Turtle power first swept television screens worldwide right at the tailend of the ’80s. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was a beloved animated series that was made to sell toys of the comic book it was originally based on. The series centered on four brothers, Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michaelangelo, as they fought against the evil forces of Shredder’s Foot Clan. Each turtle had unique traits and looked to their Master Splinter, a rat mutant turned father figure, for sound advice on how to deal with their adversaries. 

The four turtles became a mainstay for the Saturday morning cartoon slate, as a result of which, initially drawn up in the comic book as dark, violent characters, the turtle brood was toned down to target children. It wasn’t long before they found themselves on the big screen—in a 1990 live-action film featuring costumes designed by Jim Henson of Muppets fame. It was an instant hit, leading almost immediately to a sequel, The Secret of the Ooze, released in 1991. In the sequel, a new character, Keno played by Filipino-American Ernie Reyes Jr., joined the turtles. He had also done stuntwork as Donatello in the previous film. Michael Bay would also provide his own take on the four with two live-action films, this time using CGI animation similar to his Transformers movies.

Fast forward to today, Paramount Pictures brings the latest rendition of the iconic group with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Mutant Mayhem. In collaboration with Pizza Hut, a few lucky fans were able to catch an advanced screening of the animated movie at Gateway Mall. The film does not disappoint as right off the bat, viewers will likely be mesmerized by its art style. 

Each scene unfolds like a page in a sketchbook coming to life with its scribbled outlines and a grimy color scheme that lets even its background characters stand out. Segments of mixed medium styles are utilized well, reminiscent of the styles present in another animated film director Jeff Rowe worked on, Mitchell vs. the Machines. Every action sequence is enough to keep viewers on the edge of their seats. The fight scenes feel like they were pulled straight out of classic martial arts films.

Its several iterations in the past notwithstanding, TMNT Mutant Mayhem manages to deviate from its origin story and provide a modernized spin that’s likely to resonate more with today’s audiences. For starters, this is the first time the turtles are voiced by actual teenagers (Nicolas Cantu as Leo, Brady Noon as Raph, Micah Abbey as Donnie, and Shamon Brown as Mikey), giving it an authentic charm. They do a great job of conveying the emotions each character is going through and manage to make use of modern lingo without making it sound cringey. Jackie Chan gives life to Master Splinter as the protective father of the bunch. His character should resonate with parents watching the film with their kids as it tackles the difficulties of wanting what’s best for their children and supporting what they want to do in life. April O’Neil, voiced by Ayo Edebiri, is back once again to assist the turtles in their adventures, this time as a high schooler trying to get over her insecurities and work her way up as an intrepid broadcast reporter. 

Classic favorites from the 1989 series, Bebop and Rocksteady, make their big-screen debut alongside a plethora of other unique mutated characters working under the film’s main antagonist Superfly, voiced by Ice Cube. East Coast hip-hop tracks from groups such as De la Soul, the Wu-Tang Clan, and A Tribe Called Quest also bring life to the movie’s soundtrack. Overall, it’s an hour and a half worth of wholesome fun with exciting action for the entire family to enjoy.

Cowabunga! Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Mutant Mayhem is now showing in theaters nationwide. Pizza Hut’s Cowabunga Bundle containing two large pan pizzas for the price of ₱799 would be a nice addition to the movie experience. After all, these turtle heroes are obsessed with pizza.