The heroes in a half shell are once again set to fight on the big screen with this year’s animated feature Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem. The film marks the second theatrical animated TMNT movie and the seventh film overall. From their debut in the 1984 comics, the turtles have been pop culture juggernauts. In celebration of the newest film, we will be looking at all six of the turtle movies in order of release date.
6. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)
The Turtles reached new heights of popularity with their legendary cartoon series from 1987. However, fans of the comic series knew their origins were much grittier in the comics. In the wake of the success of Tim Burton’s Batman in 1989, it was clear fans wanted darker comic book movies. The result was a live-action movie that retained some changes from the animated series but ultimately carried the darker tone from the original comics.
The darker tone proved to be just as successful with fans of the show, as the film propelled the franchise to superstardom. The movie follows the titular Turtles as they first encounter Shredder, who has a personal vendetta against their master, Splinter. What many fans still hold in high regard, are the Turtles themselves. The Jim Henson Company provided the costumes for the production, and they still hold up today. The film is a great mix of the gritty comics and the light-hearted animated series. Even today, this is the gold standard Turtles film to many, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Mutant Mayhem will no doubt earn comparisons.
5. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991)
The second TMNT movie carried some of the darker tones from the first but felt closer in tone to the animated series. The movie sees the brothers having to face their mysterious past when the ooze that created them falls into the hands of the Foot Clan. In addition to facing their past, they must also take on a resurrected Shredder, who has some surprises of his own.
While carrying a slightly more light-hearted tone, the movie is still heavy with certain aspects and has hints of the darker comics. This was also one of the final films legendary puppeteer Jim Hensen had a hand in. Many fans who grew up with original films will choose this entry as their favorite. It also has a classic song from Vanilla Ice on its soundtrack, one that is still stuck in the heads of fans today.
4. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III (1993)
The third entry in the Turtles franchise is arguably the most infamous. Gone are the dark tones and the camp is on full display. The titular trio must travel to ancient Japan when April unknowingly activates a scepter and gets stuck there. A majority of the film sees the brothers in Japan as opposed to their home in New York. The movie seems to move slower, even the fight scenes aren’t as exciting. The plot of being stuck in ancient Japan lends itself to some interesting topics, but most fans feel the film doesn’t take advantage.
The film is filled with unfunny humor and two-dimensional characters. The budget has also been significantly slashed, as evident in the nightmare fuel that is the Turtle’s costumes. This movie disappointed fans of all ages, although it has earned cult classic status by today’s standards. The less-than-stellar reputation of this film ensured the brothers wouldn’t receive another theatrical film for fourteen years.
3. TMNT (2007)
The only other animated Turtles movie outside of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Mutant Mayhem is simply titled, TMNT. Regardless of it being animated, many fans feel this is one of the best movies in the franchise. In fact, some consider this to be the true follow-up to Secret of the Ooze. The movie starts out with the Turtles separated. An event before the events of the film saw the heroes having a falling out and going their separate ways. However, when the world is threatened by an ancient evil, they must set aside their differences and once again join up. The movie is of course humorous but actually contains more adult themes. While it doesn’t have swearing or violence like the 90’s films, it does deal with pain and sorrow better than one would expect a children’s film to have.
2. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014)
The TMNT movie that has many fans split is the 2014 reboot from Michael Bay. Once again the film is live-action, except for the Turtles themselves. Some fans believe the CGI heroes are fine, while others feel the suits from the original films are far better. Another aspect of the movie fans are split on is the inclusion of Megan Fox as April O’Neil. While many feel she works well with the movie’s tone, others feel she is simply there to draw in the Transformers crowd. Regardless of some fans’ feelings, the film still has a large following. The movie once more shows the beginnings of the Turtles and their first fight against Shredder. The dark tone isn’t quite as obvious as in the original movie, but neither is the campy tone. For many fans, the movie falls somewhere in the middle.
1. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows (2016)
The final theatrical movie in the franchise was also the first to incorporate several aspects from the animated series. For starters, this film finally adapted Bebop and Rocksteady into live-action. It also introduced TMNT baddie Kang into the fold. For many, this sequel was better received than its predecessor. It added a more light-hearted tone and seemed like more of an adaptation of the classic series. It also featured a live-action Casey Jones for the first time since 1993.
While still not as celebrated as the films from the 90s, Out of the Shadows was a nostalgic treat that paid homage to the classic cartoon as well as the original movies. Mutant Mayhem is already looking to be better received than the previous two films, although they will always have their fans.
