Cinema review
Directed by Kevin Munroe
Starring the voices of Chris Evans, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Mitchell Whitfield, James Arnold Taylor, Mikey Kelley, Nolan North, Mako
Release date 23 March 2007

The presumably still-teenage Turtles face a series of monsters dragged in from another dimension. Complicating matters is the involvement of the Foot, old enemies of the Turtles who have their own agenda…

Made as a sequel to the cartoon incarnation of the show from the late 1980s, TMNT delivers the cutting edge animation that modern audiences expect, but fails to present a cohesive or engaging story.

Picking up after the Turtles have vanquished archenemy Shredder and gone their separate ways, the film bravely separates the heroes for a good portion of the story. This doesn’t quite work, however, playing up the angst more than the pizza-gobbling humour that previously defined the characters.

But, while the story doesn’t hang together as well as it might (with some massive holes in the drawn-out plot), there's some good quality animation and the voice work is mostly excellent. Patrick Stewart is particularly impressive as a mysterious billionaire with a secret history, and Mako (in his last role) injects the potentially rigid Splinter with a welcome sense of fun.

Chris Evans and Sarah Michelle Geller provide able (if a little bland) support as Casey Jones and April O’Neill. But, given the film’s status as a ‘next chapter’, it's bizarre that Geller's character is changed from TV News anchor to size-zero Lara Croft knock-off.

Cinemas showing TMNT will probably be packed with parents who remember the TV series dragging their kids along, and happily there's enough action to keep youngsters occupied for most of the running time. As undemanding family viewing, this is good, solid fun, but it fails to fulfil its full potential.

VERDICT: 6/10
This kicks just enough butt to make the heroes in a half-shell reunion worthwhile.