I am beyond glad that the story for this film was actually taken from the Turtles' universe. It made it so much better! (Mind blown, right?) The Turtles finally take center stage and command the screen from beginning to end, with great plot pacing and good character development - especially in Leo. Casey Jones was a good addition to the team; I thought Stephen Amell was a great choice for him...and at first I was like "where's his long hair?" but after having seen the movie a few times I think that shorter hair suits this version of Casey better. We also finally get to see some legit Shredder action, whereas in the first movie he hid in the shadows all the way up until the final battle. Although Shredder did not physically fight like he did in the first film, he was at least more active in and in control of his clan's work this time. It was great to see Baxter Stockman become a more prominent character in this film (casting choice for him was on point, by the way), as well as seeing Bebop and Rocksteady make their first live-action appearance. I thought their characters were portrayed excellently, and the brief battle between them and the Turtles was a ton of fun to watch. As for Krang...it was awesome to see him make his first live-action appearance as well, and despite my personal opinions about his voice he was certainly a force to be reckoned with! I look forward to seeing him return in the next movie.
I really appreciate that this movie is more Turtle-focused than April-focused. I mean...let's be real. In the first movie, we didn't fully see the Turtles for the first time until about fifteen to twenty minutes in. In this movie, they are the FIRST characters we see, and we don't see April until about ten or fifteen minutes in. That is a great turnaround! I also really appreciate that this time, the Foot Clan are actually NINJAS instead of standard NYC criminals with guns. They fight like ninjas and never once pull out a weapon that isn't a sword or shuriken. (Oh, and the credits song? Best credits song ever!)
Truly, the only issue I've had with this movie from the first time I saw it to now that I've seen it a few times is Krang. I'm thrilled that he was introduced into this movie universe, I thought that he played an important part in the story and of course his final battle against the Turtles was fantastic. His android body was an excellent blend of the retro look with a more modern twist (unlike the over-the-top Shredder suit from the first movie). Everything about him as a character was great and enjoyable...except for one thing. His voice actor.
Whoever thought that Brad Garrett was a good voice acting choice for Commander Krang needs assistance in making good decisions. I'm not naive - of course Krang cannot always sound like the 80's Krang (and honestly, I'm glad they didn't try to duplicate that voice), and every version of him is unique (like with the 2003 and 2012 series), but here's the thing. So far as we're aware, Krang is not part of a race of Kraang - he is KRANG. The only Krang. Like, an individual instead of a species. With this being the case, clearly this film's version of him was trying to pull inspiration from the 80's. Again, I didn't expect him to sound like 80's Krang, nor did I want him to. But when trying to portray Krang as an individual, there is a right and wrong way to do so. Perhaps part of this has to do with the fact that Krang's character as a whole was different, but still - Brad Garrett was a terrible choice of voice. His style of voicing Krang portrayed the character as a laidback, chill, backstabbing alien who saw Earth as just another trophy to add to his growing list of "worlds I've destroyed for fun." This is not the Krang that Turtles fans know to be confident, demanding, focused, and power-hungry. I will admit that "Out of the Shadows" nailed his attitude towards Shredder and all other beings in general, but this is only one saving grace in a line of mistakes that could have easily been avoided with a better voice actor. Anyone can sound nonchalant - it takes a great voice to pull off an evil alien warlord hell-bent on expanding his empire. Brad Garrett did not deliver this type of voice at all. I have nothing against him as a person or even as an actor - I've heard him voice other characters in other films and portray them very well. I simply do not agree with Brad Garrett as the voice of Krang.
One thing I noticed that this movie did not address in the slightest is what ever happened to Eric Sacks. He was never mentioned, his face was never seen anywhere, his companies were never mentioned, cleanup of the disaster that took place on top of his business building was never explained. It's like he never existed. While most people who saw the first film probably assume that he was in prison somewhere in the sequel, his being alive but put away doesn't explain why he was never at least mentioned briefly. In light of all of this, I propose a new theory. In the final battle against Eric Sacks, Vern hit him over the head with a microscope - those things are heavy, and head injuries are never minor. This, in addition to no mention of him in "Out of the Shadows," leads me to believe that he died from the injury. I don't know this for certain, but until further notice, it is my personal theory.
The ending of this film leaves it wide open for several different story options. In the absence of the Shredder, we may see Karai step up as leader of the Foot Clan. We might get to see the briefly mentioned "facility in Tokyo" and learn whether Shredder has established an empire there. We may get some more backstory. There are also questions to be answered. What will happen to Bebop and Rocksteady? Obviously Krang will return, but when he does, will he bring an army? Will there be a full-out war that could possibly involve the Triceratons? (There was one frozen on his ship next to Shredder - just saying!) Will we learn more about the alien commander, his story, where he comes from, why he's on the warpath? Will Shredder return? If he does, what will that be like? Wherever the filmmakers decide to take it, as long as the third movie is done in the way this one was, it will be amazing. I can't wait to see it!
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