The classic tale unfolds once again: four ordinary turtles, misplaced in the labyrinthine sewers of New York City, encounter a mystifying ooze that imparts upon them human-like attributes. A benevolent rat named Splinter (voiced by Jackie Chan) takes them under his wing, raising them as his own and bestowing them with the names Donatello (Micah Abbey), Michelangelo (Shamon Brown Jr.), Leonardo (Nicolas Cantu), and Raphael (Brady Noon). Concealed from the world above due to their status as vermin, Splinter’s makeshift family finds a beacon of understanding in April O’Neil (Ayo Edebiri), a budding journalist who challenges their perception of humanity.
Recent cinematic history has witnessed the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles portrayed as high-budget action spectacles akin to Marvel superheroes. Yet, despite generating revenue, these adaptations failed to meet expectations, leading to the cancellation of a planned third installment.
However, the decision to pivot proved judicious. A team of comedy writers, spearheaded by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, undertook the task of revitalizing the franchise through animation. Rogen and Goldberg, celebrated for their work on youth-oriented comedies such as “Superbad” (2007) and “Good Boys” (2019), resurface the cherished family-oriented warmth and the coming-of-age awkwardness that have resonated since the Turtles’ comic book debut in the 1980s. Their creative prowess is evident in their ability to craft lighthearted, naturalistic comedy without relying on explicit language or drug-related humor.
Central to the writers’ success is their unwavering dedication to the Turtles’ inherently intriguing repulsiveness—a quality that has captivated young audiences over decades. These characters inhabit a dank sewer, guided in their growth by the ragged rat sensei Splinter. Their adversaries, deliberately grotesque, enhance their allure. Rendered with brush stroke patterns that emphasize their repugnant forms, the antagonists become visual marvels. This movie finds the pizza-loving quartet contending with the lumbering Superfly, an ooze-transformed creature, once a diminutive excrement-consuming insect. A stroke of casting brilliance brings Ice Cube’s voice to the compound-eyed creature, infusing the role with compelling likability and lending depth to his pro-mutant, anti-human rhetoric.
Director Jeff Rowe helms this project, marking his solo feature debut following the success of “The Mitchells vs. The Machines” (2021), which he co-directed. Under Rowe’s guidance, the child actors lending their voices to the Turtle siblings exude authenticity, foregoing the typical hyperactivity often associated with animated characters. Notable catchphrases, like the iconic “cowabunga,” are used judiciously.
Comedian and actress Ayo Edebiri shines as the earnest April, the first human to discern the essence of humanity within the Turtle brothers. Her portrayal serves as further testament to her versatile talents, following her appearances in “Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse” (2023) and the well-received series “The Bear” (2022 to present).
This animated reboot presents a captivating origin story for the Turtles, replacing massive yet generic action sequences with stunning artwork, well-drawn characters, and a foundation of solid humor. The transition couldn’t have come sooner.
