Those who have been following my Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles reviews of the Nickelodeon series already know I’m one of the biggest fans of the turtle brothers out there. I’m also one of the few who actually enjoyed the first reboot film, so I couldn’t wait to see the inevitable sequel when it was sent over for review, on a 4K Blu-ray at that. So here we are with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows, a fun follow up that’s a shell-raising good time for fans and ninja newcomers.
Fellow editor Chris Pandolfi has all of the plot details in his theatrical release review, so I’m just going to jump into the fray with my take on the film and all of the 4K goodness and goodies on the disc. Being a fan of the turtles and not being hard to please makes me one of the few that really enjoyed this movie. It’s not a masterpiece by any means, but it is a very fun, action-packed popcorn film to enjoy with family and friends. Seeing Stephen Amell of CW’s Arrow series as Casey Jones was a cool addition to the cast, as he played the role almost like a laid back version of his infamous DC Comics persona. One of the things that really surprised me (in a good way) was the casting of Tyler Perry as Baxter Stockman, a small but neat part for him that will hopefully lead to him taking on other non-Madea roles in films.
Of course the best thing about the movie are the turtles themselves, as they kick shell and take names, all while looking awesome doing so thanks to Industrial Light & Magic’s special effects. The company is always on point with their visual magic, and watching the film in 4K brings this to light even more as the details and movements of the turtle teens come through like never before. I love how you can see every little detail from the texture of their skin to the fabric of their masks. When the world has been saved, you can also take a look at some of the gnarly special features, starting with “We Are Family” that has the four motion capture actors that portray the turtles and how they bring the brothers to life. “Whoa! Expanding the Turtleverse” fills viewers in on what happened in the previous film while also discussing both old and new characters from both films. A few other small extras like “House Party” give you a look at the turtles’ lair, “It’s Tricky: Inside the Van” features a peek inside the new turtle van, “ILM: The Effects Beneath the Shell” goes into the famous special effects studio and how they work their magic on the visuals, and “Did You Catch That? Turtle Eggs!” which are Easter Egg-like bonuses scattered throughout the film they point out, along with some deleted scenes round out the special features.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows is a great follow up to the previous movie that is loads of butt-kicking fun for the whole family. An addition of some awesome new characters, a wonderful 4K high definition transfer that really brings out the already fantastic visuals, and a nice set of extras make this one shell of a movie to own.
