Everybody Likes To Hate On The Michael Bay-Era Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Movies, But Here's Why I've Kind Of Come Around On Them

I used to think that the Michael Bay-era Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies were some of the worst TMNT films ever made.

In fact, when I ranked all of the live-action Ninja Turtles movies, I put 2014’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and 2016’s Out of the Shadows near the bottom of the list (Though not at the very bottom, which I’ll get into later). Fans of Turtle Power are usually in agreement that there are many other better TMNT films, with the most recent one, Mutant Mayhem, being my absolute favorite.

However, with time, I’ve learned to re-evaluate the Michael Bay-era TMNT films, and do you know what? They’re actually not that bad! I mean, they’re not as good as the 1990 original, or The Secret of the Ooze good, but they’re not terrible, either, and here’s why.

Honestly, I'm Now Kind Of Digging Their Look. It's So Different!

The number one complaint I always hear about these two TMNT films is that the Turtles are so UGLY, and do you know what? You’re right! When I first saw these movies, the Turtles made me gag. I mean, they're so burly and bulky, and look nothing like the Turtles from the animated TV shows or movies that I grew up with.

Plus, I didn’t like how tattered their face masks were, or how Donnie wore glasses (with tape in the middle, no less!). Honestly, from the first second I saw how these Turtles looked, I hated them. Which is actually a shame, since looking at them today, I applaud the team that brought them to life.

These Turtles look more like Battletoads than my beloved Turtles. That said, I’ve actually come around on their tank-like designs because there's no other version like them.

Now, when I thought this new direction was how the Turtles would always look, I was appalled. Now that I’ve seen that there are other (and one might say, better) iterations that would come later, I don’t hold such a grudge against this look anymore, and I actually kind of like how “ugly” they are. It’s such a unique look!

Out Of The Shadows Was The First TMNT Movie That Gave Us The Villains That We Clamored For

I love Shredder as much as the next TMNT fan, but by the fifth Ninja Turtles movie, I was kind of tired of the fact that we were getting him yet again. The only times we hadn't seen him as the main antagonist were in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III and in the 2007 animated movie.

That said, what we wanted to see was Bebop, Rocksteady, and Krang, who were regulars in the cartoons. Well, in Out of the Shadows, not only did we get Bebop and Rocksteady, but we also, finally, got Krang!

Honestly, this made up for the plot being so middling. In fact, we got a lot of familiar faces in Out of the Shadows, as we also got Baxter Stockman (played by Tyler Perry this time), Shredder, and even Casey Jones. And yes, like most movies with too many characters, this film feels pretty overstuffed.

But still! This was the TMNT movie that finally gave us the characters that many of us had been waiting our entire lives to see on the big screen! In other words, this is the movie that made many of our dreams come true. If only the movie around these characters could have been better…That said, beggars can't be choosers!

The Action Is Different From Any Other Turtles Films

Along with the Turtles being so much bulkier than in any other TMNT films, these Turtles move differently, too. In fact, it's hard to believe, but these are the only TMNT movies with the Turtles actually being CG in a live-action setting (I'm interested in seeing how they do it with The Last Ronin, though).

This creates a lot of interesting situations that couldn't be performed in the costumes or puppetry from the ‘90s TMNT films. For example, the Turtles can skateboard all over the place in these films, and the action is often frenetic and colorful.

One of my favorite action scenes is when the Turtles are sliding down a snowy hill, and they're slipping under tires and flying into vehicles. It's pandemonium! I also love how the Turtles handle their weapons in these films. One of the biggest problems (especially in The Secret of the Ooze, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III - more on that one in a little bit) was how their trademark weapons were kind of just there.

However, their weapons are actually used in these movies, and it's really refreshing to see. This is something that I never appreciated the first time I watched these films, but it's something I noticed upon a rewatch. That's pretty cool!

They're Arguably Both Better Than TMNT III

I mentioned at the top how I ranked every live-action Ninja Turtles movie, and I did. And, while I put 2014 and Out of the Shadows toward the bottom, I still put Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III at the very bottom, and I stand by that. Both of the Michael Bay-era TMNT films are better than that atrocity.

Because here's the thing. TMNT III seemed entirely uninterested in pleasing the fans. Set in ancient Japan, the villains were some random dudes, and it really had nothing to do with anything we were familiar with. I mean, they couldn't even include Usagi Yojimbo? Really? But they were in Japan!

Anyway, as I said earlier, at least these Bay-era films tried to give the fans what they wanted. Especially Out of the Shadows. Yes, neither was entirely successful, as most fans found these movies to be lacking. But, they were lacking in much the same way as Michael Bay's own Transformers movies were lacking, as they tried to give the fans what they wanted, but often failed in the story department.

So, that's another thing. The Bay-era TMNT films have never been the worst movies in the series. That title still goes to 1993's TMNT III. What a turkey that movie is!

Now That We Know It's Not The Permanent Direction Of The Turtles, It's A Nice Time Capsule

I was born in the ‘80s, was a kid and teen in the ‘90s, and came into adulthood in the 2000s. And, in this span of time, I like to compartmentalize my entertainment as it helps me create time capsules for my life.

Well, having grown up watching the 1987 TMNT cartoon when I was only five, I went from watching people don costumes to actors being motion captured and plugged into a computer, and I feel like a lot of movies from the 2010s were like the latter.

In this way, the Bay-era Turtles films are like a time capsule of the 2010s, and I like that about them now that I don't live in that decade anymore. That’s why these two movies kind of make me nostalgic for that period, and I think they do a good job of encapsulating that era, for good (I think), or for ill.

But, what do you think? Have you come around on the Michael Bay-era Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies? I'd love to hear your thoughts!