The prospect of making a grounded "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" film sounds decidedly counterintuitive to the very concept of the franchise. Yet, that's exactly what director Steve Barron did with the Turtles' first-ever live-action film, and with flying colors no less. It's honestly kind of a miracle how real so much of Barron's 1990 "Tmnt" movie feels. Yes, there are human-sized anthropomorphic turtles skateboarding and snacking on pizza in its sewers, yet the film's depiction of New York City is believably scuzzy and lived-in.
Then there are the four heroes in a half-shell themselves, who are brought to life by incredibly textured and emotive animatronic suits designed by the magicians at Jim Henson's Creature Shop. Most importantly for a film with the word "Ninja" in the title, they're able to convincingly perform martial arts in action scenes that are far more exhilarating and visceral than the relatively weightless tussles...
Then there are the four heroes in a half-shell themselves, who are brought to life by incredibly textured and emotive animatronic suits designed by the magicians at Jim Henson's Creature Shop. Most importantly for a film with the word "Ninja" in the title, they're able to convincingly perform martial arts in action scenes that are far more exhilarating and visceral than the relatively weightless tussles...
- 8/13/2023
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
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