It's a blend of technology with real-life drama and action thrown in for good measure.

MOVIE TITLE: TMNT (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)

RATING:

RUNNING TIME: 87 mins.

BONUS FEATURES: Alternate ending beginning, interviews with cast, behind the scenes, etc.

WHO'S IN IT: Patrick Stewart (X-Men trilogy), Laurence Fishbourne (Matrix trilogy), Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy The Vampire Slayer) and Chris Evans (Fantastic Four).

WHAT IT'S ABOUT: In this teen/kiddie movie, turtles Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo and Donatello have defeated their nemesis The Shredder. But they face a more serious threat when industrialist Maximillian Winters (Patrick Stewart) summons a band of Ninjas to capture 13 monsters let loose 3,000 years ago when Winters tried to absorb the powers of 13 stars tha

But the invincibility that the stars should have brought him and his brotherhood backfired, as he became immortal and members of his brotherhood become stones. Fast forward to the present, where the story heats up. Leonardo is in the jungles of Central America, where rat sensei Splinter sent him to become a better leader. Raphael becomes a vigilante, Michelangelo is a clown at kiddie parties and Donatello is a listening ear at a call centre.

No longer a family

The turtles are no longer a family and April Oniel (Gellar) tells Leonardo this when she goes to Central America to retrieve the final statue in Winter's brotherhood. But when Winter's brotherhood is revived things take an eventful twist and the turtles are called upon to rescue New York City.

But,before this can happen they must unite, a quest that will prove difficult. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is one the youngsters will enjoy and definitely one that TMNT fans will want in their collection. It has a storyline and the usual turtle humour has been thrown in for good measure. Where it falls down is in the final minutes.

The movie has a good build-up but the end is somewhat anti-climactic. One would have expected a much better fight scene at the end as, after all, kiddie/action/super hero flicks generally have brutal final fight scenes (unless Hollywood wants a sequel). But, in the case of TMNT, the end is a bit tame and one suspects that the directors may be in their CG labs drawing up a sequel. Nevertheless, the movie manages to hold its own and so manages to provide enough entertainment for its fans. For those who enjoy a good movie regardless of the genre, the wait continues.

LONG STORY SHORT: It's a blend of technology with real-life drama and action thrown in for good measure.

THE REEL LOW-DOWN: If you liked Superman Returns, Batman and Spiderman you'll like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

It's a blend of technology with real-life drama and action thrown in for good measure.

Animated

Action

Ratings:

★ Save your money
★★ Poor
★★★ Average
★★★★ Great
★★★★★ Must-see