Gangster rap, R-rated homages, and the shellshock of realizing that the world really is different these days. "TMNT: Mutant Mayhem" is equal parts coming of age and midlife crisis.
Category
🎥
Short filmTranscript
00:00 Gangster rap, R-rated homages, and the shell shock of realizing that the world really is
00:05 different these days, TMNT Mutant Mayhem is equal parts coming-of-age and midlife crisis.
00:12 There's no question that Master Splinter defines what it means to be a great father, and displays
00:16 a sense of wisdom and respect.
00:18 That doesn't go unnoticed by anyone in the audience.
00:20 Still, it is a little questionable that he would let his teenage sons have deadly weapons.
00:24 "That seems very dangerous."
00:26 "Eat danger for breakfast."
00:27 When it's shown that Splinter teaches the Turtles how to fight through old martial arts
00:31 movies and educational videos he finds on VHS and YouTube, it's hard not to relate.
00:36 Let's face it, most parents nowadays likely turn to YouTube at some point just to teach
00:40 their kids something.
00:41 However, that doesn't mean you give them weapons that could injure someone else or themselves.
00:45 Sure, by the time we see them as true Ninja Turtles, they're well-equipped to handle their
00:49 sharp and dangerous weapons.
00:51 But it needs to be remembered that they're still teenagers, and have a reckless mentality
00:54 that can't be easily suppressed.
00:56 After all, they do nearly kill April with a Ninja Star when they're throwing their weapons
01:00 at watermelons.
01:01 And Donnie does get stabbed in the leg with one of Raph's eyes when they fight the thieves
01:05 in the garage.
01:06 "Oh my God!"
01:11 The Turtles would be nothing without their weapons, but putting these weapons in the
01:14 hands of teenagers might not have been the most well-thought-out plan.
01:18 Just saying.
01:19 While Mutant Mayhem is a nostalgic experience simply because it's based on a long-running
01:23 and meaningful pop culture franchise like TMNT, there's also some added nostalgia for
01:28 adults in just seeing the Turtles be teenagers.
01:31 Just watching the Turtles play around NYC and stay out past Splinter's Deadlines probably
01:35 brings most adults back to their own teenage years.
01:38 It was a time when the responsibilities and stakes didn't feel as high, and there was
01:42 so much life ahead of you that you got to fully live in the moment.
01:45 Even the way they are just so unabashed about their energy and how much they get to be themselves
01:49 is nostalgic of those teenage years.
01:51 That's not to say there aren't pros to being an adult, but watching these teen heroes feels
01:55 like an authentic trip back in time.
01:57 It's an experience that instantly latches onto adult viewers and acts as a heartwarming
02:01 and personal trek down memory lane.
02:02 "Enough talk!
02:03 I dream about fighting every night!"
02:05 "You've got a rage problem, Raph."
02:06 "Oh, man, it's not a problem!"
02:08 There's a flip side to feeling a little nostalgic for the years of being a rebellious teenager,
02:12 of course.
02:13 To be honest, parents and adult viewers will likely find themselves relating to Splinter
02:17 more than they ever did before, especially when it comes to the Turtles disobeying his
02:21 orders.
02:22 When they stay out past curfew or keep their activities a secret, adult viewers will likely
02:26 struggle not to side with Splinter a bit.
02:28 After all, he did experience humans trying to harm him and his kids when he went to the
02:32 human world, so his caution is justified, albeit maybe a little overbearing.
02:37 The sheer idea of Splinter's kids not listening to him will instantly connect with parents.
02:41 "Boys, where have you been?
02:44 I've been freaking out!"
02:46 Splinter's attempts to reconnect with his kids in slightly embarrassing but heartfelt
02:49 ways easily speaks to parents much more, and that scene of him looking at photos of them
02:54 all will probably hit adults right in the gut.
02:56 Even the realization he has about his parenting and letting his kids make their own discoveries
03:00 is a moment that adults will recognize as a lesson for them over younger viewers.
03:05 So despite some parents and adult viewers coming to mutant mayhem totally loving the
03:08 Turtles, they might come out relating with Splinter in a completely unexpected way.
03:14 Despite being stuck in the sewers for most of their life, movies and pop culture are
03:18 a prevalent part of the Turtles' DNA.
03:20 Throughout the film, they're constantly saying movie references, and even find time to catch
03:24 Ferris Bueller's day off one night at an outdoor screening.
03:27 Yet what'll stick for adult viewers through all the winks and pop culture nods is the
03:31 impact that movies have on us when we were young, and how they shape us as people.
03:35 The coming-of-age genre has always done a great job making audiences of that age think
03:39 about what they're going through and have moments of self-reflection that make us better.
03:44 "Let's surrender."
03:45 "Never."
03:46 Adults that grew up in the John Hughes era of coming-of-age films certainly know that
03:53 feeling well.
03:55 Films like Ferris Bueller and The Breakfast Club found ways to capture the voice of that
03:58 generation.
03:59 Truthfully, every generation has some sort of film, show, or story they find that opens
04:03 them up in a way they didn't expect.
04:05 For the Turtles, Ferris Bueller represents the way they want to be perceived by humans,
04:10 and the confidence they want to carry into each day.
