This week we saw the big-budget sequel to the comic book heroes, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out Of The Shadows. Now if we are honest, we really didn’t like its 2014 predecessor, directed by Jonathan Liebesman, but with the addition of Krang; Rocksteady; Bebop and Casey Jones, we were intrigued.
The new film, again written by Josh Applebaum and Andre Nemec, is this time directed by Dave Green, who had a hit with Earth to Echo
The film now sees our Turtles still hiding for fear of people’s reaction, and the previous film events are now accepted by the public that Vernon Fenwick (Will Arnett) saved the city.
However, when Shredder,(Brian Tee) is broken free from his prison time, by Baxter (Tyler Perry), a mad scientist, using a teleportation device, the Turtles are ready to save the world, again coming out from the shadows, under the guidance of Master Splinter (Voiced by Tony Shalhoub).
What Baxter does not know is his teleportation device has been intercepted and sent Shredder to another dimension, to the lair of Krang (Voiced by Brad Garett)
Krang tells of a teleportation device he sent to earth, many years ago, that once reassembled, will get him back to earth, where he with Shredder, and the foot clan, can take over the world.
Shredder, upon his return, using the same mutagen that transformed the turtles, transforms local criminals Rocksteady (Wrestler Stephen ‘Sheamus’ Farrelly) and Bebop (Gary Anthony Williams) into a warthog and a rhino, to become his henchman.
This transformation has been recorded by April O’Neil (Megan Fox) the Turtles human news reporter friend. When she shows the turtles, Michelangelo (Noel Fisher); Donatello (Jeremy Howard); Leonardo (Pete Ploszek) and Raphael (Alan Ritchson) believe if they stop shredder, they can possible transform into humans and live normal lives.
With the help of Casey Jones (Stephen Amell) who is trying to become a detective in the police force, so using the chance to capture shredder to impress Chief Vincent (Laura Linney) the Turtles try to stop Shredder and his army building the teleportation device to bring Krang to America, to take over the world.
The turtles will face their toughest battle yet, and make important decisions about themselves and consider coming out of the shadows, in the hope of acceptance from the human race.
We enjoyed this movie a lot more than the first, but it is still not as enjoyable to us as the 90’s classic we were brought up with. The film at times feels like it is just going from giant exploding CGI set piece to another. Arnett is hardly used in this film, but the addition of Krang; Bebop and Rocksteady as well as Casey Jones, who we had fond memories of from the cartoon, helped absorb that.
If you are a Ninja Turtle fan, and in particular if you liked the first film, you will love this but if not, this is unlikely to win you other to the franchise.
You can watch the trailer at the film website here:
You can buy the movie at Amazon on DVD; BluRay and Bluray3D here:
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