Things Only Adults Notice In TMNT: Mutant Mayhem

The iconic heroes in a half shell return to the big screen for a new animated adventure in "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem" — where they're given a refreshed origin story and face new villains. "Mutant Mayhem" follows the titular turtles as they deal with their desires to walk among humans despite the disapproval of their mentor/father figure Splinter (voiced by Jackie Chan). However, when they cross paths with a band of mutants led by the infamous Superfly (voiced by Ice Cube), the turtles are forced to take action. Now, with the help of high school reporter April O'Neil (voiced by Ayo Edebiri), the turtles embark on a dangerous quest to stop Superfly and understand what it means to be heroes. 

While the film's younger depiction of its turtle heroes would make it seem like it's geared more towards kids, there's actually a lot for adults and older viewers to enjoy. "TMNT" is already a very nostalgic property, but there are fresh points of view that parents and older fans can have looking at the newest iteration of the franchise. From questionable choices by characters to some nostalgic pop culture nods, there are many new perspectives and ideas that adults might think about as they leave the theater. So let's take a look at things only adults will notice in "Mutant Mayhem." 

There's no question that Master Splinter defines what it means to be a great father and displays a sense of wisdom and respect that shouldn't go unnoticed. But it is a little questionable that he would let his teenage sons have deadly weapons. When it's shown that Splinter teaches the turtles how to fight through old martial arts movies and educational videos he finds on VHS and YouTube, it's hard not to relate to it. Most parents nowadays likely turn to YouTube at some point just to teach their kids something or even educate themselves. But that doesn't mean that you give your children weapons that could injure someone else or themselves. 

Sure, by the time we see them as true ninja turtles, they're well equipped to handle their sharp and dangerous weapons. But they're still teenagers and have a reckless mentality that can't be easily suppressed. After all, they do nearly kill April with a ninja star when they are throwing their weapons at watermelons, and Donnie (voiced by Micah Abbey) does get stabbed in the leg with one of Raph's (voiced by Brady Noon) sai when they fight the thieves in the garage. The turtles would be nothing without their weapons, but putting these weapons in the hands of teenagers might not be the most well-thought-out plan — just saying. 

When the turtles head to April's high school, they discover that she's an outcast, largely due to an incident where she vomited on-camera while trying to read the morning announcements. She has mean names written all over her locker and now finds herself searching for a way to get people to see her in a different light. 

There's a lot for audiences to relate to with this incarnation of April, and adult viewers will especially understand and likely feel her pain. While the scenes of April puking are hilarious, adults can still empathize with that type of embarrassment or pressure because a lot of people probably feel like throwing up when the spotlight is on them or they're forced to make a pivotal decision. Many adults likely find themselves feeling the same pressure that April does, especially now with greater responsibilities in their lives. 

Adults will also recognize another source of April's pain: Given that years ago there weren't the same conversations around bullying that there are now, more adult viewers likely shared an experience similar to that of April and found themselves the target of bullies at school. So while April's story relates to modern teens, it also carries some unique aspects for adults as well.  

While "Mutant Mayhem" is a nostalgic experience simply because it's based on a long-running and meaningful pop culture franchise, there's also some added nostalgia for adults in just seeing the turtles be teenagers. Adult viewers watching the turtles at play in New York City, stay out past Splinter's deadlines, and just enjoy their freedom instantly brings adults back to their own teenage years. That's when the responsibilities and stakes didn't feel as high and there was so much time ahead of you that you got to fully live in the moment. Even the way that the turtles are just so unabashed about their energy and how much they get to be themselves is reminiscent of those teenage years. 

It's not to say that there aren't pros to being an adult, but watching these teen heroes frolicking feels like an authentic trip back in time. It's an experience that instantly acts as a heartwarming and personal trek down memory lane. 

