--- title: "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" year: 2014 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-2014" fi1m_id: "teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-2014" imdb_id: "tt1291150" tmdb_id: 98566 wikidata_id: "Q9653404" fi1m_score: 40 critics_score: 41 critics_reviews: 21 published: "2026-10-05T13:25:05.117507+00:00" updated: "2026-10-05T13:25:05.599088+00:00" region: "AU" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014) Directed by Jonathan Liebesman · 1h 41m · ACB M · Science Fiction, Action, Adventure, Comedy ## Identity Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-2014 - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-2014 - **IMDb ID:** tt1291150 - **TMDB ID:** 98566 - **Wikidata ID:** Q9653404 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1291150/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/98566, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9653404 **Fi1m score: 40** · Critics 41 from 21 reviews *In a sentence:* Four turtles who can talk, a rat who can teach, and a villain who is essentially a walking knife drawer > Jonathan Liebesman’s reboot gets the turtles themselves right and gives them one long, inventive slide down a mountain. Everything around them is exposition, noise and a plot nobody bothered to finish. Children of nine will manage; the rest of us checked our watches. ## Synopsis New York, and the Foot Clan are robbing the docks and taking hostages on the subway. April O’Neil (Megan Fox) reports for Channel 6, where her editor Bernadette Thompson (Whoopi Goldberg) keeps her on puff pieces and her cameraman Vern Fenwick (Will Arnett) keeps asking her to dinner. She wants a real story, and one night at the docks she watches a shadow stop a robbery on its own. The shadow turns out to be four of them: Leonardo (Pete Ploszek, voiced by Johnny Knoxville), Raphael (Alan Ritchson), Donatello (Jeremy Howard) and Michelangelo (Noel Fisher), turtles trained in the sewers by a rat named Splinter (Danny Woodburn, voiced by Tony Shalhoub). April has seen them before, and takes what she knows to Eric Sacks (William Fichtner), the industrialist who once worked alongside her father. ## Review Jonathan Liebesman’s [*Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles*](https://film.one/film/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles) has one job, which is to make four computer-animated turtles into company worth keeping for 101 minutes, and for stretches it manages it. The turtles are the best thing in it. Almost everything they are asked to do, apart from one long slide down a mountain, is not. Josh Appelbaum, André Nemec and Evan Daugherty have written a story that is explained rather than told, and most of the explaining happens while the turtles wait in the next room. The motion-capture gives each brother a body of his own. Alan Ritchson’s Raphael walks like a nightclub doorman who has been asked to leave. Jeremy Howard’s Donatello hunches under taped glasses and a backpack of scavenged electronics. Noel Fisher plays Michelangelo as a boy who learned to talk from television and is pleased with the results. Pete Ploszek carries Leonardo’s body and Johnny Knoxville supplies the voice, and the join shows; the voice is older and flatter and seems to come from somewhere outside the sewer. The faces have noses and lips now, which the rubber suits of the 1990 film did not, and we stopped minding after twenty minutes. The lift is where the film is happiest. Four turtles, one slow ride, nobody speaking, and Michelangelo starts tapping a beat on the wall until the others pick it up. It lasts about a minute. We laughed out loud, which we had not expected to, and the reason is simple: Glen Scantlebury and Joel Negron hold the shot and let the joke build instead of cutting away from it. Nothing else in the film trusts the turtles for that long. The mountain is the other reason to stay. The brothers, April and Vern go down a snow-covered road on shells, tyres and truck roofs, with the Foot Clan firing from alongside, and Lula Carvalho keeps the camera low and moving with them so we can tell who is sliding where and what will hit them next. It is the one sequence in which the shells are used for anything, and the one in which the action can be read. Brian Tyler’s score for it is drums and brass turned up loud, which here, and only here, matches what is happening. The rest is a briefing. The script has a laboratory, a fire and the contents of April’s father’s notebooks to account for, and it accounts for them by having people stand in rooms and say it, usually to April, who nods. William Fichtner is a dependable screen menace and is handed nothing but speeches. Tohoru Masamune’s Shredder is bolted into a mechanical suit bristling with so many blades that he is less a swordsman than a piece of farm machinery. Neil Spisak’s sewer lair, built from salvage, is the one set with any character; the rest could belong to any film of this kind. We were bored through the middle forty minutes and then cross about being bored, because the turtles were right there