancing it all. It's worth seeing. It's a much better film than the last in every aspect. However, I don't think a third movie in this series could possibly be better. It didn't feel like the writers and platinum dunes had as much creative control this time to just do whatever they wanted.

Originally Posted by TrickOrTreater

I feel like I can already guess the gist of your review.

"It's not a perfect movie but it sure is a lot of fun and LEAGUES better than the first! Go pay and see it on opening day!"

Boy was I close!

[Bry]

Originally Posted by sethmartin

It scratches an itch to all the fans that have been waiting 20+ years to see the Technodrome and those characters on the screen.

Yeah, but that's exactly what I meant by fan-service. And I know that not everyone is on the same page there, but I'm not desperate to see the Technodrome or Bebop and Rocksteady or Krang in a movie, necessarily. That stuff's all fine and well, but ultimately it's window dressing. It's pandering to nostalgia, which is fine, but if that's all there is to the thing that doesn't make it a good movie that's worth seeing, at least not to me. Because that's what I am desperate to see: a TMNT movie that's a good movie. Like, an actual good movie. With a truly good script, excellent direction, and a fulfilling story with compelling characters, a real conflict with personal stakes, and genuine emotion.

Originally Posted by sethmartin

It's a much better film than the last in every aspect.

In fairness, that is one seriously low bar to clear.

[TigerClaw]

Originally Posted by Bry

Yeah, but that's exactly what I meant by fan-service. And I know that not everyone is on the same page there, but I'm not desperate to see the Technodrome or Bebop and Rocksteady or Krang in a movie, necessarily. That stuff's all fine and well, but ultimately it's window dressing. It's pandering to nostalgia, which is fine, but if that's all there is to the thing that doesn't make it a good movie that's worth seeing, at least not to me. Because that's what I am desperate to see: a TMNT movie that's a good movie. Like, an actual good movie. With a truly good script, excellent direction, and a fulfilling story with compelling characters, a real conflict with personal stakes, and genuine emotion.



In fairness, that is one seriously low bar to clear.

That stuff works when it's a TV show, but when dealing with a feature film, you are only given 2 hours, there's only so much you can do within those constraints.

If you want drama, watch the animated series, there's plenty of that on it, but for movies, they gotta go big, cause the movies are for the big event stuff, if you want the more quieter stuff, you read the comics or watch the TV show.

[Galactus]

Originally Posted by TigerClaw

That stuff works when it's a TV show, but when dealing with a feature film, you are only given 2 hours, there's only so much you can do within those constraints.

If you want drama, watch the animated series, there's plenty of that on it, but for movies, they gotta go big, cause the movies are for the big event stuff, if you want the more quieter stuff, you read the comics or watch the TV show.

I'm sorry but this is just plain WRONG.

How many movies have you seen in your life? I'm sure most of the good ones had good scripts, direction, fulfilling story and characters and so on. What you're saying here is that being "big" means you can't have any of these things and thus it's a positive is the movie is actually bad.

This is the most bizarre defense of these movies you've made yet. What you surely should be advocating is that this movie does have a good script, compelling story and characters not that it's better for not having any of these things.

[TigerClaw]

Originally Posted by Galactus

I'm sorry but this is just plain WRONG.

How many movies have you seen in your life? I'm sure most of the good ones had good scripts, direction, fulfilling story and characters and so on.

What you're saying here is that being "big" means you can't have any of these things and thus it's a positive is the movie is actually bad. This is the most bizarre defense of these movies you've made yet.

All the saving the city stuff should be in the movies, you read the comics for the stuff that happens when the Turtles are not saving the day.

in movies, you gotta go big, the audiences expect that, and they wanna see Turtles kicking ass.

a movie is good for me, when it check marks the things you expect on big summer popcorn movies, no one wants to see a movie that's just the Turtles talking and no action, you gotta balance that stuff within 2 hours.

[LeotheLateBloomer]

Originally Posted by TigerClaw

That stuff works when it's a TV show, but when dealing with a feature film, you are only given 2 hours, there's only so much you can do within those constraints.

You haven't watched The Dark Knight trilogy.

[TigerClaw]

Originally Posted by LeotheLateBloomer

You haven't watched The Dark Knight trilogy.

TMNT doesn't have to be The Dark Knight, it's supposed to be a fun movie parents can take there kids to see.

I don't understand why people want there comic book movies dark. lol

this sequel takes his cues from Fred Wolf, which itself is a fun show, and a big majority of the audience remembers it

I remember in an interview Megan Fox saying, the new movie isn't The Dark Knight, since its a lot of fun and such.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Originally Posted by LeotheLateBloomer

You haven't watched The Dark Knight trilogy.

Damn straight, my man.

[LeotheLateBloomer]

Originally Posted by TigerClaw

TMNT doesn't have to be The Dark Knight, it's supposed to be a fun movie parents can take there kids to see.

I don't understand why people want there comic book movies dark. lol

TMNT isn't just for kids though.

[TigerClaw]

Originally Posted by LeotheLateBloomer

TMNT isn't just for kids though.

It's for all ages, but kids are a big part of it, cause we were kids when we first watched the original series and 90s movie.

Imagine if you were an adult when TMNT first came out in the 80s cartoon, as an adult you be saying, Oh this is for kids.

Fortunately I was a teen when it came out and I loved it, cause I was the right age for it.

