Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Out of the Shadows – Review

Caution – this review contains Spoilers

When it comes to long-term fans of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies, audiences generally fall in two camps – those who enjoy the darker, comic adaptation-like 1990 original and those who prefer the lighter, dance filled cartoonish sequels. Out of the Shadows sits firmly in the second category and how you feel about that fact will affect how much you enjoy this instalment.

Make no mistake, TMNT as a film saga has always been aimed at children, in particular those old enough to enjoy stylised violence but not old enough to ask questions about real-world believability. Out of the Shadows realises this and almost plays like a target market checklist,  wisecracking villains, explosive gadget merchandise and a bombshell feminine companion (Megan Fox) all hit the mark – this is young boy demographic 101.

There’s still plenty of nostalgia to draw the older generation,  Turtles fans have longed for characters like Bebop (Gary Anthony Williams), Rocksteady (WWE Wrestler Sheamus) and Baxter Stockman (Tyler Perry) to feature in a silver screen flick and all three are a resounding success. Perry in particular chews up the scenery as the highly intelligent yet morale lacking Stockman and the duo of Bebop and Rocksteady are frankly the best thing about the movie. The Warthog and Rhino mutations are hilarious without becoming annoying (toeing the line occasionally) but importantly get more development as characters than either of the ‘big bad’ characters this franchise has seen since it was rebooted.

Which brings us to The Shredder (Brian Tee). There is actually a significant amount of screen time for the Shred-Dude but little is done with him. Serving only as a bridge between the heroes and their new enemy it is disappointing a character so deeply entwined with the franchise is relegated to a non-combatant. He seems to have significantly de-aged since being recast and is intent on showing this off by practically never wearing his mask. The resulting portrayal simply does not carry the menace or threat of previous incarnations of Oroku Saki.

Likewise Krang (Brad Garrett) is severely underutilised – A lot of excitement was had when he was revealed in recent trailers but in truth this is a glorified cameo – and whilst his look is everything fans dreamt of – he is simply not fleshed out enough to be a legitimate threat. His interaction with the brothers stretches to one or two lines before a brief showdown that holds little personal stakes. For all the criticism of the 2014 reboot, the final fight vs Robo-Shredder felt like a defining moment in the development of the team. That emotional core is lacking this time out and in a big way.

It’s not just the villains that fail to deliver. Casey Jones (Stephen Amell) was a major selling point and this updated take on the character is too far removed from what came before. The Punisher-like vigilante of old is long gone – Casey is now a cop with dreams of becoming a detective. Perhaps a positive influence makes sense for today’s audience but they could have come up with someone original. Everything about this Jones is inferior in comparison to the Elias Koteas version, the loveable rogue attitude, the genuine chemistry with Judith Hoag (who’s cameo has sadly been cut), is all lost in favour of a generic gym pumped goody who is as forgettable as he is disappointing.

Splinter (Tony Shalhoub) is hardly involved beyond pleasantries and April O’Neil takes a major back seat compared to last time out –not many complaints will be had that the plot is not centred around her again – but it does feel she is shoe horned in as a reporter/secret agent hybrid. There is some nice development when it comes to Verne Fenwick (Will Arnett) though and out of the heroic support it is certainly he who steals the show again.

In many ways Out of the Shadows feels like a Turtles cartoon and that is both a positive and negative. It is positive because the vibe and tone is in line with the era that made this franchise an on-going success. It is negative because (despite a 2 hour run time) the film shares a cartoon like abrupt story arc that focuses purely on action and laughs with little substance or worry about realism (even for a kids film it is ridiculous how many people take being introduced to Ninja Turtles and Alien Invaders in their stride) .

What’s most disappointing about this is how close the movie comes to touching upon emotional subjects but never fully pulls the trigger. There is a welcome spin on the Ooze McGuffin that sees the Turtles debating whether to turn human or accept who they really are. An above ground encounter that sees the brothers visibly hurt at being called monsters will resonate to anyone made to feel shunned and it is a shame this is not expanded on further. Furthermore, a change in heart by one of the team on the subject is never really explained beyond putting everyone back on the same page.

What is very welcome is an expansion on the characteristics of the Turtles themselves. Leonardo and Raphael find themselves predictably at odds whilst Michelangelo and Donatello are given more room to express their take on key matters beyond simply acting as Comedian and Brains respectively. The team divided idea however is nothing new and seems to flit in and out of importance as the scenes demand.

The big question when the credits roll is where this franchise goes from here. The status-quo of the Turtles is changed forever (Out of the Shadows is a very literal description of the theme of this movie) and whilst it is likely things will simply be forgotten and go back as they were– there is the possibility of doing something very different now a much wider part of society know of the teams existence.

All in all Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows is a n average kids flick and entry into Turtles franchise history. It is much better than some of what came before it but is equally far removed from the pace setting 90’s mega hits. Nostalgia elements will entertain some oldies (the credits music medley is worth the price of admission alone) but the people who will love this film most are undoubtedly young children – several of which this reviewer saw ninja kicking their way out of screenings. As long as kids are being entertained and inspired enough to lose themselves in that moment, the film has succeeded and ensures Turtle Power will live on.

Cowabunga.