They've never been able to truly interact with humans, but the turtles constantly hope that they can one day live among and be accepted by them. Their biggest wish is that they can even attend high school with other kids their age and begin to explore their own interests. While it's easy to be swept up in the turtles' hopes and dreams, adult viewers might be a little more skeptical of their high school fantasies simply from experience. It's great that the turtles have such relatable and heartfelt aspirations. But — just based on April's experience alone — they should be a little more realistic. 

If movies have taught them anything, it's that high school can be a vicious place where the formation of both crushing self-doubt and cliques can cause kids to feel unwanted. Yes, there are more communities and friend groups to join nowadays thanks to more diverse viewpoints and activities. But high school is still a place where unrelenting hormones, immense pressures, and damaging group mentalities put unwanted stress on teenagers. High school can be an excellent learning experience — both educationally and socially — but the turtles are likely in for a reality check when they walk through those doors, because it's not going to be as easy or pleasant as their innocent fantasies. 

To be honest, parents and adult viewers will likely find themselves relating to Splinter more than they ever did before — especially when it comes to the turtles disobeying his orders. The sheer idea of Splinter's kids not listening to him will instantly connect with parents. When they stay out past curfew or keep their activities a secret, adult viewers will likely struggle to not side with Splinter a bit. After all, he did experience humans trying to harm him and his kids when he went to the human world. So his caution is justified — albeit maybe a little overbearing. 

There are really a bunch of ways that parents relate to Splinter more this time around. HIs attempts to reconnect with his kids in slightly embarrassing but heartfelt ways easily speaks to parents much more and that scene of him looking at photos of them all will probably hit adults right in the gut. Even the realization he has about his parenting and letting his kids make their own discoveries is a moment that adults will recognize as a lesson for them instead of younger viewers. So despite some parents and adult viewers coming into "Mutant Mayhem" totally loving the turtles, they might come out relating to Splinter in a completely unexpected way.

Despite being stuck in the sewers for most of their lives, movies and pop culture are a prevalent part of the turtles' DNA. Throughout the film, they're constantly quoting movie references and even find time to catch "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" one night at an outdoor screening. Yet what will stick for adult viewers through all the winks and pop culture nods is the impact that movies have on us when we're young and how they shape us as people. The coming-of-age genre has always done a great job making audiences of that age think about what they're going through and having moments of self-reflection that make us better. 

Adults that grew up with the films of John Hughes certainly know that feeling well, as films like "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" and "The Breakfast Club" found ways to capture the voice of that generation. Every generation finds some sort of film, show, or story that opens them up in a way they didn't expect and leaves an impact that people carry with them. For the turtles, Ferris Bueller represents the way they want to be perceived by humans and the confidence they want to carry into each day. Even Donnie's love for anime is a part of who he is and a key way that he stands out among the group. Movies really do have meaning, and older viewers will see that with "Mutant Mayhem." 

When the turtles are trying to escape in a van that's carrying the last piece to Superfly's dangerous machine, Superfly catches up to them and bursts through the van doors. When he shows up, he says the line, "Six in the morning, police at my door." For younger viewers, this line might seem totally random and a little weird. However, it's actually a reference to the song "6 N' The Mornin'" by rapper and "Law and Order: SVU" alum Ice-T. Given that Ice-T's heyday was back in the late 80s and early 90s, it's not too surprising that younger viewers wouldn't pick up on this reference. 

Older viewers, however, easily have a chance of knowing the reference, which acts as a subtle nod to a classic rapper. If you're a huge fan of '80s rap or grew up in that era, then it's certainly worth listening for this line and getting a little dose of nostalgia that's definitely targeted for more adult viewers. If you're a parent watching "Mutant Mayhem," you could take a little pride in knowing one reference among all the other nods toward more modern cartoons, movies, and music. 

With "Mutant Mayhem" featuring so many different references and Easter eggs connected to modern pop culture, adult viewers will quickly see the film as a kind of litmus test for how well they know that culture. As the turtles crack jokes about the internet or make references to iconic cartoon characters or musicians, you're either along for the ride or completely lost. For adult viewers, if you find yourself in the second camp, the crushing reality of realizing how old you are might set in and it'll be a tough pill to swallow. There's a specific moment during the van chase escape where a song plays that ties to the He-Man meme, which will especially establish your age and knowledge of the modern internet. 

