April Never Looked Better

TMNT opened on Friday and I, needless to say, was there for the event. I used to watch the cartoon on TV when I was little, and even though I had only seen the first movie (one was enough to realize how horrible they all were), I was excited about the new one. The reason was the visuals, of course. The whole movie was CGI, and the previews looked great. I was wary, though, because, let's be honest, I had a feeling the movie was going to be awful. I thought it was going to be campy beyond description. But I was prepared. I was ready. And I was surprised: the movie was actually… good.
Don't get me wrong. The movie's not great, but it is also far better than anybody would have expected (and that includes you, dear reader). The visual aspect is stunning. The designs are great, and the cartoony look of the characters is terrific. The bad guys look awesome (the statues are amazing), and Karai looks beyond cool. Casey Jones rocks, and April O'Neal looks hotter than ever. In a cartoony, big-eyed, pencil-thin waist sort of way, but hot nonetheless. Those eyes! That hair!) And the fact that Sarah Michelle Gellar was providing her voice didn't hurt, either.
But let's not forget the turtles themselves. With different shades of green and cranial structure, each turtle looks distinctive regardless of their mask color. And after noticing their big hands and feet (certainly bigger than expected), I nodded in understanding when I saw Jeff Matsuda was credited as the visual designer. It made sense.
The animation is outstanding, and the story is entertaining, with little camp. There is some, though, but it's kept to a minimum so as not to interfere with everything else. Some jokes fall flat, but, all in all, the story is okay. And the reason this is so is probably because of the "family" storyline, as opposed to the "gotta save the world" plot that can also be found in the film. If it was only about saving the world, the movie wouldn't be good at all. I think it's the dynamics between the main characters than make the film strong. But saying anything else would be spoiling parts of the movie, so let's leave it at that.
The music is also good, and even the pop songs that combine with the score didn't make me cringe. And talking about the score, there I was, sitting at the Rave, thinking how remarkably familiar the music was. Then the credits provided the explanation: it had been composed by Klaus Badelt, of Pirates of the Caribbean fame.
In conclusion, the movie is perfectly crafted, and entertaining enough to deserve your attention. And, if nothing else, you can always try to spot what character Kevin Smith provides the voice of. Enjoy!