The TMNT series is well known for its appeal and has been a staple of pop culture since before the current generation of teenagers was even conceived. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have evolved well over time, which is frequently necessary for a series to endure.
The Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie has been one of the most anticipated TMNT movies of the year, and now that it has finally arrived, we will tell you everything there is to know about the film and the scary enemies the Krang. Please be aware that the video will include significant spoilers before we continue.
Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – plot explained
For those who do not know, this film is a continuation of the similarly named Nickelodeon show that aired for a limited period of time. The events of the movie are based on what occurs in the program, therefore it is obvious that it is trying to appeal to the viewers. Although they make minor character alterations, there is not much of an impact on the overall continuity. The beginning of the film takes place in a post-apocalyptic 2044 New York City.
The fallen head of the Statue of Liberty serves as sufficient evidence for the observer to understand that the destruction has been extensive and of an enormous degree. The scene makes it clear that the world is in ruins. Leonardo and Michelangelo are fighting some kind of alien threat in this devastated world, and it looks like the opposition clearly outnumbers and overpowers them. With no hope of a turnaround, they open a time portal and their longtime ally Casey Jones is instructed to go back in time to put an end to the disaster before it could begin. Casey is given clear orders – find the key, and stop the Krang.
We are now back to the present times, and Leonardo is shown fooling around during training time. He is boasting about how high he can stack up pizza boxes on his head while climbing up a building. Raph is not pleased with the ignorance of his brothers because he realizes that a real threat will test their training and strength. Leo doesn’t seem to pay much attention to his brother’s words of advice, but their discussion is interrupted by the news of a crime taking place somewhere close.
Supervillain Warren Stone, and his accomplice Hypno-Potamus are stealing something, and the Turtles give chase. However, Leo doesn’t obey orders once again and shows no regard for teamwork. When Raph almost retrieves the stolen object, Leo’s mistake costs them terribly. They realize that the Foot Clan is actually behind the crime, and now, they have their hands on the stolen item. It is revealed that they have been after the stolen item for centuries, and the Turtles realize that the thing must be something truly dangerous.
Meanwhile, Casey stumbles across April, who is puzzled to find a picture of the Turtles with him. She brings him to the Turtles, but when Casey tells them about being from the future he becomes a laughing stock. Splinter, the rodent mentor of the turtles, is the only one who heard about the Krang, and he doesn’t laugh it off like the others. In fact, their worst fears turn out to be true when they find out that the key that Casey had come back to protect was actually the stolen item and already in the wrong hands.
They make a decision that they would go all out in retrieving and protecting the key at all costs – and it would require tons of teamwork, something that Leo hasn’t mastered yet. They hastily attack the Foot Clan while the latter were busy with their rituals to bring back the Krang, but the attempt is a bit too late. Once again, a non-coordinated move from Leo costs them badly and the portal is opened for the Krang to appear.
We see the first glimpse of the terrifying alien creature with fangs and tentacles, and the blob like monster proves to be far more powerful than the Turtles when they try to attack. The Krang shoots a powerful sonic beam from his mouth, and the Turtles are held back. He then summons his brother and sister, who have similar appearances, and they plan to rule over the Earth after thousands of years in captivity.
Leo makes a brave attempt and steals the key, but Raph realizes that the Turtles need an escape plan. He sends them off in escape pods, and when Leo is cornered, Raph sacrifices his own escape pod for his brother’s safety. The Krang imprisons him, and Leo watches helplessly as he shoots off to their den.
Luckily, the Turtles have the key, but Leo is determined to get his brother back. April and Splinter are charged with the safekeeping of the key, and the others head out to deal with the Krang. Back in captivity, Raph doesn’t reveal their hideout in spite of all the torture, but the Krang pushes one of his tentacles into his brain and gets the information anyway.
With forces out to retrieve the key, April and Splinter make a brave escape attempt in her bike. April in this movie is a welcome change from her usual demeanor. She is more than a handful fighter, and even after the Krang’s sister takes down the bike, she uses one of her secret weapons to immobilize it long enough to escape. Meanwhile, the rescue attempt went completely wrong, and guess what, it is Leo’s immaturity and overconfidence once again. Casey is extremely annoyed by this Leo because the Leo of his time was a very different person.
It occurs to Leo that he should focus on working as a team, and he also realizes that his brother Raph was right all along. The Krang show their true colors when the police try to stop them. Initially, they had transformed members of the Foot Clan to become like them, and this time they do the same with all the civilians, cops, and even the helicopters buzzing above the buildings. It is like an evil contagious force that simply moves on to others and contaminates them.
When Leo finally gets to Raph, he is shocked to find his brother transformed just like the others. It is a version of Raph that you will wish you never saw, tentacles popping out, and fiercely attacking Leo with no consciousness of his own identity. The Krang empire seems inevitable, and the scenes quickly turn to that of despair and destruction. It is almost like the Turtles are fighting for a lost cause.
