Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

     After the week that we have been having, I just needed to review something that was dear to my heart and what better choice than one of my favorite films of all time, the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I watch this film all the time. It is even a Christmas tradition for me. I am not quite sure why, it just is. So, since I love it so much, I figured I would talk about the elements of the film that I have extremely enjoyable so that maybe you can give it a chance if you have not, or maybe you love it too and we can share thoughts. With that being said, let us get started on the review.

            The original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles carries so much charm. All the voice actors did an amazing job and they fit their characters to perfection. They sound exactly like how I expected the turtles and Splinter to sound. It is difficult to convey emotion without using your actual face, but all of them convey emotion perfectly with their voices. Whether it be pain, sorrow, or happiness, they do a tremendous job. Judith Hoag and Elias Koteas also do a fantastic job as April O’Neil and Casey Jones. They fit both the physical and attitude perspectives perfectly. Elias Koteas is Casey Jones. From the looks, to the personality, to the comedic timing, he truly embodies the character to the core. I cannot imagine anyone else ever doing it any better. Another aspect of the film that is brilliant is the puppeteer work. It is so good that even now you may have a difficult time figuring out when the puppets are used and when the suits are used. It is amazing what you can do with just practical effects. Despite obviously knowing that the turtles are just puppets or costumes, the personalities of the voice actors and the tremendous work of everyone making them come to life erases any silliness that may come across from it. I quickly forget about the fakeness of the turtles and focus on the film itself.

            Speaking of the film itself, the story is exactly what it should be. It touches on different aspects of the turtles and their relationship not just with each other, but with their father-figure, Master Splinter. These relationships help humanize the turtles and makes them relatable. From the opening sequence you know you are in for a cool movie. The pace is set from that moment and as it progresses the interesting ninja elements are complemented by the comedic humor and charm of the turtles and Casey Jones. The humor in this film carries well to this day and every time I watch it; I always have a great time. It is a very rewatchable film. The action itself is also awesome and that is a testament to not only the talent of the choreographers, but also the puppeteers and suit actors. Obviously being made in 1990 there were limitations, but the action still looks great. The pace of the film is also a positive because it never feels dull.

            I honestly have no complaints about this film. I am sure that there will be people that do, but I have my nostalgia goggles on for this one and because of that I just really enjoy the film. Is it cheesy at time? Absolutely. Could it have been sharper in certain aspects? Definitely. Are there mistakes? Yes. Do I care? Not really. This is such a fun film from my childhood and one that I will watch at least once a year throughout the rest of my life. It is just that fun. Official Rating: 5 Stars.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Fast and the Furious

Searching

Resident Evil