TMNT: Back to Live Action

While I have very little expectations for the movie, I'll give it a try. The trailers have seemed to convey that they at least got the humor right for the turtles, and it'll be interesting to see how well they handle the combat with the mocap suits and CGI. Shredder still looks way overdone in the typical Michael Bay fashion, and I doubt there's much, if any, substance to it. But it's the TMNT, deserves at least a try.
 
I will watch this, but sure as hell not in theatres. Just to properly give it fair judgement, though going by trailers, I expect nothing but disappointment.

I do agree that they seem have the characterization of the turtles right. And the designs of them aren't bad (I don't like they're like 6 feet, however). Everything else is the problem.
 
Ice said:
I will watch this, but sure as hell not in theatres. Just to properly give it fair judgement, though going by trailers, I expect nothing but disappointment. I do agree that they seem have the characterization of the turtles right. And the designs of them aren't bad (I don't like they're like 6 feet, however). Everything else is the problem.
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Agreed. This is a definite torrent or DVD watch. My biggest problems with it are the ridiculously overdone Shredder costume, and Megan Fox as April. Megan Fox is a horrible, one-note actress (that note is "look hot"). I also don't see the sense in the William Sachs character, nor the validity of the "villain releasing a pathogen" plot that's so clichéd I can't even fathom why they're resorting to it instead of something more in line with the TMNT comics.
 
DIrishB said:
Agreed. This is a definite torrent or DVD watch. My biggest problems with it are the ridiculously overdone Shredder costume, and Megan Fox as April. Megan Fox is a horrible, one-note actress (that note is "look hot"). I also don't see the sense in the William Sachs character, nor the validity of the "villain releasing a pathogen" plot that's so clichéd I can't even fathom why they're resorting to it instead of something more in line with the TMNT comics.
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Yes, exactly.

Whoopi Goldberg was on The Tonight Show the other week and they showed a clip of her and Megan Fox (she plays Fox's boss) as Fox tried to explain to her about the turtles. It was terrible. :(
 
I've heard from several people this is the worst film of the year. Worse than The Amazing Spider-Man 2. In fact, I heard it reuses the plot of The Amazing Spider-Man.
 
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I saw it Thursday. Didn't really much care for it. You do get use to the turtles' look fast but Splinter was so creepy. Megan Fox one again showing us she really had no acting ability and three credits illustration of her was ridiculously funny. The mountainside chart scene was the only good aspect of the movie.

Seriously, go enjoy another movie or something.
 
Checked this out through a torrent, and what few hopes I had for the movie were pretty much dashed. What a formulaic, uninspired piece of crap.

The only decent things about it were the interplay between the Turtles was ok, and the action and fight scenes were well done. But every other aspect was just terrible.

If you absolutely have to see it, wait for DVD or torrent it. It's not worth the money.
 
This came on netflix the other day so I watched it. It wasn't good. Not as bad as it could have been, but certainly not good. (And just the fact that I felt the need to concede that it wasn't as bad as it could have been is sort of sad). They honestly got the worst possible actors to play the main (human characters). Why does Megan Fox keep getting cast for these kinds of movies? Will Arnett is terribly irritating (in everything I've ever seen him in). All of the character designs for everyone else were terrible. Why were the foot clan not ninjas? The turtles and Splinter looked... gross. (I liked how hulking the turtles were though). How do you make Shredder more over the top than he already is? He's a ninja in a metal suit covered in razors and his name is completely on the nose: "Shredder." How do you get MORE ridiculous than that?

The plot was super cliche. So much so that...
wyokid said:
I heard it reuses the plot of The Amazing Spider-Man.
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This is exactly true. April is an orphan because her father was a scientist who realized the experiments he was working on were going to be used for evil, so he destroyed them and was killed by his employer/partner. Years later, April helps the employer get back the results of the experiment and they use it to spread a chemical agent from the top of their corporate tower. The heroes then fight the villain on top of the tower.

Also the motivation of the bad guys with the mutagen was always a little fuzzy and contrived (even though the villain monologued about his plan). It's like they just ran out of time and didn't bother thinking through what was going on.

It gets a little bit of a pass on some of the stupidness because it was clearly aimed at being a kids movie (aside from Will Arnett's creepy character hitting on Megan Fox, but that was very minor). There were also a couple of legitimately funny parts (the elevator scene made me laugh out loud). The action was also pretty cool.

