tmnt

dont let its categorization fool you- this is much more than a childrens movie. i saw this one in the theater in the spring, and recently got the dvd and watched it again. and boy, am i impressed! this movie is a lot better than it needed to be- it could have been just a basic retread of the old cartoons, but instead it is a well-crafted thoughtful examination of what it means to be a family and a friend.

the story picks up a few years after where the first live action movie left us. the turtles have, in a way, all gone their own separate directions and have lost touch with their dreams of being heroes. due to the recent appearance of strange monsters and ancient statues, they are required to step back into action. they arent quite ready for it, and must relearn how to work together as a team. there are some really great moments of character development which are surprisingly touching and honest. the animation is very stylized, and the camera shots and framing are creative and impressive. one scene in particular, a rooftop battle between leonardo and the night watcher is both strikingly beautiful, and emotionally powerful. by the end of the film the turtles, casey jones and april, as well as the 'bad' guy, have all taken an important personal journey.

this is one of the rare animated movies that actually left me pondering some of its ideas for quite a while after the credits rolled.