Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is a remarkable coming-of-age film because it genuinely captures the feeling of loneliness

This article contains information that anticipates the moments of surprise in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.

When contemplating films that most profoundly capture the essence of adolescence, my thoughts typically gravitate towards those that illustrate the profound sense of solitude that can accompany this phase of life. It is not a solitude brought about by actual isolation - during high school and college, I likely had more people around me than ever before. No, it is a solitude that arises when one feels that nobody can truly comprehend or ever will. It is the loneliness of feeling truly alone, despite not being truly alone.

I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem - a film that includes the phrase "little Shreks" in its trailer - evokes this sensation better than any other recent film I have seen in years.

The first act of Mutant Mayhem focuses on showcasing the loneliness experienced by Michelangelo, Leonardo, Donatello, and Raphael. To borrow a term from the hero's journey, complete isolation from humanity is their "ordinary world." Apart from Master Splinter, they lack a community of mutants that can fulfill their need for connection.

Without a culture of their own, they attempt to participate in human culture. They consume Go-Gurt, Pizza from Pizza Hut, and Cool Ranch Doritos. Throughout the film, the Turtles reference and allude to human pop culture, including nods to BTS, Batman, and Family Guy. Some of these references may seem like brand synergy, but the film goes beyond that, utilizing pop culture icons as a means to convey the extent of the Turtles' alienation and to set the stage for a conclusion where they find a sense of belonging.

When Mikey, Donnie, and Raph persuade Leo to watch a movie in the park on their way home, their experience of viewing Ferris Bueller's Day Off from the seclusion of a nearby rooftop resembles Ariel's observation of Prince Eric from afar. It was the most emotionally resonant moment of the film for me, as Leo gazes down upon couples, families, and friends collectively enjoying the movie. Although the protagonists of Mutant Mayhem (and also The Little Mermaid) are not human, the film taps into a universal human experience - the feeling that everyone is loved, understood, and part of something, while you, yourself, are not.

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It also demonstrates that cinema can be a double-edged katana. Films can bring people together and bring joy. However, they can also show us a world that feels unattainable, and indeed, it is. The Turtles are obsessed with the notion of an American high school, yet their perception of it is solely based on the movies they have seen. When high school and friendship appear so fun and fulfilling in films, one may wonder why their own life as a high school student isn't better. Why isn't life like a montage in a John Hughes film?

I vividly recall that sense of alienation during high school and throughout my adolescence. As I grew older, I had a great time at summer camp, but it took years until I could truly fit in there. During those early years, I often felt entirely alone and incapable of forming friendships. In high school, I had many friends, but I went through an intense phase of depression where I felt that nobody could understand what I was going through. A year or two after the worst of it, I read The Catcher in the Rye and, for the first time, I felt that a work of art had fully recognized me.

I'm not sure if this generation of children will have a similar experience with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem. Unlike The Catcher in the Rye, which revolves around a climax involving a Kaiju battle, which could distract from that palpable sadness, the Turtles also experience a happy ending. Nevertheless, I believe that children who are searching for something that reflects their experiences might find it here, even if the film involves "little Shreks."