This movie was a charming animatronics "masterpiece" done with the help of Jim Henson's puppet design magic in 1990. Unfortunately, Henson died from pneumonia-related organ failure around this time. Also critics made the film out to be 'utter, utter garbage' because the Turtles were climbing to the third most popular toy franchise on earth, so the idea of a movie would likely be received as more of the mindless cash-in that had followed the Turtles forgettable transition to Saturday morning cartoon, and the toy shops.
The movie does have its own aesthetic though. Sort of. It imitates Tim Burton's "Batman" grunge noir and has its own funky, retro style lifted from downtown second hand stores, chipped and crumbling apartment buildings and the original black and white comic book panels.
Several key scenes of comic action are well set up and the films impact and tone are excellent here. The MAIN PROBLEM with the TMNT film is that, essentially, it has no plot whatsoever.
Raphael (the "red mask" version) gets hit on the head during a battle sequence and literally spends the ENTIRE SECOND ACT asleep in a bathtub somewhere on a farm location (cheap and easy to shoot, but not really motivating in any way plotwise). The other turtles just sort of "do turtle stuff" and there's also two scenes dealing with April O'Neil's possible attraction to ruffian vigilante Casey Jones.
So . . .after nothing happens during 'act II' (you know, the bit where the plot's supposed to kick in), the Turtles basically head back to Noo Yoik City to have more zany action comedy scenes, followed by a generic action pic ending.
IF ONLY they'd thought of a cool plot device or some real character development to give this picture some plausible reason for existing, it'd be a semi-classic kids film.
For some reason, like Burton's Batman picture of 1989, key scenes of staging and cinematography are striking for what is essentially a genre picture, but the film sucks. Followed by a sequel where parents had protested against the action comedy sequences in the original, then toilet quality Michael Bay monster pics years later. There's an all-CGI version out there too, missed by most.
The movie does have its own aesthetic though. Sort of. It imitates Tim Burton's "Batman" grunge noir and has its own funky, retro style lifted from downtown second hand stores, chipped and crumbling apartment buildings and the original black and white comic book panels.
Several key scenes of comic action are well set up and the films impact and tone are excellent here. The MAIN PROBLEM with the TMNT film is that, essentially, it has no plot whatsoever.
Raphael (the "red mask" version) gets hit on the head during a battle sequence and literally spends the ENTIRE SECOND ACT asleep in a bathtub somewhere on a farm location (cheap and easy to shoot, but not really motivating in any way plotwise). The other turtles just sort of "do turtle stuff" and there's also two scenes dealing with April O'Neil's possible attraction to ruffian vigilante Casey Jones.
So . . .after nothing happens during 'act II' (you know, the bit where the plot's supposed to kick in), the Turtles basically head back to Noo Yoik City to have more zany action comedy scenes, followed by a generic action pic ending.
IF ONLY they'd thought of a cool plot device or some real character development to give this picture some plausible reason for existing, it'd be a semi-classic kids film.
For some reason, like Burton's Batman picture of 1989, key scenes of staging and cinematography are striking for what is essentially a genre picture, but the film sucks. Followed by a sequel where parents had protested against the action comedy sequences in the original, then toilet quality Michael Bay monster pics years later. There's an all-CGI version out there too, missed by most.