'TMNT: Out Of The Shadows': Will It Be Radical, Or Will Michael Bay Give Us Another Reason To Raise Some Shell? | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Entertainment

'TMNT: Out Of The Shadows': Will It Be Radical, Or Will Michael Bay Give Us Another Reason To Raise Some Shell?

Grab some pizza and yell "Cowabunga," dudes and dudettes. The sequel to Michael Bay’s rendition of Eastman and Laird's brainchild, "TMNT," premieres this Friday, June 3.

10
'TMNT: Out Of The Shadows': Will It Be Radical, Or Will Michael Bay Give Us  Another Reason To Raise Some Shell?

OK, I’ll admit it. I'm a nerd. I’ll admit that I bought a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles mask at Wal-Mart on Saturday and that as I'm writing this, I'm watching a marathon of every single "TMNT" movie to prepare myself for this week’s premier showing at my local movie theater.

What I'm expecting:

Last week I wrote an article about obsessions, and in that article I spoke about someone who is a much bigger fan of the Turtles than I. Michele Ivey considers herself to be part of the squad, and she's honestly really cool and very knowledgable when it comes to the half-shell heroes (surprise... LOL).

Since I wrote that article, Michele and I have become Facebook friends and I've started to read her blog.

Last week, she wrote a detailed, spoiler-free post about the new movie, as she was at the NYC premiere (which I'm a little jealous about, because from what I saw, it was quite the shindig).

What I'm really looking forward to, based on how Michele described the film, is seeing each of the turtles face their own internal conflicts head on. In the past, the movies have always focused on one or two turtles and their specific issue, but I'm expecting more of a plot here because of each of their struggles.

Take, for example, the 1990s original, live-action movie. Spoiler alert: Throughout the story, Leonardo is really finding himself as a leader and begins to understand that, while his hothead of a brother, Raph, may be difficult to deal with at times, all four of them must work together in order to get anything done. This is a difficult lesson to learn for Leonardo, because the brothers are without their mentor, Master Splinter, for most of the story, and that's to whom Leo looks for wisdom.

This same plotline is almost revisited in the 2007 CGI film.

My concerns:

The first Michael Bay version of the turtles was sub-par, in my opinion, so I'm more or less nervous about this one. Does he really deserve a second chance to make us Turtle fans happy? I mean, I guess, but only because I preach that everyone deserves a second chance.

I feel this way because in 2014, he completely killed the plotline that we grew up with. It was almost painful to watch, and I'll never really be able to accept the changes he tried to make to Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird’s original backstory.

Spoiler alert: I mean seriously, we all know how it went down. A kid dropped his four pet turtles in a sewer drain, there was some TCRI ooze spilled at the bottom, a rat found them crawling around in it and then as they all grew into giant versions of themselves, the rat taught them Ninjutsu.

Michael Bay changed it up. A lot. He decided to make the turtles a lab experiment by TCRI and because they tested the ooze on them, they turned into mutant turtles (boooring).

The sequel to the 1990 film is one of the best, and based on previews, I believe they may have tried to redo that storyline, while pleasing long-time fans. It's no secret that they're bringing in some of the best characters from the original 1984 animated series (Casey Jones, Bebop and Rocksteady, among others) but how weird will it be, considering none of them existed in the first movie?

If you look at any of the past renditions of the ageless tales following the crime-fighting shell kickers, Casey Jones, in the very least, is introduced very quickly. He’s in the first half hour of the 1990 and the 2007 movie, and the first five episodes of the 2003 animated series. He’s just very necessary, and Michael Bay took two years to give us a vigilante in a hockey mask.

Besides the time it took to introduce him, how awkward is it going to be for April, considering Bay decided that it would be OK to give us this random Vern character to chase after the news reporter? Casey and April have always been the OTP, and I think I’m going to feel uncomfortable for Megan Fox’s character when both Vern and Casey meet, even if they don’t end up fighting over her.

OK, OK…

I didn’t really cover much ground. I mean, how can you? Each generation of turtles has its differences, but this one is too much, in my opinion. Yeah, I'm excited for a few things, but I'm genuinely nervous to give Michael Bay the freedom to mess with the fandom I love.

These are only a few of my concerns going into the premier this week. Even so, it's really exciting to be able to see the half-shell heroes in action again, even if there are so many differences.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

195594
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

18084
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

460301
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

27991
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments