Teenage Mutant Ninja

[Mattaeu]

Turtles

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v714/LIITLT/turtles.jpg


I barely remember the tv series, but my brother and I had many of the toys.

How many of you are excited for the coming movie release? Any hesitations/anxieties?

[Setra]

I'm fifty/fifty about it, I wanna see it, but get the feeling it'll suck badly.

[Jack Squat]

I kinda want to see it, but I doubt it'll live up to any expectations I have.

I'm perfectly fine watching the live action movies as it is.

[J_Muller]

This should be... interesting. I have dim but fond memories of the animated series.

[Mr._Wilson]

They claimed it was going to be more like the Graphic Novels, yet it's rated PG.

I'll go see it, but I'm not holding my breath.

[Jibar]

They gave April a katana.
They gave April O'Neil a freaking katana.
WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE WORLD!?

*Is not happy about April*
*Is happy about Casey though*

[J_Muller]

Wait--they gave April a katana? Not cool.

[Were-Sandwich]

This is just the major nerd in me, but I always get really annoyed when they start spurting off samurai values whilst claiming to be ninjas.

[Om]

I saw the ad there yesterday. Before that I had no idea that they were making this film. Given that the first scene was a seriously cartoony Splinter mouthing off I am prepared to be disappointed.

[smellie_hippie]

To quote Roy Greenhilt...

:roy: "Prepare to be underwhelmed" :roy:

[TheOtherMC]

It makes me hurt where I used to love.........

[ray53208]

i remember the original black and white comics. they were really neat. swearing and killing and no lame catch phrases. no pizza. no cory.

i remember when tmnt went over to archie comics and became lame. the tv show was all right, but something was lost. it was just a kid show.

the first movie was pretty good, but the sequels ate poop. see the angry nintendo nerd review of the third tmnt movie and youll get how i feel.

i saw five minutes of this flick. ive seen a few different teasers. as much as id like to hope this movie will be good, im pretty sure itll suck swamp water.

[Setra]

To quote Roy Greenhilt...

:roy: "Prepare to be underwhelmed" :roy:

Probably not, so many people are expecting so little...

I can't see it being underwhelming, per se.

A better quote, I think, would be

:roy: What a piece of crap

[Mattaeu]

:smallfrown:

That's disheartening. Maybe it's just one of those movies I'm looking forward to because of how it used to feel.

But maybe this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2E63M0zOEN8) might sway a few of you to give it a chance. (if you haven't already seen it.){and the whole april thing doesn't further enrage us all}

If anything, that link solidified why Donatello is my favorite. :smallsmile:

[Jibar]

If Donatello isn't your favorite obviously you have no right to live and go away.
Unless you just don't like the Turtles, in which case...just go away.

[JadedDM]

April's had a katana before.

Maybe not in the 80s cartoon series, but then...from what I understand, this movie is meant to be more based on the original comics than the 80s cartoon.

[Jibar]

I am well aware she has trained in the comics.
That doesn't mean I feel any less unhappy about it.

[JadedDM]

Plus, isn't she voiced by Sarah Michelle Gellar? I think there's something in her contract that states any character she plays must be badass. (Joking...)

[Jack_Banzai]

The "Kill Bill"-inspired outfit, I could do without.

[ray53208]

viacom made youtube take the video down about the lady who was a tmnt fanatic.

i didnt know whether or not to be scared or sad.

[Joosbawx]

Said video can still be found here (http://www.i-am-bored.com/bored_link.cfm?link_id=21918) if you're interested. Worth a look, imho.

Torn about this movie, as a kid that enjoyed the cartoon; however, my history of disappointment of others handling the vision of what a movie based on beloved childhood heroes and icons could be versus what they turn out to be is...difficult...to overcome.

[Saithis Bladewing]

It'll probably suck, but my fond memories compel me to investigate.

[ray53208]

the link to i-am-bored wont open for me. i think its a turtle-backed conspiracy in league with the cia and the flat earthers.

[Swordguy]

Eh. How bad can it possibly be?


(Note: the above is a rhetorical question. I'm frighteningly aware of how bad it can be. I own TMNT III).

[Grey Watcher]

OK, so my dilemma is much the same as all of yours. Loved this stuff as a kid, am interested to see the new material, but concerned that it won't live up to my nostalgia-enhanced memories of my childhood love. Although I will admit that's some of the best writing Donatello's ever gotten (neither the comics nor the cartoon ever seemed to handle Donny's Smart Guy Shtick terribly well, even to my childhood eyes and ears).

I'm ashamed to be so conventional, but Michelangelo was always my favorite as a kid, and now being older, Raphael's angstiness appeals to me more. :sigh: I'm so predictable.

