For years, Raphael, Michaelangelo, Donatello and Leonardo have been trained in the ways of ninjitsu by their father Splinter, and have been told not to leave the sewers for fear of what the humans will do to them. But the turtles decide to foil a dangerous plot and become the heroes New York City needs.

After numerous iterations, the Ninja Turtles franchise finally has an installment that understands the tone this IP deserves to feel lively and memorable. The turtles are voiced by actual teens, so they really get to feel youthful and like genuine characters (as much as mutant turtles can), and perhaps animation was the best way to go all along. The live-action designs of the characters in the past always looked too silly or creepy, and the style always helps this film live up to the mayhem suggested in the title. The Spider-Verse-inspired animation style of 3D graphics and 2D coloring gives the film a teenage feel, but more than that, something imaginative, wild, and fresh that doesn’t demand to be taken too seriously like the Michael Bay-produced live-action iteration. The dynamic “camera movements” and hip-hop soundtrack gives the film a constant energy that always put a smile on my face. The packed voice cast is also great, particularly Jackie Chan as Splinter, who may secretly be the heart of the film. Chan gives the talking rat a soul that makes him unique beyond what could have been the typical strict parent in an animated movie. Ayo Edebiri is also lovely as April O’Neill, an aspiring teenage journalist who befriends the turtles instantly and is a refreshing departure from the hyper-sexualized it-girl April from past iterations. Ice Cube is a very entertaining villain whose personality and understanding motivations make it easy to enjoy his cliche evil plan. The only character I didn’t quite enjoy was Maya Rudolph’s Cynthia Utrom, not because of the voice performance but rather the generic archetype and motives that had nothing to elevate or make her feel necessary.

I’m surprised to say that I finally find the Ninja Turtles to be great, but this movie is incredibly funny and booming with imagination and heart. Though it does draw a lot tonally from the recent iterations of Spider-Man, it’s hard to complain when the animation and script are this much fun.