There’s a saying in the Buffyverse that, when paraphrased, states, “To every generation there is a Slayer.” The same can be said for fans of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Created by comic book artists Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, their initial iteration is a parody of various Marvel Comics characters to the point that — canonically — the same incident that created Daredevil is also responsible for the Turtles’ mutation. Since the first issue dropped in 1984, the Turtles have been adapted and adjusted in every decade since in a variety of animated and live action adventures, as well as theatrical, home release, and broadcast forms. The characters are a long way from their initial violent and gritty origins, but this is not an aspect that just gets left behind, it gets absorbed within current and future adaptations, its existence not erased but left for that generation to enjoy while a new transfiguration becomes the primary for a new one. Enter first-time feature director Jeff Rowe’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, a bodacious adventure that puts the “teenage” back into TMNT as these pubescent heroes step into the world in a bold way. Now on home video from Paramount Pictures, Mutant Mayhem fans can enjoy a variety of bonus features to either explore the making of the film, learn how to draw in the style of their favorite new animation form, or both.
If you’re interested in learning about Mutant Mayhem in a spoiler-free context, head over to EoM Contributor Gabe Lapalombella’s initial theatrical release review. Moving forward, we’re going to spill all the ooze.
Below the streets of New York City reside teenagers Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael (voiced by Nicolas Cantu, Shamon Brown Jr., Micah Abbey, and Brady Noon, respectively), alongside their mentor/father figure Splinter (voiced by Jackie Chan). These young boys long to live above ground, to join with the rest of humanity and enjoy all the creature comforts that come from a less subterranean lifestyle. One problem: these boys are mutated turtles and Splinter is a mutated rat — they don’t exactly blend. But when they make friends with budding journalist April O’Neil (voiced by Ayo Edebiri) and learn that there’s trouble underfoot in NYC, they team up to solve the mystery of industrial thief Superfly (voiced by Ice Cube), only to discover that the boys aren’t the only mutants in town.
L-R: April O’Neil voiced by Ayo Edebiri, Donatello voiced by Micah Abbey, Raphael voiced by Brady Noon, Michelangelo voiced by Shamon Brown Jr., and Leonardo voiced by Nicolas Cantu in Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies present a Point Grey Production TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: MUTANT MAYHEM.
At this point, Mutant Mayhem’s not only been in theaters, but it’s gotten a Paramount+ and digital release (and picked up a few critic organization nominations), so I’ll save my thoughts on the film until after exploring the bonus features.
Packshot of the Best Buy exclusive 4K UHD Blu-ray Combo Pack edition of TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: MUTANT MAYHEM.
First up, the home release is advertised as having “over 40 minutes of totally awesome extras!” and this is factually true while also being misleading. In actuality, the physical release includes four bonus features made up of three featurettes and one drawing lesson. The three featurettes total roughly 21 minutes, while the drawing tutorial is over 21 minutes. So while the on-disc materials are lengthy, they are not as in-depth or profound as one might hope considering the clear amount of work that went into making this visually inventive adventure. The first featurette, “TEENage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” centers on the foursome, offering details on how they were cast while we also get to observe their simul-recorded performances. One really gets the sense of their energy and comes to understand why these four young performers were chosen. In the second featurette, “The Mutant Uprising,” more attention is given to the Superfly and his group, with us learning about how each of the vocal performers were cast, why they were assigned their specific characters, and get a bit of a look at them recording some lines. With so many performers in the roles of classic TMNT mutants, it’s not particularly in-depth, but it is interesting. Finally, in the third featurette, “New York, New York: The Visual World of Mutant Mayhem,” the focus shifts in to the development of the visual style of the film. Considering the total break from traditional approaches Mutant Mayhem takes, one finds themselves feeling excited to explore this aspect, while also frustrated by its brevity. (Disclosure: As a Critics Choice Association member, I was sent an art book that offers insights into character design, the visual language of the film, approaches to physical representation of the world, and loads more, so clearly there’s more that fans of the film could get if the investment was made to do it on the home release.) Making the bulk of the bonus features is the drawing tutorial of Leo in which two people (they go unidentified in the featurette) walk us through how to draw the Leo from Mutant Mayhem’s head. A nice thing about this isn’t just the step-by-step approach, but that they identify at the start exactly what tools they are using so that any budding artists can follow along precisely, though *not* copying them is also encouraged.
An important note for folks with a format preference, there appears to be a secret additional bonus feature on the digital edition in which viewers can learn how to draw Donnie in the 1987 character design. It’s the same people from the Leo art tutorial in the same executed style, just with a different character and doing the full body, not just the head. I describe this as a “secret” because it’s not mentioned on the press release sent by Paramount Pictures with the retail review copy, nor is it mentioned on the physical copy itself. It’s a weird thing to just *discover* when exploring the digital edition (and this is why I always check out the digital edition in case there are wonders to discover). Now, while I can confirm from first-hand experience this this is available on iTunes, the Mutant Mayhem page on Vudu also does indicate inclusion, so it doesn’t seem to be retailer specific, just format.
