Oh boy, the second I popped in these discs I was instantly transported back to my childhood when not missing afternoon cartoons was the top priority. Nothing else mattered.
It’s hard to believe that the live-action adaptations of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are really 25 years old, and it’s even harder to believe that I’m even older. I hope I don’t offend anyone considering I’m only in my mid-20s, but these movies are ancient.
It seemed inevitable to film aficionados, but even this reviewer is impressed that Warner Bros. went all out for the 25th Anniversary Collector’s Edition Blu-ray complete with a comic book, signed sketch, character cards, and a seemingly one-size-fits-all "Radical Beanie," in addition to the discs for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret Of The Ooze (1991), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Turtles In Time (1993), and TMNT (2007).
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)
I haven't seen this movie in years, and re-watching it in the midst of a comic book movie adaptation explosion has given me a greater appreciation for the original 1990 movie. Sure, it shows its age way back when New York used to be a crime-ridden city and when words like radical and totally tubular were cool (if ever?).
But what it does well is bring the comic book characters of Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael into the real world in a completely believable and natural way, other than the fact that the heroes comprise four mutated turtles and one mutated rat. Even the villain Shredder seems plausible as the leader of an underground band of ninja thieves.
The truly independent Steve Barron-directed film maintains a strong balance between many genuine themes and many more silly moments and jokes in the story of a father's great love for his sons. The best scene is when Splinter meets Danny (Michael Turney) for the first time and instantly tries to mentor the troubled teen. When Danny is unconvinced that his dad loves him, Splinter's line "All fathers care for their sons" is extremely heartfelt.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret Of The Ooze (1991)
The Secret Of The Ooze is the inevitable sequel that picks up (somewhat) right after the successful original left off. The Shredder is back, and he stands in the way of Slinter and the turtles finding out the truth to their origins.
I'm hesitant to mention more without revealing any potential spoilers, although the Blu-ray's back cover ends up doing it anyway (think evil mutant counterparts). The sequel is an enjoyable follow-up, full of familiar jokes and similar light-heartedness from the original. However, both the depth and urgency are lacking from the first film, no doubt diluted in favor of more comedy and a cameo by Vanilla Ice.
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