and nobody would let them do anything. The humans are a problem the film made for itself. Megan Fox is asked to be our way in and given a character who runs towards things, writes them down and gets told off by her editor. She is not bad; she is unhelped. Will Arnett has three dry lines as Vern and makes each one count. Whoopi Goldberg gets one scene behind a desk. The best voice in the film is Tony Shalhoub’s, which gives Splinter a patience and a faint amusement the animated face cannot manage on its own, and the fight between Splinter and the Shredder is the only one in which we cared who was winning. Set against the 1990 film and its rubber suits, this is slicker and emptier. That one was cheap and knew it and was about four brothers in a sewer. This one is produced by Michael Bay and looks it: the colour is orange and slate, the camera rarely sits still, and the city is somewhere to be knocked down rather than lived in. Liebesman has kept the turtles’ origin intact and lost the reason anyone was fond of them. Most critics landed close to where we have, and the few who enjoyed it enjoyed the same two scenes we did. Children of nine or so will have a fine time with the lift and the mountain and will not mind the briefings. Adults could do worse than watch the chase and then go and put the kettle on. *Fi1m score 40, published 5 October 2026.* ## What the critics say Most critics find this relaunch a muddled, rather joyless business that trades the boyish fun of earlier versions for noise. Only one of the twenty-one reviews is positive. The praise that exists clusters in two places: the motion-captured Turtles themselves, whose movement and banter several reviews call convincing and occasionally funny, and a single chase down a snowy mountain, which even the harshest notices single out as the film’s inventive highlight. The complaints are consistent. The human characters are thin, the origin story is rushed and heavy on exposition, and the humour feels bolted onto an anonymous action film. The spread is wide, from Eye for Film, which finds it surprisingly enjoyable, to Consequence, which calls it a cacophonous cash grab. Screen Daily goes furthest, likening the Turtles to green-skinned Transformers. ## Straight answers **Is Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles worth watching?** *Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles* (2014) is worth watching only for children of about nine and for anyone curious about the turtles themselves, and we scored it 40. The motion-capture gives each brother a body of his own, and a lift scene and a long slide down a snowy mountain are the two sequences that work. The rest is people standing in rooms explaining the plot while the turtles wait next door. **How long is Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and what is it rated?** *Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles* runs 1h 41m and is rated M by the ACB in Australia. It is a science fiction and action film. **Where can I watch Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in Australia?** *Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles* is streaming on Paramount+, Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV in Australia, and it is also available to rent from Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV from A$4.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service. **How violent or frightening is Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and is it suitable for children?** *Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles* (2014) is a 12A, and its violence is the loud, bloodless kind the certificate suggests: dock robberies, hostages on the subway, martial-arts fights and a mountain chase with the Foot Clan firing from alongside. The Shredder is bolted into a suit bristling with blades, which looks more like farm machinery than anything frightening. Children of nine or so will manage it without trouble; the squeamish have little to fear beyond noise. **How does Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles compare to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?** *Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles* (2014) is slicker and emptier than the 1990 film, and the earlier one is the version we recommend. Steve Barron's film was cheap, used rubber suits and a real sewer, and was about four brothers you could tell apart in the dark. Jonathan Liebesman's reboot keeps the origin, improves the faces and loses the reason anyone was fond of the characters; choose it only for the mountain chase. **What should I watch after Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?