TMNT (1990) is actually an insightful look at what it's like to grow up in an immigrant family
So, i just rewatched TMNT (1990) on Netflix and had two epiphanies: one is that it may be one of the most underrated superhero films of all time. The cinematography is stark, beautiful, and a perfect depiction of 90's New York, the character designs are timeless and iconic in today's CGI filled landscape, and it blends disparate emotional tones perfectly.
The second - and for me, more significant - epiphany was: this movie actually has something to say. In fact, the entire movie is a remarkably deep metaphor for the immigrant experience in America.
So let's get into it.
First, the cinematography.
There are shots in this film that have stuck with me for over 30 years, and still blow my mind today. I mean, just look at this:
My favorite shot in the entire movie
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TMNT captured a vision of 90s New York that was grounded, enthralling and undiluted. It embraced the energy of the city, the diversity of its citizens, and the raw edges hiding in plain sight. It was grounded, stark, and bold; it was gritty before gritty was even a thing.
But even more impressive, it managed to blend that aesthetic with characters and a story that are the definition of 90s comic book zaniness, and it did so without either element feeling out of place. The Turtles are presented first and foremost as true New Yorkers. Despite being giant mutants, they grew up in the city, and they're heavily influenced by everything from its culture, people, slang, and food. All of that comes through in the cinematography, which I think is why it feels so organic and appropriate.
Now, let's talk about tone.
This movie is genuinely affecting without ever feeling emotionally manipulative. That is a VERY difficult feat to achieve in a movie about adolescent mutant turtles who love pizza and live in the sewer with their adoptive rat father. BTW, it's also hilarious. The personalities of each turtle shine through and add an amazing sense of levity to a story that gets pretty freaking dark at points.
But TMNT shows us a real family. It gives emotional depth to its characters. The farmhouse sequence is a great example of this. In it, we see different ways teenagers would cope with grief, or familial trauma. Some, like Donatello would latch on to friends to avoid dealing directly with it. Others, like Leo, might become consumed by guilt, feeling like they drove their own brother away. These are quiet, human moments you rarely see in superhero movies. Seeing Mikey - the relentlessly silly class clown - silently weeping at the sight of Splinter, is a truly earned moment. It rings true because the turtles have depth and we've seen how strong the familial bond is between them.
But it's more than just the emotional moments where we see this. What I love about this movie is how "lived-in" and natural they made the turtles' relationship feel. From Donny and Mikey instantly sensing a Leo and Raph fight before it happens, to Rapp rolling his eyes at yet another rendition of Mikey's Cagney impression, they truly feel like a family - one with dysfunctions, just like any other family, but also one with a deep sense of love, loyalty, and devotion.
Which brings me to my favorite thing about this movie - it's actually about an immigrant family learning to build a life in America while holding on to their own culture.
Stay with me here. Was I on mushrooms when I had this epiphany? Maybe. Can I back it up? Let's see.
I think Splinter and the Turtles are a perfect metaphor for what it's like to be an immigrant family in America - the feeling of being caught between two worlds and trying to find your identity within that.
I'm Korean but I was born in Canada. My entire life, I've felt caught between my family's culture and the Canadian culture I lived in. There was always a constant push and pull between opposing values, traditions, behaviors, language, food, etc. My family didn't want us to lose our heritage, but as a kid / teen, I just wanted to fit in with my Canadian friends. That made it hard to find an identity. Who I was with my family wasn't always who I was with my friends. Finding that balance has been a life-long challenge, and I don't think I've found it yet.
But rewatching TMNT as a 33 year old, I instantly recognized that same struggle in the Turtles. The Turtles are caught between the culture that Splinter raised them in, and the American culture they live in. It's represented as two different worlds, and Splinter's worry that the outside world could never accept the turtles for who they are echoes the concerns my own parents had about me and my brothers being able to fit in with friends that grew up in Canada.
The Turtles are caught in the middle - one the one hand they have their family, on the other, they have a burning (and understandable) desire to be regular teenagers that are part of the world outside the sewers. They want to have fun, meet people, skateboard, and eat pizza. But it's not that simple for them. Their identity is not as easy to establish because of the two cultures that define it. I know that feeling all too well. Remember the scene when Casey Jones and Raph first meet? When Casey leaves, he calls Raph a freak and Raph explodes. It's clear that word cut deep with Raph because he's hyper aware of just how different he is than everyone else around him. When I was called "chink" as a kid, it hurt the same way. Those are moments when it's made abundantly clear that you are seen as different.
IMO, Shredder represents Splinter's worldview taken to the extreme. Whereas Splinter tries to protect his family from perceived culture clashes, Shredder looks to dominate that clash instead. He rejects the outside world, looking at them as the enemy. He doesn't try to connect with a new culture, he isolates himself and tries to recreate a vision of the old world he knew.
Splinter and the Turtles defeating Shredder in battle is a metaphor for them rejecting Shredder's worldview. Their immigrant experience will be one of integration, communication, and friendships (like April and Casey Jones).
In that sense, I think TMNT has a lot more in common with films like The Farewell and American Factory that it does other superhero films. It's an examination of what it's like to be caught between two different cultures, and how you create your identity through that. I'd recommend a double feature or triple feature with those two films, both are insanely good as well.
Anyways, that's my two cents on TMNT. Would love to know what y'all think.
Cowabunga, dudes
Submitted March 27, 2020 at 01:21AM by juicestain_ https://ift.tt/2WLEfJa
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