Movie · 2023 · Animation, Comedy, Action, Science Fiction · 1h 40m · PG · English
Curator score: 7.2/10 (579.7K ratings)
Heroes aren't born. They're mutated.
Overview
After years of being sheltered from the human world, the Turtle brothers set out to win the hearts of New Yorkers and be accepted as normal teenagers through heroic acts. Their new friend April O'Neil helps them take on a mysterious crime syndicate, but they soon get in over their heads when an army of mutants is unleashed upon them.
Micah Abbey, Shamon Brown Jr., Nicolas Cantu, Brady Noon, Ayo Edebiri, Maya Rudolph, John Cena, Seth Rogen, Rose Byrne, Natasia Demetriou, Giancarlo Esposito, Jackie Chan, Ice Cube, Paul Rudd, Post Malone, Hannibal Buress, Jimmy Donaldson, Derek Wilson, Lukas Williams, Michael Badalucco
Where to watch
Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential
Curator Review
Verdict
A fast, funny, visually inventive reboot that leans into teenage awkwardness, brotherly chaos, and grimy New York energy. It works best as a breezy crowd-pleaser with strong style, sharp character chemistry, and enough mutant mayhem to keep the action lively.
Best for
fans of animated action-comedies
viewers who like stylized, sketchy, kinetic animation
people who enjoy coming-of-age stories with sincere humor
audiences looking for a playful, family-friendly superhero movie
fans of ensemble banter and sibling dynamics
Skip if
you want a more serious or grounded TMNT adaptation
you dislike hyperactive editing and reference-heavy jokes
you prefer polished, glossy animation over rougher, street-art textures
you are not interested in kid-friendly action or broad comedy
Overview
Mutant Mayhem is a reboot that understands the appeal of the Turtles as much as the mythology around them. It’s less interested in lore than in personality: four sheltered kids trying to act cool, make friends, and prove themselves in a city that feels huge, filthy, and alive. That emotional angle gives the movie a warmth that keeps the chaos from feeling disposable.
Worth noting
The animation is the big hook. It has a deliberately rough, graffiti-splashed look that makes New York feel hand-drawn and messy in a good way, and the mutant designs push just enough into body-horror weirdness to give the comedy some bite. The movie is constantly moving, but it’s also surprisingly good at letting the turtles’ individual voices land.
Bottom line
It can lean hard on jokes and pop-culture energy, and not every gag lands equally. But the overall effect is charming, energetic, and refreshingly unpolished in a way that suits the characters. It’s an easy recommendation for viewers who want a lively animated adventure with personality to spare.
Top Letterboxd reviews
NicoPico (4★) · 11534 likes
When the group chat actually hangs out
Georgia Coley (4★) · 9465 likes
the real innovation here is not that the movie looks like Spider-Verse—because, if anything, it looks like a distant cousin—the real innovation is that this is an animated kids (??) movie that is grubby as hell. seriously. all the humans here look disgusting. the city of New York is filthy. the various mutated animals and twisted creatures onscreen border on body horror. in the midst of it all, the turtles are the only characters that are appealing to look at,… more the real innovation here is not that the movie looks like Spider-Verse—because, if anything, it looks like a distant cousin—the real innovation is that this is an animated kids (??) movie that is grubby as hell. seriously. all the humans here look disgusting. the city of New York is filthy. the various mutated animals and twisted creatures onscreen border on body horror. in the midst of it all, the turtles are the only characters that are appealing to look at,… more
Reece (4★) · 6259 likes
honestly embarrassing that 4 teenage mutant ninja turtles who had never spoken to a human in 15 years of living, have better social skills than i do
jeaba (3.5★) · 5491 likes
donatello VERSACE 💜
Awesomemay (4★) · 4896 likes
the turtles are so teenage and splinter is so dad and i ate it up