The turtles are back! I must admit I rather enjoyed the first film that of the franchise reboot in 2014. I take them for what they’re worth. Despite their Renaissance namesakes, our heroes in a half shell are anything but a Renaissance when it comes to storytelling but it doesn’t have to be and that’s okay. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows serves up a slight improvement over its predecessor with a CGI bonanza that has become commonplace in today’s movies and especially anything from producer Michael Bay. Warning, spoilers ahead…
Joining Michelangelo, Donatello, Leonardo, and Raphael once again is reporter April O’Neil (Megan Fox) and her trusty cameraman, Vern (Will Arnett) along with a hockey stick wielding vigilante (no not Jason) but a cop named Casey Jones (Stephen Amell). When Shredder (Brian Tee) breaks out of prison, he hooks up with a mad scientist (Tyler Perry) who has a device that would turn anyone into their inner animal via some purple ooze, and his henchmen in a plot to take over the world, because that’s what mad, evil scientist do. In addition to dealing with that threat, the Turtles have a new enemy with similar destructive plans named Krang (Brad Garrett).
In between both threats, Donatello discovers the power of the ooze and contemplates the thought of being a “normal” human being. Leonardo quickly dismisses the idea while Raphael and Michelangelo consider the thought of having a normal life. That’s the side story bantered about throughout this 97 minute outing. The friction between the turtles has to be set aside when a portal resembling something out of Marvel’s Avengers, opens up over Manhattan with Krang threatening annihilation.
It’s a step above the first but only slightly. It’s enjoyable enough and director David Green does a good enough job moving things along at a pace that will keep the kids short attention span from waning too far. The one thing I appreciate for sure is that Out of Shadows does not take itself too seriously and knows how and when to poke fun at themselves. This is something that many films of this type fail to do.
Directed by: David Green
PG-13 97 Min
Starring: Megan Fox, Will Arnett, Stephen Amell, Laura Linney, Alan Ritchson, Noel Fisher, Brad Garrett, Tony Shalhoub, Tyler Perry, Brian Tee and Alessandra Ambrosio
TMNT: OUT OF THE SHADOWS – **1/2 out of 5 stars
May the Dork be with you,
JPB
The Dork Knight
