TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: OUT OF THE SHADOWS

US, 2016, 112 minutes, Colour.
Megan Fox, Will Arnett, Laura Linney, Tyler Perry, Stephen Amell, Brian Tee, Stephen Farrelly, Gary Anthony Williams..
Voices of: Jeremy Howard, Noel Fisher, Pete Ploszek, Alan Ritchson, Peter D. Badalamenti, Tony Shalhoub, Brad Garrett.
Directed by Dave Green.

Audiences around the world have become used to the initially most strange sounding title, each word of which has its own meaning but seem never to have been considered for inclusion as a total: mutants, who are Turtles, who are teenagers and who have ninja skills!

This film is an updated version of the Turtles who first appeared in comic form in the 1980s, with some film versions, including a big-budget 2014 film. The sequel follows immediately, the Turtles themselves still teenagers, seen initially leaping from the Chrysler building in New York City and watching a basketball match from the upper regions of the roofing, letting drop a piece of pizza which has dire results on the game – but audiences will be glad that there is a bit of a resume given on the television, the focus on Vern, Will Arnett, who was the cover to receive all the accolades for what the Turtles had done so successfully in the previous film.

The focus this time is on an arch-villain, Shredder, who is in prison but is being transferred – only for an ambitious, unscrupulous scientist (Tyler Perry) to be preparing ultra-technology to extricate Shredder from a prison van as he is being transferred. April, Megan Fox again, is able to get all this information to the Turtles via a watch they have given her which is able to extract information from computers. This, of course, leads to a huge chase, cars, bikes, vans, and the Turtles’ specially armed truck. He gets away.

Perhaps the filmmakers were anticipating a sequel to Independence Day, but Shredder is in touch with Klang, a monstrous mutant hidden inside a giant robot (!) and they plan to open a portal over New York City (where else?) so that pieces of an destructive weapon can be assembled as a first step to take over the world – somebody suggests the word apocalypse.

Of course, this builds up to a huge climax with the Turtles doing battle with Klang above the skyline of New York City – but, it’s not always easy for the Turtles. They still behave like teenagers at times, too individualistic, needing to develop teamwork, needing to listen to the advice of the sage Splinter (which they do), have April and her new friend, Casey Jones, one of the police escort for Shredder, and developments of technology, including a recording of Shredder, the scientist and their evil plans.

But, there is opposition from the bureau chief of the crime squad played, surprisingly and seriously, by Laura Linney.

It won’t spoil anything to say that the Turtles win at the end and receive medals and gratitude from the city – although continuing to live underground and be ready for the next action instalment.

1. The popularity of the Turtles over 30 years? Comics, television, films? The Turtles as characters, inaction, heroic, yet teenage militant behaviour, individuals and team, saving New York City?

2. The origins of the Turtles, the mutant change? Splinter, the rat, their mentor? The audience accepting this?

3. The title, there being in the shadows, emerging out of the shadows for New York? There being mutants – and their not being accepted in real life?

4. Each of the Turtles, their names, leadership, brains, heart, verve and mischief? The Italian artists? The opening, on the Chrysler building, the basketball, watching, the commentary, dropping the pizza? The television and the resume about Vern as the Falcon and the hero of New York City?

5. The situation, living underground, the development of their home, the laboratory, technical? Splinter and his support? April, the past? Her encounter with the professor, pretending to admire him, her watch, getting the information, changing her clothes to become glamorous, distracting the professor’s assistant, getting the information, transmitting it to the Turtles?

6. Shredder, the past, his crimes, going to jail, the plan for the transfer, the two prisoners in the van and their patter, the plan, the professor is machine, to extricate Shredder? In the van, Casey Jones and the driver? The taunts to the prisoners? The chase, the cars, bikes, the Turtles and the truck, going into action? Mayhem on the streets? Shredder and the transfer?

7. The encounter between Shredder and Klang as the mutant? The plan to take over the world? Shredder and his interactions with Klang, the portal? Conflict? Klang, the opening of the portal, the pieces of the machine coming through, assembling? The Turtles, the confrontation with Klang?

8. Casey Jones, the truck, seascape, his dealing with the bureau chief, and her not believing him? His wanting to be a detective? His mask, seeing April, rescuing her, the fight against those pursuing her, saving her? Suspicion of the Turtles? Friendship, introduction to Splinter, his becoming an ally?

9. The bureau chief, tough? April and Casey Jones, going into the federal building, caught, interrogated? The chief not believing them?

10. The four Turtles, the individualism, the explanations, their squabbles, concealing information? The challenge to work as a team? To overcome their adolescence? The advice
of Splinter?

11. The professor, wanting immortality, achieving everything for Shredder, going to Japan – and to death and obscurity?

12. The two criminals, the escape from the van, going to the bar, Casey Jones and the bar keeper, getting the information? Their being transformed into rhinoceros and warthog? Their jokes, dumb, being on guard, the final chase and Casey Jones outwitting them?

13. The plan, the portal opening, the pieces coming through, being assembled? Showing the video about the plan to the bureau chief? The change of attitude, support?

14. The guard, the Turtles going undercover, going onto the vehicle, the elaborate fights on the weapon? Klang? Saving New York?

15. Their being awarded the medal, Vern as being the cover for the reputation? Casey Jones and April? And the audience prepared for more Turtle adventures?