Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)

7/10

Starring

Judith Hoag

Elias Koteas

Directed by Steve Barron

This movie is just awesome—far better than the second part and totally floors the third. The producers and director decided to make this an all-out adult fun movie. Unlike the second one, where the weapons are hardly used, here in this wonderful movie, the weapons are used as often as possible.

The movie’s dialogue is impressive, and the martial arts are something you’ll enjoy seeing. For me, Casey Jones (Elias Koteas) was the icing on the cake.

Done in 1990, the movie is based on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic script by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. The movie is directed by Steve Barron, and he did a great job blending the characters and live actors. I have to warn that at times, the pacing can be uneven, with some scenes dragging while others rush key moments. And, the Turtles' personalities shine, but their character depth is limited, and Shredder, though menacing, remains a one-note villain.

The movie takes place in New York City, where the crime rate is skyrocketing, and the NYPD has no way of stopping it. A mysterious clan, the Foot Clan, is behind the crime wave, led by Master Shredder.

Things take a turn for Shredder and his Foot Clan when four vigilantes—Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael—come out of the sewers to save the city.

The odd thing about these vigilantes? They’re turtles—and not just any turtles. They’re Ninja Turtles trained in the art of ninjutsu by their master and leader, Splinter (a rat). Together with their new friends, April O’Neil (Judith Hoag) and Casey Jones, they band together to take the fight to The Shredder.

This movie was a huge commercial success, and of all the sequels, it received the highest approval rating, because it is that good.

The movie’s script stays very close to the dark tone of the original comic but borrows some elements from the animated series that was running at the time. For example, it uses different colored masks for each turtle to differentiate them, unlike the comics where they all wore red masks. (Though now, the colored mask idea has stuck and is seen in the comics too.) Also, the idea of April O’Neil being a reporter is taken from the animated series.

For me, I may have loved the second part of the franchise as a kid, mostly because I adored the comedic idea. But nothing stands against this movie—it’s the best of all the Turtle movies made so far.

As we wait for a new reboot of the franchise by Michael Bay (as I’ve heard—though things may change), I just hope they stay close to the original story, keep the movie dark, and add a bit of comedy. Because the Turtles joking around while fighting crime might not be what many fans want to see.