‘Ninja Turtles 2’ Trailer: They’re Turtles, Whether You Like It or Not
It’s only been a few weeks since the most recent trailer for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows, the sequel to the Michael Bay-produced TMNT picture of 2014, and though it also nicks the Beastie Boys’ “No Sleep Til Brooklyn” for the soundtrack, there are a handful of key differences that distinguish one from the other. Specifically, that this latest spot is chockablock with soundbites that, when taken out of context, could be used by audio editors to form scathing critiques of this film. As the trailer timecounter ticks on, the negative review puns basically write themselves: “We‘re turtles, whether you like it or not.” “This isn’t working!” “We keep failing.” It’s almost like they’re challenging their harshest critics to do their worst.
Though from the look of it, this installment may be a bit more fun than the previous one, which drew overwhelmingly negative reviews across the board. It’s difficult to tell whether Megan Fox‘s Clark Kentish transformation from a be-wigged spy to good ol’ April O’Neil with only a tying of her blouse into a bellyshirt will be the right kind of silly, but the presence of newcomers Fred Armisen, Laura Linney, and mad-scientist Tyler Perry bodes well. And the introduction of genetically altered baddies Bebop and Rocksteady, a.k.a. Giant Freakish Boar and Giant Freakish Rhino, respectively, looks like an added dash of weird fun.
MCA may be spinning in his grave as his ode to the borough he called home gets repurposed to promote whatever this ends up being, but for the optimists in the crowd, this appears to be significantly weirder than the original, which was already a deep plunge into the uncanny valley. With a June 3 release, it could be perfect counter-programming to ... good movies.