Movie Review -- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows

Today we have the sequel to 2014's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Is it any good? Let's find out.

As the story opens, the Ninja Turtles are helping April O'Neil (Megan Fox) investigate shady scientist Baxter Stockman (Tyler Perry) who she suspects is working for Shredder (Brian Tee) who has been in prison following his defeat in the previous movie. She is soon proven correct when she hacks into one of Stockman's devices, and soon the Foot Clan springs Shredder from police custody despite the turtles' valiant efforts to stop them. Security guard Casey Jones (Stephen Amell) takes the blame for the escape, and decides to redeem himself by hunting down two of the other escapees, Bebop (Gary Anthony Williams) and Rocksteady (WWE's Sheamus).

Meanwhile, Shredder is summoned by interdimensional warlord Krang (Brad Garrett) to help him reassemble the pieces of a teleporter which would allow him to bring his mighty fortress, the Technodrome, into our world to conquer it. Shredder agrees and recruits Bebop and Rocksteady, injecting them with a mysterious substance which transforms them into really strong (but really really stupid) animals.

The turtles get wind of the plot, but when they discover a potential solution to their appearance problem, they become divided and find it difficult to trust each other. But they'd better move quickly, as the forces of evil are well within sight of their ultimate goal. Will they take the easy way out, or will they stand strong and face a world that hates and fears them?

As a Ninja Turtles fan all my life, this movie is the answer to my fanboy prayers. It's got everything a fan could want. We finally get to see Bebop, Rocksteady and Krang on the big screen, and they're not complete jokes like in the old cartoon. They're actually suitably threatening and give the turtles a run for their money. The movie's also got great action, though the jokes are hit or miss. This film simply hits all the right notes, and Ninja Turtles fans old and new will love it.

Honestly, I don't know where they go from here. It's going to be hard to top this one.