9/12 ForReel Score | 4/5 Stars

If you're not superheroed out yet, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is a superhero origin story worth giving a watch. With a stacked cast and a slick animation style, Mutant Mayhem checks the boxes established by these types of animated films but does so in a way that is entertaining, utilizing self awareness and pop culture references to its advantage. The script is comical, witty, and heartfelt, and the film as a whole demonstrates an understanding of how to take a blueprint and make it its own.

Following the raid of a lonely scientist’s lab, a chemical ooze he made to develop mutant creatures spills into the New York sewer system, creating infants Donatello (Micah Abbey), Michelangelo (Shamon Brown Jr.), Leonardo (Nicolas Cantu), and Raphael (Brady Noon), four mutant turtles raised by the mutant rat, Splinter (Jackie Chan). 15 years after the incident, the turtles are now teenagers yearning to be a part of the human world - something Splinter forbids because of his own unwelcoming history with humans. But when the turtles encounter a more open-minded journalist, April (Ayo Edebiri), they begin helping her with a big crime story, utilizing their ninja training to fight and interrogate suspects.

This leads the team to our villain at the center of this story: a super baddie named Superfly (Ice Cube) - another victim of the ooze spill incident 15 years prior. He, along with a gang of fellow mutants who all consider each other family, have spent the years also imagining a world where they belong. But this is where their similarities diverge, as Superfly’s conclusion isn’t to hide in the shadows, but to execute a plan that makes mutants the dominant species on Earth.

As a superhero movie, Mutant Mayhem succeeds where many other superhero movies fail: endowing its villain with understandable motives and redeemable qualities. Yes, the plot sees the supervillain pursue a reimagining of the state of the world, but the story is wise enough to align his motives with the ninja turtle’s own lived experiences. In this way, audiences can feel the weight of the conflict our heroes must grapple with between doing what could be in their best interest and doing what they believe is right.

What’s more, the story surrounds this supervillain with a team of likable antagonists; fellow mutant animals whose relationships with the turtles is one of the major aspects of the film worthy of rooting for. This eclectic mix of characters - voiced by talents such as John Cena, Rose Byrne, Giancarlo Esposito, Seth Rogan (who also wrote and produced the film), and more - great not only for comic relief, but for adding a level of relatability to the situation the turtles find themselves in.

Ultimately though, what we have here in Mutant Mayhem is a lite reincarnation of Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse. Both are uniquely animated coming-of-age action comedies where teenagers in New York struggle with their relationship with their father while fighting against a formidable gang leader who justifies heinous actions with virtuous motivations. It can seem a bit carbon copied when reflected on the two films side by side, but what Mutant Mayhem does is leverage this filmmaking and story framework rather than exploit it, and the difference is key in recognizing why Mutant Mayhem avoids feeling like a rip-off and excels at being fresh, quality animated entertainment.

The stakes in Mutant Mayhem’s conflicts may not rise to the prominence of what Spider-Verse has achieved, but the film is adept at weaving comedy, action, and sincere emotional value with a proficiency that many high profile superhero films have lacked. It’s a film that kids and adults alike can watch, understand, and enjoy - ideally with boxes of pizza nearby.

Movie Review: "TMNT" Is Mild On Mayhem, But Super With Its Heroes