Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014)

Movie · 2014 · Science Fiction, Action, Adventure, Comedy · 1h 41m · PG-13 · English

Curator score: 0.6/10 (452.3K ratings)

Mysterious. Dangerous. Reptilious. You've never seen heroes like this.

Overview

When a kingpin threatens New York City, a group of mutated turtle warriors must emerge from the shadows to protect their home.

Ratings

Director

Jonathan Liebesman

Production

Nickelodeon Movies, Paramount Pictures, Platinum Dunes, Mirage Studios, Gama Entertainment Partners, Mednick Productions

Cast

Pete Ploszek, Alan Ritchson, Jeremy Howard, Noel Fisher, Megan Fox, Will Arnett, William Fichtner, Danny Woodburn, Johnny Knoxville, Tony Shalhoub, Tohoru Masamune, Whoopi Goldberg, Minae Noji, Abby Elliott, Madison Mason, Taran Killam, K. Todd Freeman, Paul Fitzgerald, Malina Weissman, Venida Evans

Where to watch

Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential

Curator Review

Verdict

A noisy, overproduced reboot that leans hard on spectacle and quips while flattening the charm, humor, and personality that made the property work. It may satisfy younger viewers or fans specifically looking for glossy, disposable action, but for most audiences it feels generic and oddly joyless.

Best for

  • kids who want loud, fast superhero-style action
  • viewers with nostalgia for the franchise who are curious about a modernized take
  • people who enjoy slick but lightweight studio blockbusters

Skip if

  • you want the playful, scrappy spirit of the original cartoons or earlier movies
  • you dislike murky action and heavy CGI character design
  • you prefer wit, warmth, or clear storytelling over franchise noise

Overview

This reboot tries to turn Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles into a big, industrial action spectacle, but the result is more mechanical than fun. The turtles are rendered with enough texture to be technically impressive, yet the movie rarely gives them the personality or comic rhythm that makes the concept sing.

Worth noting

The action is loud, the plotting is thin, and the whole thing often feels like it is chasing a more generic superhero template instead of embracing the weirdness of mutant sewer ninjas. There are flashes of energy and a few moments that work as broad family entertainment, but they are buried under a lot of visual clutter.

Bottom line

If you are already attached to the franchise, you may find enough familiar ingredients to keep watching. If you are not, this is unlikely to convert you; it plays more like a brand exercise than a genuinely entertaining adventure.

Top Letterboxd reviews

adambolt (3★) · 1487 likes

haha its funny because the turtle wants to bang megan fox

adambolt (3.5★) · 1189 likes

a great tragedy has befallen me today, i have discovered that i really like these movies

FakeRobHunter (1.5★) · 983 likes

8-10 year olds will probably love it. Dumb 8-10 year olds.

dumbsville (1.5★) · 579 likes

this was a call of duty campaign

Evan (2★) · 570 likes

No Ninja, No Ninja, NO!

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Topics

action-comedy, science fiction, adventure, family blockbuster, 2010s reboot, CGI creatures, urban fantasy, comic-book adaptation, lightweight spectacle, franchise film

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