Director: Jeff Rowe
While the storyline is decent, it's not the standout feature of this movie. In contrast to Spider-Verse, Ninja Turtles actually strikes balance between 3D and digital 2D animations.
It's nice to see a collaboration between the Mayas and the TV-painters. However, I can't help but yearn for a touch of traditional non-digital animation in this mix.
The character designs, particularly those of the humans, are quite gratifying. The incorporation of 2D overlays loops on light sources surpasses the ugly halftone technique employed in Spider-Verse.
In the grand scheme of things, the seamless integration of 2D elements into the final 3D movie marks an essential milestone in implementing this style within mainstream media.
Interestingly, both films are set against the backdrop of New York City, and it appears that this blend of animation techniques is becoming synonymous with the city's visual identity in this medium.
One concern that looms is the potential rapid obsolescence of this style, perhaps even quicker than the 3D animation craze. The success of films like Spider-Verse and Ninja Turtles may trigger a rush in Hollywood to produce poorly scripted movies adopting this trend simply because it's trendy.
Not that I am overly preoccupied with this trend; it's still digital animation, which can at times be somewhat mundane and less visually appealing. Nevertheless, it remains an intriguing and noteworthy development in mainstream animation.
Verdict: 3.5 / 5 ★ - Worth watching.
