The home release of this year’s long awaited film reboot of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is now in stores, bringing the epic Michael Bay remake to homes around the world and packing on the special features to really play on nostalgia as well as give insight into how the reboot came together as well as some key scenes.
Chris Singh brought you the review earlier this year, scoring the film with THREE STARS (OUT OF FIVE STARS). An excerpt for the review is as follows:
“Voiced by a mixed cast – but not necessarily psychically portrayed by that same cast – the CGI-heavy characters in the movie have an admirable fluidity about them, with the effects throughout the movie consistently engaging and awe-inspiring. In particular, Shredder is effectively made out to be an unstoppable giant, with his massive custom-made steel suit and blade-flinging mechanisms making it seem like the TMNT could actually lose this round. Although choosing to lean towards the joyful, predictable side, the course of the film is full of teetering odds which do build some nice tension for the three major action scenes.
The dialogue is a big weak point for this reboot, with the turtles given the lion’s share of embarrassingly dull lines. Michelangelo (Noel Fisher), in particular, often comes across as an obnoxious pervert so much so that he borders on the unlikeable. Traditionally the de-facto leader of the four, Leonardo (Johnny Knoxville) is actually given the least to do in the movie, with the harmless tension between him and Raphael (Alan Ritchson) pretty much the only thing going for him. Fans of Raphael will find more has been done for them here, with the resident bad-ass given ample screen time and the best dialogue out of the four – especially towards the end. On a similar hand, Donatello – as the “nerdy” one – drives much of the film’s most memorable sequence, using his trademark bo staff to launch cars into the air, as well as his own brother.
The simplistic plot of the movie centres around April and her pursuit of a story on the mysterious Foot Clan; a desire which leads her to reconnect with the turtles (and splinter) and realise that she knew them since childhood. An attempt at an origin story here is given a nice start, but then quickly dissolves into the half-interesting current-day plot.
When you look past every other element of the movie and just focus on the visuals, then you will have an incredible time watching Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. But if you’re looking for anything more than a half-excellent pop-corn blockbuster then consider your nostalgia-driven anticipation ruined. With that being said, it’s still a decent enough movie for a potential sequel to be an exciting possibility – if only it includes Krang, Tokka, and Rahzar.”
Review Score: THREE STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
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The DVD version includes three special features:
1. “Digital Reality”. This is a feature which has the film’s director, the special effects supervisor, and producer explaining how they brought TMNT to life using motion-capture, HD, and facial recognition technology, drawing upon these advances in order to recreate movements that aren’t possible when simply using a costume. It’s something which takes the sometimes awkward aesthetic of the turtles and adds some real substance to it, effectively giving insight into the general process and making you appreciate more.
2. “It Ain’t Easy Being Green”. This is the most engaging of the three features, with the cast sharing their personal experiences with TMNT lore, seeing as we pretty much all grew up cherishing this fantastical story. Megan Fox is particularly hilarious here, sharing stories from filming and more.
3. “Evolutionary Mash Up”. This is a look at the evolution of turtles from prehistoric times to now, as well as an exploration on ninjitsu in Japan. It’s an interesting look at two of the more recognisable elements of the film, and how these two disparate facets went from an awkward combination to something much more.
The Blu Ray edition features a total of nine special features. In addition to the above three, you get: “Feature Film – in HD”, “In Your Face! The Turtles in 3D”, “Turtle Rock”, “Extended Ending”, “Shell Shocked Music Video”, “Making of Shell Shocked”.
All versions of the home entertainment release of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is available now
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