I know Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a rather ridiculous concept, but try a little harder.
 
Captain Canuck said:
This came on netflix the other day so I watched it. It wasn't good. Not as bad as it could have been, but certainly not good. (And just the fact that I felt the need to concede that it wasn't as bad as it could have been is sort of sad). They honestly got the worst possible actors to play the main (human characters). Why does Megan Fox keep getting cast for these kinds of movies? Will Arnett is terribly irritating (in everything I've ever seen him in). All of the character designs for everyone else were terrible. Why were the foot clan not ninjas? The turtles and Splinter looked... gross. (I liked how hulking the turtles were though). How do you make Shredder more over the top than he already is? He's a ninja in a metal suit covered in razors and his name is completely on the nose: "Shredder." How do you get MORE ridiculous than that?

The plot was super cliche. So much so that... This is exactly true. April is an orphan because her father was a scientist who realized the experiments he was working on were going to be used for evil, so he destroyed them and was killed by his employer/partner. Years later, April helps the employer get back the results of the experiment and they use it to spread a chemical agent from the top of their corporate tower. The heroes then fight the villain on top of the tower.

Also the motivation of the bad guys with the mutagen was always a little fuzzy and contrived (even though the villain monologued about his plan). It's like they just ran out of time and didn't bother thinking through what was going on.

It gets a little bit of a pass on some of the stupidness because it was clearly aimed at being a kids movie (aside from Will Arnett's creepy character hitting on Megan Fox, but that was very minor). There were also a couple of legitimately funny parts (the elevator scene made me laugh out loud). The action was also pretty cool.

I know Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a rather ridiculous concept, but try a little harder.
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Well said, perfectly sums up my opinion of it.

Essentially, it was the typical Bayformers approach applied to the TMNT. The same shallow characters, some pretty overt racism (Splinter's Fu-Manchu mustache and Raph, the angry one, just so happens to sport a do-rag? Hmmmm... not so far off from the two racist Transformers characters--Skids and Mudflap--from Revenge of the Fallen), horrible casting--at least regarding the humans: I had no problems, but Megan Fox as April O'Neil is one of the more boneheaded miscasts of the past decade, and Will Arnett, who I enjoy in Arrested Development, Bojack Horseman, and most of his other roles, really was unlikeable in this film.

Also, as you said, the Foot Clan weren't ninjas. They were gun-toting gang members. How off the mark can they get?

Well, then they decided to make Super Shredder from the original TMNT 2 - Secret of the Ooze film look petite with this new, waaaaaaay overdone version.

There was just no real charm, no real love or appreciation for the characters or source material, and it was blatantly obvious.

Still, I'll probably check out the sequel once it hits DVD just to see how they handle Bebop, Rocksteady, and Krang. Perhaps them adopting some of the weirder aspects of the TMNT mythos will allow them to make a better film (preferably with writers and a director who are actually fans and know the characters and world).
 
DIrishB said:
Well said, perfectly sums up my opinion of it.
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Thanks.


Still, I'll probably check out the sequel once it hits DVD just to see how they handle Bebop, Rocksteady, and Krang.
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Yeah, I want to see that too. And Casey Jones. I'll probably wait until it comes out on Netflix again, but I'm sure I'll watch it at some point!
 
This should probably go in a new thread for TMNT 2, but I don't think anyone cares that much.

I just saw this online and thought I would share it. Bebop and Rocksteady pre-mutation:

Bebop-and-Rocksteady-TMNT-2.jpg
 
Captain Canuck said:
This should probably go in a new thread for TMNT 2, but I don't think anyone cares that much.

I just saw this online and thought I would share it. Bebop and Rocksteady pre-mutation:

Bebop-and-Rocksteady-TMNT-2.jpg
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I sort of care. I'm just interested to see how they do Bebop and Rocksteady after their mutation, as well as Krang. Like I said before, I'm glad they're adopting some of the more outlandish aspects of the TMNT franchise in the second film. Of course, it may end up being horrible, so...
 
So Out of the Shadows is on Netflix. I'm 30 minutes in. This movie is so poorly written and badly cast I can't believe it.

Why is Casey Jones s bumbling cop? Whose idea was it to cast Laura Linney as a "tough as nails" police chief? That's got to be the worst casting choice ever.
 
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