04:12 Even in the simplest sense, Donnie's love for anime is a part of who he is, and a key
04:17 way he stands out amongst the group.
04:19 In short, movies do really have meaning, and older viewers will see that with Mutant Mayhem.
04:25 When the Turtles are trying to escape in a van carrying the last piece to Superfly's
04:28 dangerous machine, Superfly catches up to them and bursts through the van doors.
04:33 When he shows up, he says something kind of baffling.
04:36 "Six in the morning, police at my door."
04:39 For younger viewers, this line might seem totally random and a little weird.
04:43 But the "cool adults" in the theater may catch that it's actually a reference to the song
04:46 "Six in the Mornin'" by rapper and Law & Order SVU alum Ice-T.
04:51 Given that Ice-T's rap heyday was back in the late '80s and early '90s, it's not too
04:55 surprising that younger viewers wouldn't pick up on this reference.
04:58 If you're a huge fan of '80s rap or grew up in that era, then it's certainly worth listening
05:02 for this line and getting a little dose of nostalgia that's definitely targeted for more
05:06 adult viewers.
05:07 Or if you're a parent watching Mutant Mayhem, you could feel proud knowing one reference
05:11 amongst all the other nods towards more modern cartoons, movies, and music.
05:16 With Mutant Mayhem featuring so many different references and Easter eggs, adult viewers
05:20 will quickly see the film as a kind of litmus test for how well they know modern pop culture.
05:24 "Beyonce."
05:25 "That guy's the GOAT of all time."
05:28 As the Turtles start to make jokes about the internet or make references to iconic cartoon
05:32 characters or musicians, you're basically either engaged and along for the ride, or
05:36 completely lost.
05:38 For adult viewers, if you find yourself in the second camp, the crushing reality of realizing
05:42 how old you are might set in.
05:43 It's a tough pill to swallow.
05:45 There's a specific moment during the van chase escape where a song plays that ties to the
05:49 He-Man meme.
05:51 That'll especially establish your age and knowledge of the modern internet.
05:55 Mutant Mayhem is honestly such a perfect and simple pop culture test that it would be kind
05:59 of fun to bring the whole family along and see what references stump people.
06:02 Basically, adult viewers will likely come out of Mutant Mayhem either feeling younger
06:06 or older than ever before.
06:09 When the Turtles are ready to take on all the crime bosses connected to Superfly, they
06:13 engage in a big fight sequence that's clearly inspired by an iconic action scene.
06:17 With it being captured from the side and cut as one ongoing battle, there's no doubt that
06:22 this scene is paying tribute to the hallway fight scene in Oldboy.
06:25 With Oldboy still being culturally impactful and recognized, it's not shocking to see Mutant
06:30 Mayhem tip its hat to an all-time classic.
06:32 However, it's a reference that will almost definitely go over a lot of younger viewers'
06:36 heads.
06:37 Given that Oldboy came out back in 2003 and has some subject matter that, to put it lightly,
06:42 is not kid-friendly, it's not like a lot of younger viewers would even know of the film's
06:46 existence.
06:47 So this great nod to Oldboy and Mutant Mayhem is purely for adults.
06:52 In a time where authenticity and bias are being heavily questioned when it comes to
06:56 news outlets, Mutant Mayhem presents its own depiction of how the major news outlets can
07:00 negatively impact society, something adult viewers will undoubtedly take note of.
07:05 Just as the final battle against Superfly kicks off, news outlets are seen covering
07:09 the events but blaming the Turtles and other innocent mutants for what's happening.
07:13 There's even a reporter that questions if the mutants should be captured or killed,
07:17 which is the type of reckless reporting that can be deeply harmful.
07:20 Younger viewers will easily see the deeper ties this sequence has to reality, and how
07:24 important it is to prioritize fact-checking and patience over quick reactions with no
07:28 basis.
07:29 Mutant Mayhem surprisingly nails its depictions of how damaging unchecked media coverage can
07:33 be, and adult viewers will definitely come away with strong thoughts about their media
07:37 consumption and how they perceive the news.
07:41 Along with its depictions of toxic news coverage, adults will also come to realize how cruel
07:45 and even violent people can be towards something they don't understand.
07:48 Sure, if any of us walked outside right now and some mutated versions of animals were
07:53 walking around trying to talk to us, we would be understandably shocked, afraid, and concerned
07:57 for ourselves.
07:58 But that doesn't mean that we should want to see them dead or chase after them until
08:01 they are gone from existence.
08:03 Even just thinking about the one person Splinter talks about who chased them into an alley
08:07 with a baseball bat, it's hard to wrap our heads around what made that person so hateful
08:11 and vicious towards Splinter.
08:13 Adult viewers will really come away from Mutant Mayhem thinking about how we need to learn
08:16 to react towards people and ideas we don't know with a little understanding and genuine
08:21 care.
08:22 Otherwise, we'll just turn into violent savages that spew hated everything we don't initially
08:26 understand.
08:27 It's a lesson that's more important than ever for all ages to understand, but will be something
08:31 that adult viewers will connect with on a deeper level.
08:33 "And hey, I know that's objectively prejudiced, but that's what Dad taught us."
08:37 [outro music]
08:39 (upbeat music)