"Mutant Mayhem" is honestly such a perfect and simple pop culture test that it would be kind of fun to bring the whole family along and see which references stump people. The reality is, however, that some might not want to know the results. Adult viewers will likely come out of "Mutant Mayhem" either feeling younger or older than ever before.  

The character designs and new art style for "Mutant Mayhem" are top-notch and bring a fresh visual look to an iconic franchise. However, it's hard for adult viewers to ignore some of the hairstyles that some of these mutants have, simply because they may trigger bad memories. From Splinter's mullet to the locks hanging off the back of Superfly's head, the hair on some of these characters just scream the '70s and '80s. For adults that had either these poofy, curly hairstyles at one point or parents who wore them, these visual reminders aren't pleasant ones and likely bring back some recollections they didn't need. 

Older viewers will probably find themselves wincing and slightly recoiling just thinking about times where these hairstyles were all over the place and considered "stylish." Everyone can make a hairstyle look good if they have the confidence to go with it, but that won't stop adult viewers from looking at the coiffure of certain characters in "Mutant Mayhem" and realizing with a heavy sigh how real that hair was at one point. 

When the turtles are ready to take on all the crime bosses connected to Superfly, they engage in a big fight sequence that's clearly inspired by an iconic action scene from 20 years earlier. With it being filmed from the side and edited as one ongoing battle, there's no doubt that this scene is paying homage to the hallway fight scene in "Oldboy." With "Oldboy" still being culturally impactful and recognized, it's not shocking to see "Mutant Mayhem" tip its hat to an all-time classic. However, it's a reference that might go over a lot of younger viewers' heads. But it's another more adult-centric reference that older viewers could easily recognize and love. 

Given that "Oldboy" came out back in 2003 and has some subject matter that isn't kid-friendly, it's not like a lot of younger viewers would even know of the film's existence. So, this great homage to "Oldboy" in "Mutant Mayhem" is purely for adults and another strong reference that'll make older viewers feel seen. 

In a time where authenticity and bias are being heavily scrutinized when it comes to news outlets, "Mutant Mayhem" presents its own depiction of how the major news outlets can negatively impact society — something adult viewers will undoubtedly take note of. Just as the final battle against Superfly kicks off, news outlets are seen covering the event but blaming the turtles and other innocent mutants for what's happening. There's even a reporter who questions if the mutants should be captured or killed — which is the type of reckless reporting that can be deeply harmful. 

Older viewers will easily see the deeper ties this sequence has to reality and how important it is to prioritize fact-checking and patience over quick reactions with no basis in truth. "Mutant Mayhem" surprisingly nails its depictions of damaging, unchecked media coverage, and adult viewers might definitely come away with strong thoughts about their media consumption and how they perceive the news. Maybe it even starts a generational conversation around the news — the moment when the turtles are being villainized by the media will certainly stick with adults more than anybody. 

Along with its depictions of toxic news coverage, adults will also notice how cruel and even violent people can be toward something they don't understand. Sure, if any of us walked outside right now and mutated versions of animals were walking around or trying to talk to us, we would be understandably shocked, afraid, and concerned. But that doesn't mean that we should want to see them dead or chase after them until they are wiped out of existence. Even when Splinter talks about that one person who chased him into an alley with a baseball bat, it's hard to wrap our heads around what made that person so hateful and vicious towards the wise mutant rat.

Adult viewers will really come away from "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem" thinking about how we need to learn to react toward people and ideas we don't know with a little understanding and genuine care. Otherwise, we'll just turn into violent savages who spew hate at everything we don't initially understand. It's a lesson that's more important than ever for all ages to appreciate, but might be something that adult viewers connect with on a deeper level.