Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)
That (1990) tag is important, for obvious reasons. We’re not talking about TMNT (2007), which I also love. And we’re definitely not talking about the Michael Bay movies. In fact, you won’t catch me reviewing them; not just because they’re trash, but because the last time I did, Paramount hit me with a DMCA. Seriously.
As a small child, I saw TMNT ‘90 at the theater, and while it was awesome, it confused me. It was radically different from the cartoon I had been watching. Once my father showed me the first issue of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles that was released back in 1984, I started to realize why.
Side note: It also made me want to read more of early TMNT. People who got into TMNT through the 2003 series, and later read the early comics seem to feel the same way. It’s very grimey, very noir, and very violent: Three things that kept my attention, especially as I got older.
Seeing the movie as an adult, I love it. And not just for the nostalgic value; regardless of that, it still holds up so well. I recently heard a rumor that while filming Cadillac Man, Judith Hoag mentioned to Robin Williams that she was going to be playing April O’Neil in a TMNT movie. Word is, Robin prepared her for the role during their off hours, and I’d say that’s right on brand with him. After all, he named his daughter Zelda. If he had anymore nerd cred, he’d be wondering why they didn’t get a Latina to play April.
Also, a babyface Sam Rockwell pops up, too; playing the guy who introduces a bunch of runaway teens to the Foot Clan's arcade lair. Just three years after I saw TMNT, I read The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. If you told me that kid would one day play Zaphod in my favorite adaptation of that book… yeah, I’d buy it.
I love this movie, and you should love it, too. Never saw it? Then, go see it! It’s not that long, and it’s worth the watch.