Cowabunga!

Color me shell-shocked, my dudes and dudettes!  I freakin’ love Mutant Mayhem!  Featuring the voice talents of Nicolus Cantu, Brady Noon, Micha Abbey, Shamon Brown, Jr, Ayo Edebiri, Jackie Chan, Ice Cube, Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd, and John Cena, this all-star update to the TMNT canon is absolutely righteous in its roll-out!

And, make no mistake here, it’s probably the best Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film we are going to get, too!

It’s also a whole lot of fun as our heroes in a half-shell venture out from the sewers and discover that humans are, well, completely messed up.  But lovable!  You see, after years of being SHELL-tered from the human world, the Turtle brothers set out to win the hearts of New Yorkers and be accepted as normal teenagers through heroic acts. It’s going to be harder than it looks, too.  Humans are a fickle group.  These crime-fighters are going to need some help . . . and it comes in the form of their new friend April O’Neil, who helps them take on a mysterious crime syndicate, but they soon get in over their heads when an army of mutants is unleashed upon them.

And now a mutant battle is upon them! 

Directed by Jeff Rowe, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is on-point with its characterizations and its banter between all, making this updated take on TMNT lore much appreciated.  The scenes are bright and burst with modern themes as Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michaelangelo all press forward - eventually - with their curiosity above the sewers.  They want to be a part of things, not separate from the world above them and this comes through with the expressive vocal talent assembled.

With clever animation provided by Mikros Animation in Montreal and Paris and Cinesite in Vancouver and Montreal, the movie is colorfully stylized with wild animations which seem primarily influenced by school notebook sketches.  It works to create an interesting atmosphere for the teenage coming-of-age story at its heart to spread out.  You immediately feel part of this animated journey, reminiscent of what works so well with the Miles Morales/Spider-verse films.  There is a massive amount of creativity on display here and it shines brighter with each viewing.

The mutant chaos starts with a hunt for rogue scientist Baxter Stockman, who has created a mutant-forming ooze, and is going to use it to create a mutant family of his own.  He might start with a fly, but the top brass at Techno Cosmic Research Institute doesn’t want the ooze getting out, so they come down hard on him, knocking the ooze into the sewers.  Uh-oh!

Now, fifteen years have passed and the teenage turtles, born from Baxter’s goo, are ready to take on New York City . . . or so they think.  Thankfully, Splinter (Chan) has kept them secret from the topside, but, well, teenagers.  They want their freedom and, much to Splinter’s dismay, they form a bond with a criminal known as "Superfly" because he’s a mutant, too.  Oh no, bro!  Someone’s going to learn a tough lesson somewhere.

Full of some great moments, a solid score, and lots and lots of Teenage Mutant Ninja humor, Mutant Mayhem absolutely delivers one SHELL of a good time!

SteelBook / 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital 4K

Home Video Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Available on Blu-ray - December 12, 2023
Screen Formats: 2.39:1
Subtitles: English; English SDH; French; German; Italian; Japanese; Spanish; Dutch; Flemish
Audio: English: Dolby Atmos; English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1; German: Dolby Digital 5.1; Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1; French: Dolby Digital 5.1; Italian: Dolby Digital 5.1; Japanese: Dolby Digital 5.1; Dutch: Dolby Digital 5.1; Flemish: Dolby Digital 5.1
Discs: 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc; Two-disc set
Region Encoding: 4K region-free; blu-ray region free

After years of being sheltered from the human world, the Turtle brothers set out to win the hearts of New Yorkers and be accepted as normal teenagers. Their new friend, April O'Neil, helps them take on a mysterious crime syndicate, but they soon get in over their heads when an army of mutants is unleashed upon them.  With over 40-minutes of supplemental material, Mutant Mayhem kicks a lot of shell!

VIDEO

There's nothing lacking with regards to the AVC encoded 1080p 2.39:1 transfer that sets the screen on fire with vivid colors that span the entire range from the dark greens and earthy browns of the sewer to the bright reds and yellows of a sunrise over NYC. This is truly a feast for the eyes that will put your home theater system to the test. Those with calibrated monitors and high-end equipment can demo this for friends and family to show them what hi-def is all about.

AUDIO

The Dolby Atmos track included is FIRE!  Mutant Mayhem is a spectacular treat for the ears as the experience is totally immersive with surrounds and rears getting plenty of action. The bustling street and city scenes are particularly lively and will have your home theater rocking and rolling.  Also included are a French language Dolby Digital 5.1 and a Spanish language Dolby Digital 5.1 track with English SDH, French, and Spanish subtitles.

Supplements:

Commentary:

• None

Special Features:

Fans who purchase the film on 4K Blu-ray + Blu-ray SteelBook, 4K Blu-ray, Blu-ray, and DVD can delve into the making of the movie with over 40 minutes of bonus content! Join the young new voice cast as they explore the "teen" in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, then go behind-the-scenes with the all-star voice cast, including Jackie Chan, Ice Cube, and many more! Explore the film's unique animation style, plus learn to draw the leader of the Ninja Turtles, Leonardo.

• 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.
• The Mutant Uprising— Get to know the Turtles' mutant antagonists, led by the wild and original character Superfly, voiced by Ice Cube.
• 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.
• Learn to Draw Leo—Try your hand at drawing the Turtle leader with this fun tutorial!

	Movie
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	Extras
Composite Blu-ray Grade

MPAA Rating: R.
Runtime: 107 mins
Director: Rob Reiner
Writer: William Goldman
Cast: James Caan; Kathy Bates; Richard Farnsworth
Genre: Horror | Thriller
Tagline: This Christmas there will be... Misery.
Memorable Movie Quote: "You want it? You want it? Eat it! Eat it till ya choke, you sick, twisted fuck!"
Theatrical Distributor: Columbia Pictures
Official Site:
Release Date: November 30, 1990
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: October 12, 2021.
Synopsis: After a famous author is rescued from a car crash by a fan of his novels, he comes to realize that the care he is receiving is only the beginning of a nightmare of captivity and abuse.