 

X-Men Apocalypse – Review

Caution – This review contains Major Spoilers

As the title suggests, Apocalypse is the most ambitious X-Universe film to date. With the literal end of the world at stake, is the film able to retain the character relationships that reinvigorated the franchise? Or would this be abandoned for a more simplistic blockbuster narrative? The answer is somewhere in the middle of the road – which is precisely where audience’s opinions are likely to fall.

The opening moments of Bryan Singer’s X-men movies are always action packed scene setters that lay the foundation for what is to come – Apocalypse is no different but even the movies biggest detractors (of which there will be plenty) would have to admit the beginning to this instalment is exceptional. The explanation of El Saba Nuhr (Oscar Issac) becoming entombed is exhilarating and some of the collateral damage is wince worthy – one guy gets so small packaged he is practically FedEx-d.

Now delivering from Ancient Egypt

When the opening credits swirl and the familiar music hits it is a goosebumps inducing affair that offers much promise for what is to come. Unfortunately this is just one of many beginnings, an indicator for the movie’s biggest and inevitable problem. Multi-strand narratives work with the likes of the Avengers  as they have solo movies to flesh out character development then come together for team up efforts. As things stand with the X-Men, this has to take place within the confines of the same narrative and thus it takes a long time to re-engage key players since last time out; let alone start the process of introducing new characters and motives.

It is never really established who the actual main character of this episode is. Professor X (James McAvoy) has less screen time than the previous instalments; Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) is still  integral though not as consistently prominent and Magneto (Michael Fassbender) spends a good chunk of the film as a villain. We spend a long time setting up Eric’s decision to go bad again and it causes a conundrum. The death of a close family member cliché has been seriously played out but the pivotal scene is done so well and emotionally you can see why they went for it. Is it a coincidence that his ‘not Scarlet Witch’ daughter is slain or is it a direct response to the Avengers Quicksilver biting the bullet? Considering a “third one is always the worst” quip unsubtly aimed at Brett Ratner, you can probably hazard a guess.

If the sole purpose of the four horsemen was to look cool then mission accomplished. Angel (Ben Hardy) and Storm (Alexandra Shipp) have been cast more comic-book accurately than the Ben Foster and Halle Berry iterations and Psylocke (Olivia Munn) is equally deadly as she is captivating (a crossover into the world of Kill Bill wouldn’t make sense but I would pay good money to see it). Unfortunately none of the characters have enough dialogue for them to come across as a genuine team or a substantial threat.

Everyone knows Storm winds up on the good side and saving this until late on makes little sense – even if it is great seeing her and Cyclops trade blows. The younger versions of the classic team are a revelation and quite possibly the best thing about the film. Cyclops (Ty Sheridan) and Jean (Sophie Turner) are remarkable improvements on what has come before and it is only Nightcrawler (Kodi Mcphee) who just fall short of his predecessor’s performance (Alan Cumming). Jubilee (Lana Condor) once again gets shafted – unable to let off as much as a firecracker – and Havoc (Lucas Till) rounds off his underutilised theme as he bows out to make way for his brother Scott.

It would seem the Quicksilver (Evan Peters) slow-motion scene is going to be a recurring phenomenon in X-titles from now on but no complaints will be had if they continue as strongly as this – whilst not topping the Days of Future Past prison break, the X-Mansion destruction provides just as many laughs. The scene is only topped by the excellent Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) cameo that finally rights the wrongs of Origins and gives comic book fans the Weapon X berserker rage they have longed for. If the third solo Wolverine outing continues in this vein but rated R, expect something special.

Hopefully you didn’t miss the spoilers tag but even if you did the marketing for the film has done a good job of ensuring other pivotal moments fall flat – Professor X doesn’t go bald until the end and the group shot of the new team (including Storm) is the final shot of the film. Why they put these moments in the trailer is beyond me – if they had not it would have felt a lot more special. The one thing kept under wraps (last chance to look away!) is the Phoenix destroying Apocalypse – a good twist but hopefully just a tease for something down the line – everyone wants to see a better version of that storyline but it seems too soon to re-tread that old ground.

The biggest bug bear is Apocalypse himself. He doesn’t look as bad as many feared but he is still the least comic book accurate portrayal of all the newcomers.. The traits of the character requires a booming, authoritative and theatrical voice with a masterful endgame. In truth – the whispering vocal colour on show and limited plans doesn’t do the behemoth justice. At times the movie is excessively prolonged – often for a rubbish excuse to re-arrange some landmarks (how many times does this franchise want to destroy the Golden Gate Bridge!?). Seeing as the post credits scene teases another classic villain– Mr Sinister – many fans will be hoping more personal stakes make a return next time out.

All in all how much you enjoy X-Men Apocalypse will depend entirely on how much you are invested in the franchise already and how able you are to overlook certain pitfalls (Mystique posing as Stryker in the last scene of DOFP is a thread dropped and the 80’s setting and character ageing is basically a mess). Definitely not one for newbies and equally with moments to both overjoy and disappoint long term fans, the movie sits firmly rooted in the average column.

A million times better than the disastrous Origins: Wolverine and Last Stand but lagging significantly behind direct siblings First Class and Days of Future Past, this is a pivotal point in time for the Fox take on the X-Men franchise. This could be the flick that ultimately builds the foundations for some excellent new adventures – but the fear is it could also signify a decent into generic blockbusters.

An enjoyable if uninspiring romp for sure but maybe in the long term Apocalypse is right – maybe everything Bryan Singer (re-)built is destined to fall.