[AmoDman]

This is just the major nerd in me, but I always get really annoyed when they start spurting off samurai values whilst claiming to be ninjas.

I'd say so. Looking over the the Teenage Mutant Turtles who fight crime aspect of the plot, you go straight to the ninja vs. samurai incongruency aspect. Definitely nerd :smallwink:.

To use a Penny-Arcade term, I'm "Cautiously Optomistic."

http://www.penny-arcade.com/images/2006/20060301l.jpg

[Jibar]

God Bless You, Penny Arcade.

Also: Much sin upon you Grey Watcher.
All shall convert to the glorious might of Donatello!

[Druid]

I'm not expecting much from this movie, but I'll probably still go to see it. Who knows, I was expecting Snakes on a Plane to be awful but ended up enjoying it.

[storybookknight]

I loved the turtles - I even had some of the comic!

Gimme the old turtles any day.

[Mattaeu]

Midnight Showing Quiz

TMNT:
a. Great Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Movie
b. Greatest Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Movie

:biggrin:

b. (given #1 was the previous 'greatest', it wasn't a hard leap, but this movie came through superbly)

Go see it, there are less than several truly corny moments, but aside from the whole "ninja's honor" oxymoron, you should enjoy TMNT.

[ChubsMcGee]

Just got back from the midnight showing. And I am extremely pleased. I think it was just about as good as the original animated series. My gripe would be that the storyline contains a more mystical element than the cartoons. As for the characters, I think they nailed all the personalities just right. As for April with a katana, this movie takes place after they finished off shredder and the foot clan. And I can definitely see april taking up martial arts and what not after hanging out with the turtles so much. The movie contains a few extra corny lines, but I find that to be part of the whole turtles type stuff. So let's just say I am going to be putting this on my list of DVD's to buy as soon as possible, and it will stay near the top for what to watch whenever I have some time to kill.

And one last thing, as for April ripping off Kill Bill style, think back to the original animated series. April was wearing a yellow jumpsuit long before Kill Bill was even in Tarantino's mind. And still looking twice as hot as Uma Thurman.

Edit: So on the whole Ninja vs Honor bit: Does training in ninja fighting technique necessarily mean foregoing honor? I can understand the use of rather 'unhonorable' techniques, but I don't see how that means the person can not still be honorable in keeping their word and such.

[ray53208]

ninjas have always been associated with mysticism. it was part and parcel with the whole concept of an invisible shadow warrior.

i dont think similarity to the original cartoon is something to necessarily strive for. i would prefer it being more like the original b&w comic. i cannot accept apologistic acceptance of corny lines.

the samurai concept of honor, as codified in bushido, and expanded upon in the hakagure means nothing to a historical ninja. a ninja by his very existence defies these principles. im not syaing its a bad thing necessarily, but it must be understood. tmnt was entertainment, and as such took liberties.

[Sailacela]

I plan on seeing the movie this Monday. I'm going primarily because I'm a fan of CG animation but I do like TMNT in general, too. The previews I've seen haven't really impressed me all that much in terms of actual content, but I intend to go in with an open mind. Some of the posts here have given me hope that it might, at the worst, be a decent adventure that entertains.

[zeratul]

Is Casey in it !?!? ME LOVES CASEY

[Jerthanis]

I just got back from seeing this movie and I've gotta say, I was really impressed. A lot of misgivings I had over the visual style of the anorexic characters went away when seeing them in actual motion (though it never stopped being a little disturbing that April's own hand could probably encircle her waist) and a lot of the early fights were very impressively choreographed. The storyline presented a lot of the old themes we'd remember seeing from TMNT, of brotherhood, family, and so on.

I'd have liked to hear how it was that April went from a New York journalist to a kung-fu fighting, globe trotting treasure hunter/super-spy/ninja.

I'd definately recommend it highly, and would probably even go to see it again.

EDIT: And Casey was in it, and even got to be cool once or twice.

[ChubsMcGee]

ninjas have always been associated with mysticism. it was part and parcel with the whole concept of an invisible shadow warrior.

Right, but the cartoon series dealt mostly with more threats from technology than magic. Robots, lasers, dimension x and so on.


i dont think similarity to the original cartoon is something to necessarily strive for. i would prefer it being more like the original b&w comic. i cannot accept apologistic acceptance of corny lines.

And this is going to be a problem for you. I have no evidence to point to, but I think that the audience for nostalgia purposes are those that watched the cartoon, and didn't necessarily read the comics. I would think that the number of people that watched the cartoon are the majority. So the acceptance of corny lines comes from the feeling that turtles was a little corny to begin with, and that was part of the charm. I mean come on, they are turtles who happen to be mutants who happen to be teenagers and were trained in ninja technique. Not exactly a 'serious' combination.


the samurai concept of honor, as codified in bushido, and expanded upon in the hakagure means nothing to a historical ninja. a ninja by his very existence defies these principles. im not syaing its a bad thing necessarily, but it must be understood. tmnt was entertainment, and as such took liberties.

