Grab a Slice of Rise of the TMNT!-Renegade Animation #70

On a totally tubular episode of Renegade Animation, Captain Kaye and The Animation Guru look at Netflix's Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie, as well as the Nickelodeon series it’s based on!

Hey, everyone, The Streamin’ Demon here again, to introduce you to another episode of Renegade Animation. Tonight, Mike and Cameron look at the movie version of Nickelodeon’s latest version of those heroes in a half-shell, Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, only on Netflix. What say you, Mike?

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie

“Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie is an animated superhero comedy film based on characters created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. Directed by series developers Ant Ward and Andy Suriano, the film takes place after the events of the series finale. The Turtles are put to the test when a mysterious stranger named Casey Jones arrives from the future to warn the mutant brothers of an impending invasion of the most dangerous alien force in the galaxy -- the Krang. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles has always had a place in pop culture, at least as long as I've been alive. There have been several different iterations of these characters across all media, and each one brings something unique to the table. What I love about Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie (and by extension, the series) is how it takes the best elements from previous iterations, and applies a fresh coat of paint to the material. The main selling point, at least for me, was the incredible animation and Studio Trigger-inspired art style. The action sequences are full of kinetic energy, and the visual gags are timed to perfection. The music composed by Matt Mahaffey is every bit as awesome here as it was in the series proper, especially once we head into the climax. As for the Turtles themselves, I can say with confidence that this might just be the best they've ever been written. The series has always been described as a "spiritual prequel," which would explain a couple of major deviations from certain characters' personalities. For example, Leonardo isn't quite the leader you typically expect him to be, and his arc throughout the film pushes him towards that direction. While the series leaned heavily into mysticism, pitting the Turtles against the Krang works wonders for a feature film. This version of the alien conqueror race is awesome, much more intimidating than previous depictions. I don't really have a lot in the way of negatives, outside of wanting perhaps a few more minutes of screen time for the other supporting characters like April O'Neil and a Casey Jones from the future. Other than that, I believe Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie can be enjoyed by anyone! Obviously fans of the series are going to love this, but I can still recommend this to either casual fans of the franchise at large, or those experiencing these characters for the first time.”-Captain Kaye