L-R: Michelangelo voiced by Shamon Brown Jr., Donatello voiced by Micah Abbey, Leonardo voiced by Nicolas Cantu, and Raphael voiced by Brady Noon in Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies present a Point Grey Production TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: MUTANT MAYHEM.
Going back to the opening of this review, Mutant Mayhem is a film that’s not for me. This isn’t to suggest that I didn’t enjoy, it’s actually on my list of favorite films from 2023. What I mean is that it’s not aimed at me and it shouldn’t be. While the original comic was absolutely more mature in nature, since the 1987 popular cartoon adaptation, the bulk of TMNT-related materials are for kids and young adults. Sure, they can dance with adult content like 2019’s fantastic Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles which pushes things on the PG-13 side of entertainment, but, largely they’re aimed at families looking for entertainment. In this vein, Rowe hired a cast of leads that speak a language that I only partially follow, yet completely follow through the emotions on display. (Given his work as co-writer of The Mitchells vs. The Machines, In Rowe We Trust.) They are Others by nature of being mutant turtles with human properties, but they express themselves in the exact same ways that children looking for acceptance, love, and to have a sense of normalcy do. Impressively, there’s no aspect of the script that has them fall into self-loathing, rejecting their “father” or the places in which they were raised; rather, they embrace these things and their rebellion, the choices and actions they take to engage with the above world, and how they appear in trying to find a way to be welcomed by the surface. At no point in Mutant Mayhem is their existence presented as a problem to overcome, a thing to be avoided or discarded; they are just kids trying to find their place in the world. The scene in which they meet Superfly and the audience discovers alongside the Turtles that there are other mutants like them, it’s just joyous. It also makes the final battle far more emotional as they strive to be the bridge between worlds, the heroes who take a righteous stand against those like themselves when they see harm being done.
Of course, there are some who will find issue with the liberties Rowe’s film takes, transforming old enemies into allies, but, frankly, who cares. These stories are meant to be representative of new storytellers with new players at the helm. Why stay in old ruts, forcing the Turtles to go head-to-head with old foes for eternity? Why not see what happens when figures like Bebop and Rocksteady (voiced by actor/producer Seth Rogen and John Cena, respectively) are on the side of good before either the Shredder or Krang are properly introduced. (I say properly because Maya Rudolph’s Cynthia Utrom is not the usual form Krang takes, but if she’s not revealed to be Krang based on character design and other character choices, Rowe has made us all into fools.) Speaking of getting upset about changes in Mutant Mayhem, to those who got upset about April’s character design as it differs from most representations of April since 1987, please look at the source material and understand that expresses that even if the creators have differing understandings. I beseech you to chill.
L-R: DONNIE, LEO, RAPH and MIKEY in PARAMOUNT PICTURES and NICKELODEON MOVIES Present A POINT GREY Production “TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: MUTANT MAYHEM”
As I wrap this home release review, listening to the digital rip of the 1990 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle CD soundtrack that I’ve owned since its release, Mutant Mayhem is an exemplary film and a welcome addition to the TMNT lore. The visual language evokes the same adolescent energy, looking as if imagined from the minds of young adventurers and projected in front of us. In some instances, the character designs and the world they inhabit appearing like stop motion, with their shifting appearance from frame to frame akin to clay being massaged with rough hands in the pursuit of giving the world a lived-in energy. That Mutant Mayhem is also charming and disarming in its narrative, while possessing some hilarious and fantastical action sequences helps elevate it from being your average kid flick to something families can get excited about sitting down together to watch.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem Special Features:
- TEENage Mutant Ninja Turtles— For the first time the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are voiced by actual teenagers! Hear how each Turtle was cast and how having all four boys record together helped create the authentic camaraderie seen on screen. (6:15)
- The Mutant Uprising— Get to know the Turtles’ mutant antagonists, led by the wild and original character Superfly, voiced by Ice Cube. (8:34)
- New York, New York: The Visual World of Mutant Mayhem— Take a deep dive into the breakthrough visual style of the film’s characters and environments and how they evolved over time. (5:57)
- Learn to Draw Leo—Try your hand at drawing the Turtle leader with this fun tutorial! (21:13)
iTunes/Vudu-Only Special Features:
- Learn to Draw Donnie (27:51)
Available on VOD and digital September 1st, 2023.
Available on Paramount+ September 19th, 2023.
Available on 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and DVD December 12th, 2023.
For more information, head to the official Paramount Pictures Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem webpage.
Final Score: 4.5 out of 5.
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Categories: Films To Watch, Home Release, Recommendation
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