Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze

• Directed by Michael Pressman
• March 22, 1991 (US)

The Shredder returns to take back command of the Foot Clan and get revenge on the Turtles.

As a film, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze is much better produced and much more polished than its predecessor. That certainly goes to being released and largely controlled by a major film studio of the time.

Having said that, I don’t think those behind the scenes of this had as much affection for the Turtles as those who crafted the first film. I’m not saying I hated the end product, but those doing the original movie based it on a story in part from the first couple issues of the original series as well as throwing in elements from the TV show of the time. This comes off more as series of comic book/cartoon elements knitted into a single story.

David Warner is Professor Jordan Perry and you would be forgiven for thinking it is Baxter Stockman he is playing. He shares many of the elements of the character from the time as well as a physical resemblance of the character as shown in his human form from the series. Despite being behind the ooze and engaging in an apparent coverup of the ooze and its contamination, he is portrayed as sympathetic. Huh?

Warner was most definitely a highlight of the film as the man was certainly talented. He showed up in his fair share of junk and could make it better. I’m not calling this junk but he certainly improves things and somehow his presence alone pulls together scenes that don’t initially start with much focus.

April O’Neil (Paige Turgo) is much more in the background and quite honestly she’s rather unimportant to the story. They could’ve removed her from the narrative, and the only issue would’ve been the Turtles having to find some place to live and considering they spent several years in a sewer nothing they chose would’ve been really that questionable. 

And where is Casey Jones? He was an important figure in the last movie and doesn’t even get a mention here. They recast April O’Neil so why could they not recast Casey Jones if need be? The kicker is this takes place an extremely short time after Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles so him being totally forgotten is noticeable.

The story itself is less focused. It just kind of wonders around to the end. From the return of Shredder (François Chau) to the introduction of Tokka and Rahzar, it just doesn’t have quite the focus of the last movie. It feels like it is just throwing stuff hoping something will stick.

And why Tokka and Rahzar instead of Rocksteady and Bebop? It certainly would’ve been service to the fans of the show who were probably the primary viewing audience. As it is, these two characters came off as random generic creations for the movie to give some fresh merchandise to buy

While there was a comedic tinge to the action in the previous movie, what we get here is much more done for the funny. It definitely leans into slapstick than into the action comedy. I do give them credit for making the Foot Clan more than a petty crime ring. Before they worried about picking pockets and stealing electronics. Here they engage in some mayhem and revenge.

We are introduced to Keno (Ernie Reyes Jr.) who is a young martial arts expert that joins the Turtles. Why not the producer’s son from the last film instead? It would have made more sense from the perspective of continuity even if they recast the boy’s part. He already had a connection.

And the character as a whole from time to time is a jerk and maybe a little misogynistic. That’s not something I use readily. When we first meet him he hits on these girls. When he gets shot down after they tell him to dream on, he responds by saying that he will but of something a little thinner. How does that work for your good guy to say at any point in human history?

Shredder is just 80s TV evil. He’s going to mutate the hell out of everything until he kills the Turtles and then, when he’s out of options, he downs the mutagen himself. Huh? At what point was it ever said to drink the damn stuff? That is very 80s TV villain.

Visually this is a much better production than the last film but as a story it’s not nearly as good. I’m not calling the last film high art but this one is not nearly as focused of a narrative. It’s good, but not great. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze is an adequate follow-up to the first film. Not as good but still enjoyable.