“It’s pizza time.” —Batman
Today’s quick review: Batman vs Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. While investigating a series of robberies in Gotham, Batman (Troy Baker) finds something unexpected: the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Eric Bauza, Darren Criss, Kyle Mooney, and Baron Vaughn). After a brief conflict, the heroes find that they have something in common: Shredder (Andrew Kishino) has allied himself with Ra’s al Ghul (Cas Anvar) and has a plan to bring Gotham to its knees.
Batman vs Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is an animated superhero team-up movie. The crossover sees Batman and his allies join forces with Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Donatello to stop a pair of fiendish villains and their ninja clans. The movie holds appeal as a comedy and an adventure, achieving a fun blend of the universes and a fair amount of action. However, its somewhat basic story and odd nature won’t appeal to everyone.
Batman vs Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles finds interesting ways to combine the worlds of Batman and the Turtles. The plans and ninja henchmen of Ra’s al Ghul and Shredder are the most obvious point of overlap, but the movie also brings in Batgirl (Rachel Bloom), Robin (Ben Giroux), and Alfred (Brian George) for the Turtles to interact with. The jokes aren’t all winners, but enough of them hit the mark to make the movie an entertaining watch.
Batman vs Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is on slightly shakier ground with its story. Around half of the film is spent on setup, while the remaining half is a straight team-up. The movie gets the basics right but skews generic, feeling more like a spin-off of a Saturday morning cartoon than a cohesive story in its own right. The two franchises blend well enough, but most of what they gain is in the form of character interactions and humor.
Batman vs Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is worth a watch for fans of either franchise. Those who prefer the serious side of Batman won’t get much out of it; its story has no illusions of grandeur. But those who are intrigued by the premise, enjoy the characters, or simply want a bit of superhero action should give it a shot. Batman vs Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is not an outstanding entry into the genre, but it does deliver what it promises.
For a light-hearted Batman adventure in a similar vein, try Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders. For an even goofier Batman adventure, try The Lego Batman Movie or Batman Ninja. For a more dramatic, live-action take on Ra’s al Ghul, try Batman Begins.
7.2 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 for light-hearted fun.