** After *Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles*, try [*Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles*](https://film.one/film/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles) (1990, Fi1m 71): Rubber suits, a real sewer and four brothers you can tell apart in the dark. Then [*Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem*](https://film.one/film/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-mutant-mayhem) (2023, Fi1m 77): The same origin drawn by hand, with turtles who sound like actual teenagers; and [*Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse*](https://film.one/film/spider-man-into-the-spider-verse) (2018, Fi1m 87): What an animated hero film looks like when every frame has been thought about. ### Reviews we read (21) - **RogerEbert.com** (64/100, inferred): The page could not be read, so the critic’s verdict cannot be established. No specific praise or complaint is available from the accessible text. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-2014) - **The New York Times** (64/100, inferred): The page could not be accessed, so the critic’s verdict is unavailable. No praise or complaint can be confirmed from the provided content. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/08/movies/movie-review-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles.html) - **The AV Club**, A.A. Dowd (C+): Dowd finds the reboot perfunctory, preserving the Turtles’ origins but losing their boyish fun. He praises the energetic, cartoonish action and expressive digital Turtle performances, while criticizing the bland human characters. [Read](https://avclub.com/michael-bay-preserves-the-origins-but-not-the-fun-of-1798181071) - **Radio Times**, Alan Jones (3/5): Jones finds the film an entertaining ride despite its overblown approach. He praises its balance of pop-culture banter, cartoon action and family friendliness. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-so0ser/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles/) - **IndieWire**, Gabe Toro (C-): Toro finds the film nonsensical and often unpleasant, though its action sequences provide some genuine highlights. He particularly praises the imaginative, gravity-defying snow-mountain fight and the lifelike motion of the turtles. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/culture/review-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-starring-megan-fox-will-arnett-and-more-273791/) - **The Hollywood Reporter**, Justin Lowe (45/100, inferred): Lowe finds the film an uneven but energetic franchise return, with its strengths offset by a slow setup and weak human characters. He praises the convincing turtle performances and polished visual effects, while noting the action and cartoonish violence may wear thin. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-film-723074/) - **Variety**, Justin Chang (45/100, inferred): Chang finds the film neither particularly good nor the franchise-destroying disaster some feared, and says it relies too heavily on fan loyalty. He praises a ridiculous, entertaining action sequence but faults the Turtles’ photorealistic designs for lacking the earlier versions’ soul. [Read](https://variety.com/2014/film/reviews/film-review-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-1201274733/) - **Time Out**, Joshua Rothkopf (2/5): The two-star rating indicates a negative verdict. The available description singles out April’s station steering her toward puff pieces, but the review text is unavailable. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-1) - **Vulture**, Bilge Ebiri (35/100, inferred): Ebiri finds the reboot too serious and lumbering to be much fun, despite occasional entertaining moments. He praises the inventive snowy-mountain chase, while faulting the humor for feeling bolted onto an anonymous action film. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/2014/08/movie-review-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles.html) - **Evening Standard**, Charlotte O'Sullivan (30/100, inferred): O’Sullivan finds the film intellectually and emotionally worn out, though it has occasional perverse brio. She singles out the snowy-hill chase as its special-effects highlight and criticizes Megan Fox’s miscasting. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-film-review-megan-fox-is-miscast-as-a-smart-cookie-9801866.html) - **Los Angeles Times**, Mark Olsen (30/100, inferred): Olsen finds the film half-hearted and ultimately forgettable, though not wholly terrible. He singles out the snowy mountain action sequence for its snap and specificity. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-review-20140808-story.html) - **Screen Daily**, Tim Grierson (25/100, inferred): Grierson’s visible verdict is sharply negative, likening the turtles to green-skinned Transformers. The complaint singled out in the standfirst is the film’s apparent resemblance to that franchise. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles/5075865.article) - **Empire**, Olly Richards (20/100, inferred): Richards finds the film a joyless, muddled misfire that fails to make its silliness fun. He particularly criticizes its underwritten characters and thin plot, as well as its focus on violence over humor. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-3-review/) - **The Guardian**, Jordan Hoffman (20/100, inferred): Hoffman finds the film a lazy, dreary relaunch that will entertain mainly young children. He praises the inventive snowy-hill action sequence for making distinctive use of the turtles’ shells. