[Movie] Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle
Another live-action movie of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle but with better pictures. Thanks to nowadays CGI, these turtles won't be guys in turtle suits. Well, actually they were, but, they served as models for the turtles to make them come alive. Released on 8th August 2014, this movie is a reboot of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film series. It has new back story for most of the characters for in this franchise. Apparently this movie got bad reviews right out of the gate.
I do agree, on some part, that there was something half-hearted about this film. It was full of actions, fighting scenes and explosions, with some witty cheesy jokes thrown here and there. But somehow I felt like this was going to be somewhat similar to the Transformers live-action movie series.
There were so much of April O'Neil, the title might as well changed into her name with the TMNT slapped right under with a small font. Don't get me wrong though, April O'Neil was one of the major character in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle franchise. She is close friend with the Ninja Turtles. However, in this reboot, she was much more.
In this film, the Ninja Turtles and their teacher/guardian/father figure named Splinter, had a background of being test lab critters. And April turns out to be the child of the very scientist that was experimenting on the turtles and rat. One thing lead to another, April saved the lab critters by releasing them all into the sewer system. So that makes her their great 'hogo-sha' (protector).
Now, here is part, where everything just jumbled together to make sense. You see, they all become ninja because Splinter found a ninjutsu books in the sewer. Also, they embraced the Japanese way of Bushido-like life for some reason despite living in a sewer under New York City. And also, they hated the Foot Clan and Shredder because the lab attack incident, which was 15 years ago.
The whole movie plot was made to look like everyone was waiting for April O'Neil. The story-line goes like this, April was the one who first found the Ninja Turtles, then she mistakenly told Eric Sacks who was in cahoot with the villain Shredder, and thus revived the 15-year old plan that the villains have been.. what have the villain been doing, actually? The movie showed that the Ninja Turtles had skirmishes with the Foot Clan long before April came by and first took their pictures, and not a single encounter with Shredder.
And the Foot Clan. Is it just me or their masks is oddly similar to a black guy version of Guy Fawkes? What is Foot Clan actually, really, in this movie? Terrorist organisation? Crime syndicate? Mercenaries? Weren't they supposed to be Ninja? Are they anarchist mercenary criminal ninja now?
The Ninja Turtles kicked their asses like there were nothing. Even though they uses guns and rifles. Probably because the Ninja Turtles turned out to be bulletproof, But that didn't excused April from surviving. She was around like a dead weight with ridiculous miracles. Splinter battled Shredder with a steel Japanese katana and got beaten to half dead, while she managed to stab Shredder with pointed iron.
And when they attacked the Ninja Turtles' lair, they got extra sloppy by not killing April. I meant, they left Splinter and Raphael because they were dying anyway, though they didn't expect Raphael would survived the cave-in. But April still around and alive, not to mentioned she works for a television network. Ah well.. plot hole or otherwise the story won't be able to progress forward.
And what about Shredder? I also have no idea what this guy suppose to be. A Ninja? Samurai? He did wore an awesome looking power armor, made him looked like a bad-ass killing machine. He wants to control the city, subjugate its inhabitants, but he was quite patience for waiting 15 freaking years making elaborate plans with those mutagen and toxic stuff. Maybe if he just cut down cost on those black Guy Fawkes mask and used normal ninja mask instead, he could have more capital for his evil scheme and buy more guns. He practically had an army there. Ah.. typical Shredder.
During the final scenes, he charged toward April and knocked her and himself down from the high tower, to wrestle the mutagen and made his escape at the same time. And the Ninja Turtles quickly jumps in to rescue her. Ah, such chivalry.
Except, Shredder was losing at that time. The bomb was deactivated, and by now I think its general knowledge that bomb don't explode without detonator. And April had to show up and messed everything by becoming a damsel in distress. Like Shredder's fighting prowess was not enough for the level of hardness for the situation right there. They all survived finally, of course. Because this was just a movie with a scripted plot.
But if I've accepted that in movies, that these sort of things happened, then what am I ranting about anyway? That's the thing, the movie was dull. Cliche. Predictable and repetitive. April wants to be superstar, meet Ninja Turtles. April wants to be larger than life, Ninja Turtles come. April got attacked by bad guys, Ninja Turtles save. April wants to help Ninja Turtles, Ninja Turtles rescue April.
I do love all of the awesome fighting scenes. Some people might say that the Ninja Turtles, Splinter, and Shredder in-armor design concept was ugly. Or the CGI was rough around the edges. But honestly, the old previous movies had worse. So I'm not complaining. But the story.. Oh, sweet merciful Lord.
I'm just dissatisfied that an epic movie like this turned out to be a total crap. Excruciating experience where you probably ended up like me, wishing April should've just died and stop interposing into the Ninja Turtles' epic moments. And also the love triangle, Michelangelo and Vern Fenwick with April O'Neil. Not funny, its creepy. Did they just, seriously, add some fan-fiction secret fantasy into the franchise? Mutant turtle having a boner for a human female?
Whatever sequel that is planned in the future, I'll shall wait for the DVD release, when its in a sand box and cheap. Can't believe I've actually paid to watch this movie.
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