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Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie

From Alfawiki
Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie
Company typeAnimated feature film
IndustryAnimation, Film
Founded2022
Headquarters
United States
ProductsAnimated superhero film

Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie is a 2022 American animated superhero feature that continues the storyline from the Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles television series (2018–20). The film was directed by Andy Suriano and Ant Ward, who also co-developed the series, with a script penned by Tony Gama-Lobo and Rebecca May. It includes the returning voice talents of Ben Schwartz, Omar Benson Miller, Brandon Mychal Smith, Josh Brener, Kat Graham, and Eric Bauza, alongside new cast member Haley Joel Osment portraying Casey Jones. The narrative centers on the Turtles teaming up with Casey Jones to confront the extraterrestrial menace known as the Krang, which poses a threat to Earth.

The project entered development in October 2018 and was officially announced in February 2019, with production commencing in March 2020. Nickelodeon greenlit the movie during the development of the show's second season, resulting in Suriano and Ward simultaneously managing both projects. Due to a shortened season, adjustments were made to the film's storyline to maintain continuity with the series. Animation duties were primarily undertaken by Flying Bark Productions and Top Draw Animation, with Flying Bark also responsible for animating the television episodes.

The movie debuted on Netflix on August 5, 2022, receiving acclaim for its animation quality, action sequences, voice performances, and emotional storytelling. It earned three nominations at the 2nd Children's and Family Emmy Awards, with art director Carl Anders Beu securing the award for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation.

Plot

Set in 2044, Earth faces an invasion by alien Krang forces that have overwhelmed all resistance. In a desperate bid to stop them, Leonardo and Michelangelo send their protégé Casey Jones back in time to retrieve a crucial key needed for the invasion, sacrificing themselves in the process. Casey arrives months after the defeat of Shredder. Following Leonardo’s breaking of Donatello’s pizza box record, Raphael alerts the group to a theft involving Hypno-Potamus and Warren Stone, who have stolen items including the key Casey is searching for. The Turtles intercept them; however, ownership of the key is claimed by the Foot Clan. A dispute arises between Raphael and Leonardo over Leonardo’s increasing arrogance.

Casey encounters April O'Neil, who guides him to their hideout. After explaining his mission, Splinter reveals that long ago, warriors banished the Krang and created a mystical key to keep them at bay. Together with April, Splinter, Casey, and the Turtles pursue the Foot Clan as they open a portal. During their confrontation with Krang One, their mystical powers are drained, forcing them to retreat. Leonardo manages to seize the key and shut the portal; meanwhile, Raphael sacrifices himself so Leonardo can escape.

The remaining Turtles join Casey in pursuing Krang and Raphael while Splinter and April protect the key. Using Raphael as a pawn to locate their base, Krang possess members of the Foot Clan and prepare to open another portal atop Metro Tower. The Turtles are ambushed within subway tunnels and become separated. Casey confronts Leonardo about his pride and reveals details about his family’s future before they reunite. They locate possessed Raphael and recover the key. The Krang open their portal once more, unleashing the Technodrome to invade New York City.

While April, Splinter, and Casey battle Krang forces on land, the Turtles board their ship. Leonardo faces off against Raphael; Donatello and Michelangelo attempt to seize control but are captured. Leonardo assists Raphael in breaking free from control; together they regain their mystical abilities. Casey, Splinter, and April defeat Krang Two, severely damaging it. The Turtles fight Krang One but are overwhelmed; three are thrown from the vessel. Leonardo forces Krang One back into its prison dimension and instructs Casey to close the portal, which destroys the Technodrome but traps Leonardo alongside Krang One. Michelangelo rescues Leonardo using newly acquired portal abilities, permanently imprisoning Krang One.

In a later scene on Brooklyn Bridge, they celebrate their victory; Casey reveals that Cassandra Jones—a former Foot recruit—is his mother. United by this revelation, they pledge to protect their city as it recovers. Meanwhile, Raphael attempts once again to break Leonardo’s pizza box record.

Voice cast

Development

In February 2019, Netflix revealed plans for feature-length films inspired by Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and The Loud House. The initial development phase for Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie commenced in October 2018, with production formally beginning in March 2020. During the show's second season, Nickelodeon invited showrunners Andy Suriano and Ant Ward to create the movie. Their compelling concept centered on a future stranger arriving to warn the Turtles about an imminent alien invasion led by the Krang. The movie was crafted in tandem with season two, necessitating narrative modifications due to the season’s shortened episode count, which resulted in some inconsistencies between the film and series continuity.

Writing and animation

The extended runtime of the film allowed for a more intricate, character-focused narrative designed to appeal to newcomers while satisfying longtime fans. Inspirations were drawn from disaster, apocalyptic, and time-travel storylines. A significant plot point involved reinstating Leonardo as the leader, contrasting with Raphael's role as leader in the series, thereby exploring their rivalry from a fresh perspective. This iteration of Casey Jones presents a more mature and responsible persona compared to earlier portrayals. The Krang were envisioned as imposing antagonists, larger than in the series, to emphasize their menace surpassing that of Shredder.

Production took place amid the COVID-19 pandemic, with animatics developed over an eight-month period. Nickelodeon's team of over 90 collaborators worked alongside Flying Bark Productions in Sydney and Top Draw Animation based in the Philippines—the former also handled animation for the series. The increased budget facilitated improvements in color depth, shading techniques, and smoother animation beyond what was achieved in the television show.

Release

Originally scheduled for a 2021 release, Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie was postponed until 2022. Its trailer was unveiled on July 6, 2022, followed by the film’s debut on Netflix on August 5, 2022. In China, it saw a theatrical release on November 19, 2022, distributed by China Film Group Corporation, earning $570,000 at the box office.

Critical reception

The movie holds a 79% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and has earned a Metacritic score of 61, reflecting generally positive critiques.

Hayden Mears from IGN awarded it an 8 out of 10, applauding the choreography of fight scenes, visual design, humor, emotional resonance, and performances—particularly highlighting Ben Schwartz’s portrayal of Leonardo—while mentioning the storyline’s straightforwardness. The New York Times' reviewer Claire Shaffer emphasized the quality of animation and the touching story, describing it as consistently enjoyable for audiences of all ages. Pramit Chatterjee of Digital Mafia Talkie ranked it among the year's top action and animated releases, praising its animation, fight choreography, sound design, narrative, and acting.

Jennifer Borget from Common Sense Media rated it 3 out of 5 stars, noting strengths in animation and emotional elements but critiquing the depth of character development. Michael Nordine at Variety characterized the film as "adequate yet unremarkable," pointing out that its futuristic setting was its most compelling feature. Erick Massoto of Collider found fault with the characterization and humor when compared to the television series but commended the exhilarating action sequence during the climax.

Accolades

Award Ceremony Date Category Nominee(s) Outcome
Annie Awards February 25, 2023 Outstanding Achievement for Character Design in an Animated Feature Production Ida Hem Template:Nom
Golden Reel Awards February 26, 2023 Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Non-Theatrical Animation Jeff Shiffman, Jessey Drake, Brad Meyer, Xinyue Yu, Carol Ma Template:Won
Children's and Family Emmy Awards December 16–17, 2023 Outstanding Special Class Animated Program Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie Template:Nominated
Outstanding Sound Editing and Sound Mixing for an Animated Program Jeff Shiffman, Jacob Cook, Jessey Drake, Brad Meyer, Xinyue Yu, Carol Ma Template:Nom
Individual Achievement in Animation Carl Anders Beu Template:Won

External links

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