TMNT (film)

Film
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Release date:	March 23, 2007
Gross:
Budget:	$34 million
Director:	Kevin Munroe
Starring:	Chris Evans, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Mako Iwamatsu, Kevin Smith, Patrick Stewart, Zhang Ziyi, Mitchel Whitfield, James Arnold Taylor, Mikey Kelley, Nolan North
Music by:	Klaus Badelt

TMNT is the fourth Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle movie and the first animated one.

A computer graphic TMNT movie was announced in 2000 with John Woo at the helm, but the movie didn't go anywhere under his direction. Eventually, he moved on to new projects.

Plot

After defeating the Shredder, the Turtles have grown apart. Leonardo has gone to Central America to train for a year, Raphael has been prowling the night as Nightwatcher, Michelangelo attends children's birthday parties as "Cowabunga Carl", and Donatello works as tech support over the phone. As he struggles to keep his family together, Splinter realizes that something strange is happening in New York City.

Industrialist Max Winters is really an immortal warlord who tried to conquer the world 3000 years ago by opening an portal containing an army of monsters. It seems that he's going to try again when he awakens his siblings, the four Stone Generals that April O'Neil unwittingly took to him. Also, Winters has enlisted the help of Karai, the new leader of the Foot Clan. With the help of the Stone Generals, the Foot Clan roams the city searching for the thirteen monsters that WInters is looking for.

Leonardo returns to New York City and reestablishes himself as the leader of the group. This leads to some tension between him and Raphael, who feels like Leo abandoned them. This tension comes to a head later in the film, when the two duel. Raphael comes out the winner, with Leo pinned to the ground and Leo's swords broken with Raph's sais. Fearing what he's become, Raph runs away. Suddenly, Leo is hit with a dart and kidnapped by the Stone Generals. Hearing Leo yell, Raph runs back to help, but he's too late.

Much like Leo did when he returned, Raph goes to Splinter for advice. Raph admits to his master he sees why Leo is the leader rather than him. Splinter tells Raph that he may not be the greatest student, but that doesn't make him any less of a son. He goes on to say that Raphael, like Leonardo, is a great warrior, but a leader must have other qualities like patience and humility. Splinter decides that the time to hide is over, and the Turtles must rescue Leonardo. Splinter goes to help as well as April and Casey Jones. They break they're way through the Foot ninja guarding the stronghold and rescue Leonardo. Raphael gives Leonardo a pair of new swords, asks Leo to lead them, and says the team needs him. Leonardo responds by saying he needs Raphael as well. With that, the team is restored.

Though the Turtles believe that Winter is a villain, they later discover his intentions are good. He meant to send the thirteen monsters back from whence they came and restore the mortality of himself and his siblings. One of the generals learn this and rally the others to mutiny. The Turtles ultimately thwart the planes with the help of Winters, Splinter, April, Casey, Karai, and the Foot Clan.

Once the battle is over, Karai says that the Foot will return for revenge. She also says that in the near future, they will see a familiar face from their past. With that, the Foot disappear in a puff of smoke. Winters thanks the group for their help and disintegrates into dust, leaving his helmet.

Back in the sewer lair, Splinter puts Winter's helmet on a shelf along with the Shredder's helmet. Raphael asks, "Is there room for one more?" and places the Nightwatcher's helmet on the shelf as well. Michelangelo asks if he can put his Cowabunga Carl mask there too.

The film ends with the Turtles jumping across the rooftops. In a voice over, Raphael says, "We live together, train together, and fight together and that's why we'll always be...brothers. Oh, I love bein' a turtle!"

Soundtrack

1. Gym Class Heroes - "Shell Shock"
2. Jet - "Rip It Up"
3. Cute Is What We Aim For - "There's A Class For This"
4. Cobra Starship - "Awww Dip"
5. Meg and Dia - "Roses"
6. Pepper - "Bring Me Along"
7. Amber Pacific - "Fall Back Into My Life"
8. Billy Talent - "Red Flag"
9. This Providence - "Walking on Water
10. Ever We Fall - "Youth Like Tigers"
11. P.O.D. - "Lights Out (Chris Vrenna Remix)"
12. Big City Rock - "Black Betty"
13. Klaus Badelt - "I Love Being A Turtle (Score)"
14. Klaus Badelt - "Nightwatcher (Score)"

Reception

The film received lukewarm reception from critics and performed adequately at the box office.

Trivia

-The end of the film holds an homage to the other films, which at the same time places this film within the same continuity. The "shrine" in Splinters room holds the TGRI canister, Shredders helmet, the Time Scepter, and finally Lord Norinagas face mask.

-The movies continuity and its placement in the TMNT cannon is a bit confusing. On the one hand, the shrine can clearly place this movie after the original three live action films...however, the significance of Karai begs the question as to whether or not this film is also in canon with the 2003 series or if she is simply a rehashing of the character.