DVD Review - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Retreat!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Retreat!
Voice Cast: Seth Green, Sean Astin, Greg Cipes, Rob Paulsen, Mae Whitman, Josh Peck
Studio: Nickelodeon
Release Date: March 10, 2015
Retail: $14.98
ASIN: B00NGL7IUA
Running Time: 157 minutes
Rating: Not Rated
Buy Link: Amazon

Review:

Arriving on DVD from Nickelodeon this coming Tuesday is Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Retreat!, featuring the first seven episodes from the third season. Special features includes 7 Shorts: "The Mutation of a Scene."

Since its debut in 2012, TMNT has been a ratings hit for Nickelodeon, bringing in young and old fans to new incarnation. The series replaces with the traditional 2D animation with computer animation, but still has the humor that made the 1987 series so popular

Season Two ended with the four Turtles (Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, Raphael), April O'Neil and Casey Jones fleeing New York City after it was taken over by the Kraangs and Shredder. They take refuge at April's family's farmhouse. With Master Splinter left behind, the turtles feel lost, especially with Leonardo struggling to heal his wounds from the fallout. The turtles must regain their strength, so they can one day return to the city and stop their enemies once in for all.

The series' writers must have a love for old horror movies, as the first episode of the season, Within The Woods, the turtles must battle a strange plant creature wearing overalls and a feed sack (and later Casey's hockey mask). It's obvious that the producers were paying homage to the Friday the 13th films. The fifth episode, titled In Dreams, mixes elements of A Nightmare Elm Street & The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, where April & Casey must somehow figure out how to wake up the turtles, whom are all trapped in a nightmare world. Horror icons Robert England, John Kassir and Bill Mosely guest-voice in the episode.

While one would think that the turtles would find sometime to rest, but that isn't the case as the turtles must help protect a female Bigfoot from a hunter in A Foot Too Big. April's long-lost mother returns in Buried Secrets, though things are never what they appear to be. Michelangelo befriends the mutated frog Napoleon Bonafrog (voiced by Jon Heder) in The Croaking, but the rest of the Punk Frogs think the turtles, April and Casey are their enemies. Donatello helps Casey build a hot-rod in the attempt to catch the hot-rodding mutant Speed Demon in Race With The Demon. In the seventh and final episode on this DVD, Eyes Of The Chimera, Leonardo must find a way to overcome his fears and injuries to help save his brothers & friends from a mutated bird.

Growing up watching the original series, I was a little skeptical when Nickelodeon bought the TMNT franchise, but after watching the first episode, I was a big fan of the new series. I'm also a horror fan, so I appreciate the homage to the 80s' horror flicks this season, especially the episode In Dreams. The only downside this season is Seth Green taking over the voice of Leonardo. In the first episodes, he sounds nothing like Leo, but instead he just sounds like Seth Green. However, by Eyes Of The Chimera his voice is starting to sound better. Overall, the seven episodes on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Retreat! are some of the best episodes from the series. It delivers plenty of action and laughs for fans of all ages.

*Disclaimer - I received a complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.