Hello Enthusiacs I am Vega Goose and today we are doing something a little different. So without further delay let’s get into today’s review. TMNT Out Of The Shadows.

Now those of you who saw my review of the first film will know that I liked it, maybe more than I should have but that is neither here nor there. However with this one I find myself more conflicted. It seems like the more that improves the more than degrades as well. Let us get started.

Much like the first film Megan Fox actually impressed me as April O’neil. You can really tell she’s bringing her best acting even if she isn’t exactly oscar worthy (to be fair neither is the film but whatever) Here April feels like more of the plot rather than just the plot device to push the plot forward as she was last time. However I will say I felt like that should there be a TMNT 3 I’d like to see less April and more of a Turtle focused picture.

Now if this were a video here is where I would be screaming. Casey Jones in this movie absolutely pissed me off. Not just because of the massive rewrite to his entire character (oh we’ll get there) but because the Actor Stephen Amell clearly did not give a shit. He clearly gave no effort in this role and I know that because this guy is a really good actor. However here rarely does he have any emotion and when he does it’s like he’s going way over board. Granted this is based on an 90’s cartoon but come on Steve.

Now the argument could be made it was bad direction that gave us that performance and I’m will to say that is possible however that is something we really can’t confirm in this case. Unlike say the Star Wars Prequels I don’t know enough about this director (Dave Green) to say one way or the other that he is a good or bad director but I will say in this movie 100% confirmed Stephen Amell did a shitty job.

However in this case it really didn’t matter this character was doomed from the word go due to the massive rewrite of the character of Casey Jones. In the original TMNT, the one from the Casey was a bad ass vigilante and basically one bad day from going completely insane due to the death of his father at the hands of a man known as the Hun whom Casey killed by stabbing him in the neck.

Here he’s a failed cop and generally never gives you that vibe that he is barely keep everything in check. Take into comparison the other live action Casey Jones (Elias Koteas) While clearly playing a more toned down Jones compare to is comic counterpart he still brought the intensity and murderous intentions even killing the Shredder in the final moments (Yes I know he came back but fuck it we didn’t know that in 90) Alright enough about this let’s move on.

Now to some good things first and foremost Bebop and Rocksteady, These guys were absolutely perfect and everytime they were on screen I felt the little kid in me laughing with glee. I’ve waited so long to see these characters live and it was worth the wait. Gary Williams and Stephen Farrelly do the characters justice both in live action and as the voices later on when they become CGI. I have heard some complaints that they are not realistic, however this is a movie about Ninja Turtles battling mutant animals and modern samurai, did you really expect realism?

The Shredder in this franchise has had a rough go however they seem to have found a good one in actor Brian Tee. Unlike the first film which felt like someone got Ironman in my TMNT. Here he is the traditional Shredder we all know and love to hate. I cannot say much more without spoilers but I am hoping we get to see more of him in future installments.

Krang voiced by Brad Garrett was everything I wanted him to be. I almost wish he hadn’t been in the trailers and had been lefted as a nice surprise. Either way he was amazing in this movie and I have no doubt we will be seeing a lot more of him in the future. Again I can’t say much without spoilers, but trust me you will enjoy this role.

Finally let’s talk about the turtles themselves. Yes the new look takes some getting use to and I do still wish they were the old designs however I’d be lying if I said it bothered me over much. They are the same as they were in the first TMNT well written well voiced and overall great fun.

And that is TMNT 2 in a nutshell, does it have problems? Oh dear god yes, but they don’t take away enough from the enjoyment for me to tell you not to see it. I did enjoy this film and hope to see a TMNT 3

Until next time I have been Goose and remember