“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem may touch upon familiar themes of acceptance and unity, but it never takes the easy route when conveying the emotions of the script. The relationship between the four boys and their father lies at the center of the story, with Splinter forcing the turtles to stay in the shadows and far away from humans out of his fear of losing the only family he will ever have. The more strict he gets, the further he pushes his sons away. The back-and-forth dynamics between an overprotective parent and their kids who just want to break free is something that any viewer can relate to. And rather than opting for an easy answer to this conflict, Mutant Mayhem fully goes through the ropes of showing how both Splinter and the turtles must own up to their own faults and progress together side by side.”
“Diving into the unique art style of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, Mikros Animation has taken the right lessons from the success of Sony’s Spider-Verse franchise. Now, many people are going to quickly compare Mutant Mayhem to the Spider-Verse films simply for the fact that it blends 3D and 2D animation. The same thing happened to Puss in Boots: The Last Wish last year. Mutant Mayhem certainly follows in the same footsteps by breaking even more rules and norms for modern animation. However, its art style is nothing like that of Spider-Verse. The visual style of Mutant Mayhem is inspired by children’s drawings and notebook sketches, often looking misshapen or off-putting on purpose. With additional shades of influence from comic books and abstract paintings, the movie feels like something you would see on MTV in the ’90s squeezed somewhere in between Æon Flux, The Maxx, and Beavis and Butt-Head.“
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is a visual triumph that continues to raise the bar for the animation industry in its own special ways. Underneath all of its style and flair is a fervent heart and soul that has the power to unite audiences of all ages. These turtles may be specifically targeted for Gen Z, but that doesn’t make it any less accessible for anyone else and that’s where this film’s brilliance lies. This is further proof that modern animation is evolving right before our eyes on a mass scale – more and more major studios are leading the charge now. If you thought Across the Spider-Verse was your favorite animated film of the year, then you’re about to think twice.“
Read the full article on the Discussing FILM website here.
