When I was growing up there were four heroes in a half shell that ruled. Though I must admit, I was a fan more of the tv series (Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles as it was known in the uk) than the live action films. However looking back at the films I can smile because they took themselves about as seriously as you'd expect a film about teenage mutant ninja (that's right, I said it) turtles should be taken.

When I heard that they were making another one I was surprised because this time it was going to be CG, and not just the turtles, everyone - this is fully animated and reminds me of The Incredibles more than of the originals.

Following the original movies, the turtles have given up their crime fighting for now, until their leader comes back from an extended leadership training trip in the amazon jungle or somewhere like that anyway.

That brainy one (you know his name) has become a tech support operator, Mikey is dressing up as a giant turtle for children's birthday parties while Raphael has kept fighting crime - though the others just think he sleeps in all day.

April O'Neil (Sarah Michelle "Buffy" Gellar), who has lost a lot of weight becoming that kind of thin that only cartoons can actually achieve, is now in the business of finding and collecting exotic packages for billionaires.

The very same billionaire (voiced by Patrick Stewart) that is hoping to shed the burden of immortality but capturing a dozen or so monsters that he unwittingly unleashed a few thousand years ago.

Will the turtles be able to get past their rivalries and save the world from being over-run by monsters?

Although there was technically nothing all that wrong with the film, it did feel a bit rushed in the plot region. Taking for granted that we know the characters already and even wrapping it all up a tad too quickly too.

In short this film was aimed at kids, and not in the family friendly way that films like Shrek and Flushed Away are aimed at kids. If you liked the old movies, then although this has some nice action and a fun story, that's all I'm afraid.

So if you have kids, or an evening spare by all means take a peek, you'll leave feeling happy - after all it's a film about giant turtles fighting monsters!

see also:
Arthur Christmas, Up, Flushed Away, Cloudy with a chance of meatballs

[rate this movie] [official site]
photo © Warner Bros.