Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze

As Turtle Mania continued into the ‘90s, it was natural to follow up the success of the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) film (TMNT I) with a sequel, this one coming just one year later in 1991 as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (TMNT II). Much like the first film, this was one I was vaguely aware of since childhood, but didn’t watch for the first time until around the release of the 2016 TMNT film, Out of the Shadows. After rewatching TMNT I, I decided to give TMNT II another fair shot, finding it to still be enjoyable, if weaker than the first.

While on the job, a pizza delivery boy named Keno (Ernie Reyes, Jr.) runs into the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Leonardo (performed by Mark Caso, voiced by Brian Tochi), Raphael (performed by Ken Scott, voiced by Laurie Faso), Donatello (performed by Leif Tildan, voiced by Adam Carl) and Michelangelo (performed by Michelan Sisti, voiced by Robbie Rist) while fighting burglars at a mall. While the Turtles are searching for a new place to live, Shredder (performed by François Chau, voiced by David McCharen) turns out to still be alive and rejoins what remains of the Foot Clan in an abandoned junkyard. As April O’Neil (Paige Turco) and the Foot each investigate a Techno Global Research Industries (TGRI) site, it turned out to have been affected by the same Ooze that mutated the Turtles and Splinter (performed and voiced by Kevin Clash), and Shredder seeks to use it for his own ends.

Michelangelo, Donatello, Leonardo and Raphael stop a mall robbery.

One thing noticeable right away is that this film has a much lighter tone compared to the first. Aside from generally brighter lighting and a lighter-sounding score, more if it takes place during the day compared to the first taking place mostly at night and the Turtles are a lot quippier, seeming to take more after the 1987 cartoon rather than the Mirage comics. Interestingly, the Turtles also use their iconic weapons a lot less this time around, opting mostly to use martial arts or the environment during combat, and they seem a little less concerned with remaining unseen from the public.

As for the plot, while not quite as compelling as the original, it is still a pretty decent follow-up to the first, not to mention straightforward and easy to follow, and even includes a recap of the previous adventure that’s organically worked into dialogue. While it generally leans more towards comedy compared to drama, the jokes thankfully actually land most of the time. The Turtles also feel more distinct in their personalities, with Donatello even showing more of his tech skills and Michelangelo having more of the jokester tendencies.

Much like the first film, the final battle takes place in a more secluded area, this time near and under a dock, however, the resolution feels a little anticlimactic, which can arguably also be said about the titular secret of the Ooze compared to the buildup. Said dock also somehow has a dance club around it that a chunk of the climax takes place in, which feels more like an excuse to have a ham-fisted cameo from Vanilla Ice (he even has a song, “Ninja Rap,” ready to go).

Vanilla Ice (Himself) doesn't exactly rock the mic like a vandal here.

Notably, despite being a major character in TMNT I, Casey Jones is neither seen nor mentioned at any point, his role filled by Keno. This may have had to do with the more comedic direction of TMNT II, but Ernie Reyes, Jr. no less did a good job in the role. More notably, TMNT II features the first appearances of both Tokka (performed by Kurt Bryant, voiced by Frank Welker) and Rahzar (performed by Mark Ginther, voiced by Frank Welker), who were created for the film to replace the originally intended Bebop and Rocksteady from the cartoon; while Tokka and Rahzar have since made appearances in other TMNT media, Bebop and Rocksteady would not get another chance at live-action until the aforementioned Out of the Shadows, which is humorously another sequel.

Due to once again being provided by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, the practical effects still hold up really well, though the spikes on Tokka’s shell are a little less convincing. While the lights are on most of the time, the same level of care was put into environmental details as the first film, with standouts being April’s apartment, the aforementioned abandoned junkyard and an abandoned subway.

While not quite as good as the first TMNT film, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze is still an entertaining sequel, as I found myself laughing out loud a number of times. It’s best to watch TMNT I before diving into TMNT II, but it’s still worth a watch whether you’re a newer or more seasoned TMNT fan.