TMNT Mutant Mayhem Article

How “Mutant Mayhem” reflects society today

By: Hannah Biondo

TMNT: Mutant Mayhem is kicking off a great box office report for the end of summer. The animated film has grossed $180 million as of October 22, 2023. The film has received a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes with critics praising the animation, voice performances, and action. The film is funny, action packed, and hits all the nostalgia notes just right.

I’ve seen the film 3 times in theaters. As a huge TMNT fan, I was impressed by how the turtles acted like teens. Voice actors Nicholas Cantu (Leo), Micah Abbey (Donnie), Shamon Brown Jr. (Mikey), and Brady Noon (Raph) had so much fun recording and it’s evident in their performances. Other supporting voice actors did a stellar job too.

But more than anything else, Mutant Mayhem provides a somewhat intense glance into today’s society. Though the film has the kid audience in mind, it has something for adults too.

Here’s a question: when you gaze around society today, what’s the first thought you think of? Is it the agendas we’re seeing being forced on others? If that is one of the answers, you’re not alone. In the past few years, the world has been in a bit of a decline. More division has occurred in this timeline alone. People shout vile thoughts on the Internet, the news covers horrible events and even the media (books, TV, and movies for example) promote popular opinions.

Now, you may ask, “How in the world does Mutant Mayhem relate to today’s society?” I’m glad you asked. Before diving in, I will spoil plot twists, so if you haven’t watched Mutant Mayhem, a spoiler warning is in effect.

Mutant Mayhem sees Leo, Donnie, Mikey, and Raph as sheltered teens who are curious about the human world. They’ve never interacted with humans, but can’t help being mesmerized by their daily activities. Their father Splinter is dismayed because of his tragic experience with humans.

When the four teens realize there’s been a string of “deadly thefts,” it hatches an idea of them being accepted by humans. To do so, they enlist the help of aspiring teen journalist April (voiced by The Bear star Ayo Edebiri). The teens discover Superfly (voiced by rapper Ice Cube) isn’t human, he’s a mutant housefly. Soon, they’re in over their heads and wonder if the “acceptance” idea is too far-fetched.

The film has themes of prejudice and acceptance. For the prejudice aspect, it’s manifested through Splinter and Superfly. Splinter (due to his previous experience with humans) believes all of them to be corrupt and harmful. Therefore, he’s strict to a fault, forbidding the turtles to leave their home except for grocery runs. When Leo admits of their whereabouts, it gets him and his brothers grounded.

Splinter later realizes however that not only was his view of humans wrong, his strictness drove a wedge between him and the turtles. He apologizes and encourages the turtles to be heroes in their own right. When the turtles end up saving the day (thanks to April’s honesty and some unexpected assistance), they are seen as heroes by their choice to do what is right.

Superfly, though similar to Splinter, has a different approach. He and his mutant gang tried being accepted by humans but were chased away instead. When Superfly tells his story to the turtles, the tone transforms from sweet to dark. He recalls nearly beating a man to death, then mentions why he’s building a machine: the ooze that created them would turn animals into mutants and let them reign over humans. In other words, humans are to be slaves and do their bidding.

The turtles object to this warped idealism, with Donnie noting that humans are “complicated creatures.” Splinter states “If we kill them, we are no better than they are." Even the mutant gang agrees and teams up with the turtles to stop Superfly.

With many agendas pushing us to the brink of discomfort, it’s hard to make the right choice. Some of us might prefer Splinter’s viewpoint: if people are so evil, then we shouldn’t trust them period. Others probably notice how the world has enforced Superfly’s view too: people must be controlled and told how to think. If somebody dares to challenge our thought process, we must tear them down at all costs.

But while Mutant Mayhem has this prejudice theme in mind, it graciously acknowledges how both sides are wrong. The film shows us that though people have different worldviews, we must treat them with respect even when we disagree on their stance.

Acceptance is another theme presented here. As mentioned, the turtles think that by saving New York, people will accept them. When the final battle scene happens, news reporters paint them in a negative light. Leo refuses to back down, stating, “Even though it looks like we'll never be accepted, I think we should still try to be heroes.” He then uses his brother’s interests to help them devise a plan for defeating Superfly.

The world we live in has used social media to influence people for, more often than not, the wrong reasons. The world has adopted different versions of their motto: “If it feels right, do it!” “You need this right now!” “If you want to be accepted, do what’s popular.” Those are empty promises: while whatever you do or say might be great in the moment or even for a few years, it’s fleeting. Our horrible actions have consequences and will haunt us for the rest of our lives.

One more aspect Mutant Mayhem touches on is PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). In the final battle scene, as a human approaches Splinter, the rat has some flashbacks to the angry human faces. He's anxious at first, but once the humans offer help, he accepts it. In a similar way, before the final battle occurs, Wingnut (voiced by Natasha Demetriou) states "I'd rather not murder tons of people, 'cause, like, what if I'm haunted by the faces of my victims in my sleep?" "Murder is a heavy burden," Leo replies.

When I first watched that scene in Mutant Mayhem, I was floored when Wingnut spoke her two cents. Given with how many school and everyday shootings we hear in the news daily, my heart lifted at that proclamation. A lot of people who have experienced PTSD might be feeling regret. I'm not speaking for everyone, but wouldn't be surprised if that's the case.

Mutant Mayhem hits the deep spot, but balances it with heroic actions. Viewers notice how the turtles work together as a team, putting their lives on the line for New York. April overcomes her anxiety to speak the truth about the mutants/turtles. Even humans lend a helping hand to defeat Superfly. Yes, Mutant Mayhem pushes boundaries with the mature themes, but it does so in a courageous and non-preachy way.

Indeed, Mutant Mayhem is so memorable, it’s officially my second favorite TMNT film to date. Not only

does the movie take delectation in bringing nostalgia, it encourages people to confabulate about relevant

themes. Mutant Mayhem has content concerns, but doesn’t dwell on them in a whorl. Rather, the film has a

redemptive side too. Mutant Mayhem exists as one of the best-animated films in 2023.