[Sabacooza]

Originally Posted by TigerClaw

I don't understand why people want there comic book movies dark. lol

I can't understand why you want your comic book movies to be so dumb.

There's nothing wrong with writers actually making a real effort and coming up with something that's more intelligently written and doesn't treat the characters as some kind of overblown mockery.

[LeotheLateBloomer]

And do you remember the 1990 movie was darker than the first toon (with some light-hearted moments, obviously)? And we ended up liking that movie the best.

[sethmartin]

Originally Posted by Bry

Yeah, but that's exactly what I meant by fan-service. And I know that not everyone is on the same page there, but I'm not desperate to see the Technodrome or Bebop and Rocksteady or Krang in a movie, necessarily. That stuff's all fine and well, but ultimately it's window dressing. It's pandering to nostalgia, which is fine, but if that's all there is to the thing that doesn't make it a good movie that's worth seeing, at least not to me. Because that's what I am desperate to see: a TMNT movie that's a good movie. Like, an actual good movie. With a truly good script, excellent direction, and a fulfilling story with compelling characters, a real conflict with personal stakes, and genuine emotion.



In fairness, that is one seriously low bar to clear.

Yes I agree with all of this. I see just about every movie that is released so sometimes it's easier for me to see positive aspects to movies. I've seen some in the last year that were truly awful. I've seen six movies since I watched the turtles lol. I am not suggesting anyone rush out and see this on opening day. Also I'm only one reviewer. I'm sure they'll be many more over the next week

[sethmartin]

Originally Posted by TigerClaw

That stuff works when it's a TV show, but when dealing with a feature film, you are only given 2 hours, there's only so much you can do within those constraints.

If you want drama, watch the animated series, there's plenty of that on it, but for movies, they gotta go big, cause the movies are for the big event stuff, if you want the more quieter stuff, you read the comics or watch the TV show.

Yes, they do go big with movies and make them events, but they do this because they are trying to make as much as possible on opening weekend and not because "there's only so much you can do in 2 hours). Some of the best and most memorable stories ever told were done in feature film

[TigerClaw]

Originally Posted by sethmartin

Yes, they do go big with movies and make them events, but they do this because they are trying to make as much as possible on opening weekend and not because "there's only so much you can do in 2 hours). Some of the best and most memorable stories ever told were done in feature film

Which makes me wonder, you think they will ever adapt City at War in a TMNT film?

That was a story that was pretty dark, it was adapted in the 2003 cartoon, but it deviated from it, and Nick series will have an episode titled City at War as well.

if they do another big event in a TMNT movie, it'll probably involve the Triceratons, but then it would be another alien invasion type movie again, since TMNT 2 would have covered that.

[Sabacooza]

Originally Posted by TigerClaw

Which makes me wonder, you think they will ever adapt City at War in a TMNT film?

That will never happen considering they're hell-bent on making these movies as goofy and cartoonish as the Fred Wolf cartoon. City at War was an intelligently written story which is something these writers can't pull off.

[LeotheLateBloomer]

Originally Posted by TigerClaw

TMNT doesn't have to be The Dark Knight, it's supposed to be a fun movie parents can take there kids to see.

I don't understand why people want there comic book movies dark. lol

this sequel takes his cues from Fred Wolf, which itself is a fun show, and a big majority of the audience remembers it

I remember in an interview Megan Fox saying, the new movie isn't The Dark Knight, since its a lot of fun and such.

It's quotes like that that shows that Megan Fox doesn't know much about TMNT. And to me, we're not in the 1980s to 1990s anymore where our perception of this property was just this! It took a few tries to get Batman out of the Silver Age era of comics and back to his darker roots. The Adam West TV series got Batman into the mainstream audiences but eventually, there were people like Frank Miller, Tim Burton, and Paul Dini, who remembered who he really was. I'm not saying TMNT needs to be exactly like Batman but I think it deserves to be recognized as more than just pizza-loving party dudes. They may be turtles but they are ninjas, for God's sake. I feel as though we should be improving on it's roots as opposed to straying from them.

Originally Posted by CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy

Damn straight, my man.

My man! *high three*

Originally Posted by TigerClaw

It's for all ages, but kids are a big part of it, cause we were kids when we first watched the original series and 90s movie.

Imagine if you were an adult when TMNT first came out in the 80s cartoon, as an adult you be saying, Oh this is for kids.

Fortunately I was a teen when it came out and I loved it, cause I was the right age for it.

But that's because of what the turtles were perceived as during their time.

[TigerClaw]

Originally Posted by LeotheLateBloomer

It's quotes like that that shows that Megan Fox doesn't know much about TMNT. And to me, we're not in the 1980s to 1990s anymore where our perception of this property was just this! It took a few tries to get Batman out of the Silver Age era of comics and back to his darker roots. The Adam West TV series got Batman into the mainstream audiences but eventually, there were people like Frank Miller, Tim Burton, and Paul Dini, who remembered who he really was. I'm not saying TMNT needs to be exactly like Batman but I think it deserves to be recognized as more than just pizza-loving party dudes. They may be turtles but they are ninjas, for God's sake. I feel as though we should be improving on it's roots as opposed to straying from them.



My man! *high three*



But that's because of what the turtles were perceived as during their time.

and the Turtles are still perceived as a kids property thanks to Nickelodeon.