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/aug/07/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-2014-review) - **Eye for Film**, Angus Wolfe Murray (70/100, inferred): Wolfe Murray finds this overplayed franchise entry surprisingly enjoyable. He praises the care put into the production and April’s appeal as a character viewers want to follow. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-2014-film-review-by-angus-wolfe-murray) - **Den of Geek**, Mike Cecchini (2.5/5): Cecchini finds the film a passable, faithful kids’ adventure but says its strengths cannot overcome its shortcomings. He praises the well-realized, funny Turtles, especially their elevator scene, while criticizing the exposition-heavy pacing and frenetic action. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-review/) - **/Film**, Germain Lussier (3.5/10): Lussier finds the film disposable and emotionally flat, with a rushed plot that leaves its characters underdeveloped. He praises the Turtles’ elevator beat-boxing scene as funny and charming, and their visual effects as impressive. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/533124/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-review/) - **HeyUGuys**, Stefan Pape (35/100, inferred): Pape finds the film entertaining but overly familiar and generic. He praises the Shredder as a formidable threat, while criticizing the rushed origin story and weak character writing. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-review/) - **Digital Spy**, Ben Rawson-Jones (25/100, inferred): The critic finds the film dull, cynical and poorly written, a comparative misfire despite its appeal to young viewers. They praise the turtles’ design and dynamic movement as the film’s main strength. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a600002/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-review-a-shell-shocking-cowa-blunder/) - **The Wrap**, Alonso Duralde (25/100, inferred): The critic finds the reboot hollow and uneven, with only a few thrills and laughs. They single out the turtles’ unappealing CGI designs and incoherent action for particular criticism. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-review-michael-bay-megan-fox/) - **Consequence**, Blake Goble (10/100, inferred): Goble pans the film as a cacophonous, misguided cash grab. He praises the motion-captured Turtles’ rendering and the enthusiasm of some performers, but finds the effects eerie and the humor and story lacking. [Read](https://consequence.net/2014/08/film-review-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles/) ## Details - **Director:** Jonathan Liebesman - **Director:** Jonathan Liebesman - **Writer:** Evan Daugherty, Josh Appelbaum, André Nemec - **Cinematography:** Lula Carvalho - **Editor:** Joel Negron, Glen Scantlebury - **Music:** Brian Tyler - **Production design:** Neil Spisak - **Producer:** Andrew Form, Michael Bay, Scott Mednick - **Cast:** Pete Ploszek as Leonardo; Alan Ritchson as Raphael; Jeremy Howard as Donatello; Noel Fisher as Michelangelo; Megan Fox as April O'Neil; Will Arnett as Vern Fenwick; William Fichtner as Eric Sacks; Danny Woodburn as Splinter - **Runtime:** 1h 41m - **Certificate (ACB):** M - **Release (Australia):** 11 September 2014 - **Genres:** Science Fiction, Action, Adventure, Comedy - **Budget:** $125 million - **Box office:** $485 million - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwXFsrp6WBs ## Where to watch in Australia - Paramount+: streaming, hd - Amazon Prime Video: add-on, uhd - Apple TV: add-on, hd - Amazon Prime Video: rent A$4.99, uhd - Apple TV: rent A$4.99, hd - Amazon Prime Video: buy A$14.99, uhd - Apple TV: buy A$14.99, hd *Checked 2026-10-05.* Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, ID, IE, IL, IN, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, TH, TR, UA, US, VN, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## Awards - Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Movie 2015: Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Movie (nominated) ## If you liked this - *Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles* (1990), Fi1m 71: Rubber suits, a real sewer and four brothers you can tell apart in the dark. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles.md) - *Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem* (2023), Fi1m 77: The same origin drawn by hand, with turtles who sound like actual teenagers. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-mutant-mayhem.md) - *Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse* (2018), Fi1m 87: What an animated hero film looks like when every frame has been thought about. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/spider-man-into-the-spider-verse.md) - *Kung Fu Hustle* (2004): Cartoon violence done properly, with jokes that land and fights you can follow. - *Attack the Block* (2011), Fi1m 84: Kids versus monsters on a south London estate, cheap, quick and funny. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/attack-the-block.md) --- © Fi1m Ltd. 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