Director: Dave Green Studio: Paramount Pictures Genre(s): Action Rated: PG-13 (For sci-fi action violence) |
The whole concept behind the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is
one that you either just get or you don’t.
I feel somewhat like a hypocrite having said that, seeing that, while I
can probably be labeled a fan, I am more of a reserved one. I acknowledge the fun behind the stupidity,
yet I also acknowledge that the whole concept is kind of, well…stupid. I mean, does it even make sense for the reptiles
to have a love for pizza in the first place?
So I acknowledge this isn’t a franchise that is going to ever be high
art. Why then did I take so much offense
to the first film in this new live action series, which I awarded a single star
and even put on my Top Ten Worst list of the year? Honestly…it’s sort of hard to remember
why. Upon viewing the sequel, “Teenage
Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows,” I believe I have come to a better
understanding of not only these movies, but the franchise itself.
The last time we went through this I focused on the dreary
mood, the lackluster acting, and those horrible, HORRIBLEY ugly turtle
designs! There was probably no fixing
that last problem this late in the game, but I think the first two have been
addressed. The atmosphere of the new
movie is much more light hearted and fun.
It’s as if the screenwriters realized they were taking themselves way
too seriously last time, and committed to not being so joyless this time
around. This also extends to the actors,
who previously acted like they were in something important, but this time
around they seem to acknowledge they are playing second fiddle to computer
animated reptiles, and are content to act accordingly. Why, even the evil Shredder has decided to
open up a portal to an alien world (where in the previous film his ultimate
goal was to make money).
In terms of film making, “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out
of the Shadows” is a marked improvement when it comes to camera movement,
editing, and use of 3D. It feels more like
a cartoon this time around (and this is to the films benefit). In fact, a chase scene on the freeway that
involves shotguns, motorcycles, and a garbage truck that functions as a secret
military base is one of the more memorable scenes I’ve seen in a film this
year. It shows how much fun action can
be when you shake things up a little bit.
Why, there is even a genuine conflict the turtles must fact that has
nothing to do with how much butt they can kick.
So, if “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows” is so much of
an improvement over the previous film, why do I still give it a failing grade?
Um, you see, this is going to sound strange, but the film
isn’t…stupid enough, I guess. It’s hard
to pinpoint exactly, but there are scenes that contain clichéd writing that
just drag. There are moments of
seriousness that seem out of place with the playful nature of most of the
film. It feels like this should be a fun
family movie, yet there is too much language and intensity for parents to be
able to safely take their kids to see this.
For as much as the film makers have learned to take themselves less
seriously, there is a satirical edge that earlier adaptations of this property
have that this incarnation is still failing to grasp. It’s missing the sort of bite that made the
comics leave such a big mark on the world (and pop culture in general).
It’s interesting though because it almost feels like I
SHOULD recommend this…I just can’t bring myself to. I mean, this is as close to a good movie for
the general public as a Ninja Turtles movie has ever gotten before, but it’s
still stuck between being the true silly fun audiences would love to see and having
conventional storytelling that you can see in pretty much any other summer
movie. I suppose this means that (surprise,
surprise) fans of the franchise should love “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out
of the Shadows,” but the film makers have just a little further to go if they
are to court people who aren’t sold on the idea yet. If it’s any consolation though, this is
probably the most positive review to a negative movie I’m going to write all
year, so they should take pride knowing that they were very close to cracking
the formula this time around.
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| CONSUMER ADVICE |
Parents, there is some standard cartoon violence. Honestly, if it weren't for the language, this would be a PG-rated film. Recommended for ages 11 and up.
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