Donatello and Michelangelo take control of the spaceship, and Leo gets a final chance to bring his brother back. When nothing seems to work, Leo stops fighting him and makes an emotional speech about how Raph was always right about him. Somehow, it works and Raph gets back his consciousness from his wretched state. What follows is pretty conventional and may we say, even confusing at times! Yes, the baddies are sent back to their realm, and Leo and Raph save the day. To better explain the climactic moments, we bring you the next segment where we break down the ending for you!
Ending Explained
It’s not like the movie is complicated enough for the ending to be explained, but we will still give it a shot. During the final stages of the fight with Krang, Leonardo gets stuck and he is quick to inform Casey that he must close the portal door on cue. This would mean that Leonardo would be trapped out of the Earth as well, but he is willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to save the world. His character has come a long way from the initial arrogance and over confidence, and he truly values teamwork now.
The other Turtles still don’t know what’s about to happen, and Casey has an emotional decision to make. Obey the orders of his idol and end up killing him as well or risk the safety of the world forever. Eventually, Leo loses the fight, and when he gives the final order to close the portal doors, Casey does so.
There is a blinding explosion in the skies, and the Turtles watch in shock as they watch the portal collapse with their brother on the other side. Michelangelo is devastated by the loss of his brother, but he refuses to give up! He uses some of his mystic powers and creates a portal that enables them all to reach inside and save Raphael just in time.
Of course they wouldn’t kill off a primary member of the Ninja Turtles! Everything comes to a happy closure and the plan to send Casey Jones back in time has worked out nicely. But, is Krang completely destroyed? Well, it doesn’t seem like that from the looks of it, and given that the key might again be used to bring back the Krang, that might be the direction where the story will be headed next. For now, it is time to enjoy some pizza as the brothers celebrate their victory with Casey.
All about the Krang – robotic aliens with tentacles!
Krang has been highlighted in this movie, but it is not for the first time! He has been a part of the franchise as one of the primary antagonists for a long time now, and even back in the 1987 animated series, he showed glimpses of his incredible psychic powers. Again, in the 2012 series the narrative explored his ability to lead a group of creatures as the hive mind, and he was called Kraang Prime.
The immediate predecessor of this movie, the Rise of the TMNT show portrayed Krang as a deadly alien species. They landed on Earth thousands of years ago, and they brought a mutagen called Empyrean, which helped in the creation of the Yokai race.
In feudal Japan, the Krang gifted the leader of the Foot Clan with some kind of dark armor, and this helped him defeat all their enemies. It also possessed him in a way and transformed him into the evil Shredder who the Turtles fought on countless occasions during the show. In the season finale, Shredder unearthed Krang’s remains, and it was evident that he would have a major role in the movie.
After Casey goes back in time and meets the Turtles, they have a hard time believing his story. However, Splinter seems to recall something about the Krang. They are known to be extremely powerful and barbaric creatures that the Foot Clan worships. It is believed that they have some extra-terrestrial origin, and these ruthless creatures had only one goal – to rule over the world and control every creature as their slave.
The plan was a failure because of the great mystic warriors who forged a weapon powerful enough to put the Krang away. It was a key of sorts, and the creatures were locked up in a prison dimension so that they could no longer access this realm. This key had been hidden carefully, and it was essential to keep the location a secret for the safety of mankind. It helps everyone believe Casey’s version, and it also makes them realize that the key has already slipped into the possession of the Foot Clan.
When the Krang finally appear, they appear to be extremely powerful and their psychic powers are also quite impressive. The primary Krang and his brother and sister are shown as monsters with sharp fangs and long and powerful tentacles which can be extended as long as required. They have the ability to transform anything and anyone, and it helps them turn everyone into one of their own. First to follow was the Foot Clan, sacrificed to add to their strength, and even Raph is transformed after his capture.
How he snaps back into his own after an emotional monologue from his brother, however, is a topic of debate! They could also read the minds of their victims, and it helped them scan through Raph’s brain to find out the location of the key even when he refused to tell. The Krang were further strengthened by the technodrome, their special spaceship, and it took a heroic effort to put them back in the prison dimension.
Marvelous Verdict: Nothing more than a really special extended episode!
When we watch a TMNT movie, the expectations are sky-high because the standards have created a legacy to follow. However, Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a hit and a miss in this regard. There are some good bits, but they quickly get overshadowed by too many flaws! For starters, the story is not really something that the fans haven’t seen in all these years.
The narrative is rather simple, and at times you just feel like you are watching just another episode from the show. Yes, the Turtles look cool and they have some exciting new powers, but that is hardly enough to hold the story together. Michaelangelo and Leonardo’s advanced abilities, the laser blasts, their mystic powers, and ninjutsu skills are all wonderful to keep the focus on the swashbuckling action, but apart from the visual delight it doesn’t do much else for the viewer.
The humor is amusing, but not many will appreciate the jokes in the most serious circumstances. The voice acting, however, is one bright spot for the movie, and everyone from April to Donatello to the main protagonists Leonardo and Raphael are portrayed to perfection. Overall, it might not be a terrible movie from a pure entertainment perspective, but don’t watch it with the expectation of something special!
Do let us know in the comments below about your views on the movie, and also suggest things that you would have liked differently in the narrative. The movie deserved better, and we think that it is high time for a promising TMNT project soon to keep the franchise going.