I don't think you answered my question. My understanding is that honor was a fairly big deal to all japanese people, not just the samurai. So I don't understand how using ninja techniques require that the person also be without honor. I can understand that being an assassin makes you unhonorable, but I don't see how using an assassin's tool would make you unhonorable.

[Moffo]

I would actually like to see how (or if) they made that brain-monster in a robots tummy.. What was hi name again.. Um... Crank?.. Uh, who cares, I dont really expect anything from this movie. The cartoons rocked though.

[wxdruid]

I went to see it tonight, I own all the original cartoon series and all three original live action movies. I really liked the interpersonal parts between the turtles and Splinter. I didn't like the cartooning style and Splinter looked like a fox. I wasn't fond of the story's premise of the immortal guy with his generals, that was a bit to odd for the turtles in my opinion. I will buy the DVD for two reasons. One it is TMNT, two, they did get the actions/reactions between the turtles pretty good so I enjoyed watching that part.

This cartoon movie does go for a darker side of the Turtles than the original cartoon had.

[JadedDM]

I would actually like to see how (or if) they made that brain-monster in a robots tummy.. What was hi name again.. Um... Crank?.. Uh, who cares, I dont really expect anything from this movie. The cartoons rocked though.

Krang. Overlord of Dimension X!

[Erloas]

My brother's girlfriend and her sister really wanted to see it so we ended up going tonight.

I really liked the style. I'm just waiting until games get to that point, I don't think its too far away.
I thought it was kinda funny at the end when the female ninja basically said: we'll see you again shortly in the sequal.

It was silly but it was about what you would expect given the cartoons.

[ray53208]

i saw it. i think it helped that i went into it with greatly diminished expectations, because i actually enjoyed it. i think the thing i liked the most was that it was more like the original comic than the kiddie tv cartoon series or the live action childrens movies. the corny lines were at a minimum, thankfully. the fight scenes and cgi were pleasing. i suppose given the medium and target audience they made it as gritty as they could, for which i am grateful.

[archon_huskie]

This about sums it up.

http://www.shortpacked.com/d/20070326.html

And some of you were upset because April has a weapon? Why? Does the idea of a woman who can fight back make you nervous?

[Jibar]

And some of you were upset because April has a weapon? Why? Does the idea of a woman who can fight back make you nervous?

No, because she was always the normal one. Casey can run around with the turtles sure. But April was always the one who was living the nice normal life.

[MrsbwcMD]

So, I was a huge fan of TMNT, the cartoon series, when I was in elementary/junior high school. I loved the first and second live action movies, too (mostly because Jim Henson's Creature Workshop was an integral part of making the costumes, and I adored Corey Feldman as the voice of Donatello in the first movie since I was/am a huge Goonies fan, too). Anyway, seeing the trailers for the new movie kind of made me nostalgic for those days long ago, and I've been unsure of whether or not I want to see it. Reading everyone's posts here about their reactions to the movie has given me a little hope that it might not be as bad as I think it could be. Knowing that it's more like the cartoon series in some ways than the comic (which I never read) makes me more inclined to want to see it. Raphael was always my favorite in the cartoon and to some extent in the movies, but Donatello probably holds a special place in my heart just because of his love of all things nerdy/geeky.

[JadedDM]

My girlfriend and I saw it the other day. We both really enjoyed it. She got to swoon over Raphael and I got to cheer on Leonardo. Leo finally gets to be a bad ass in this flick.

[Gnome Barbarian]

I took my Nephew to go see the movie on saturday and I truly enjoyed it. I watched the original cartoon when I was a kid and then when I got into the comics I loved them. I think April having a weapon makes perfect sense. Over the years she shoudl have stop being a victim/damsel in distress and fight back. I give it two thumbs up. My Nephew who is 4 also loved it but turned down the free turtle mask for some reason.

[Jack Squat]

My Nephew who is 4 also loved it but turned down the free turtle mask for some reason.

Did you grab it instead? :tongue:

[Jack Scoundrel]

I just saw this movie and I rather enjoyed it. The animation is Mind blowing! I think they did a great job of grasping onto the old graphic novel while still being able to appeal to the younger crowd that watches the new cartoon.

Over all I will own this movie when it comes out and can't wait for the next one to come out (they end it with a..."..is coming back soon." line).

[Sailacela]

We went to see the movie yesterday and enjoyed it very much. There was one scene which took place in the rain (I won't say more) that grabbed my attention in particular. The animation was extremely well done. The interations between the turtles was also handled well. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this movie to Turtles fans.