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Animated action/adventure. Voices: Patrick Stewart, Sarah Michelle Geller, Mako, Chris Evans, James Arnold Taylor, Mikey Kelly. Written & directed by Kevin Monroe.

FILM SYNOPSIS: It’s been a while since the Ninja Turtles have faced a destructive adversary. Their sensei Master Splinter worries that they are growing apart. But not to worry. For an unknown reason, an industrialist has amassed an army of ancient monsters to do his bidding.

PREVIEW REVIEW: They are four turtle brothers who were somehow mutinized at birth, along with a rat who must have somehow spent a great deal of time watching reruns of Kung Fu. The boys, named after legendary painters/sculptures/scientists, are now martial arts experts who wear masks. (Why masks? I have no clue.). Like the Batman or any of the Justice League, they defend their city from master criminals while submitting to the tutelage of Master Splinter, the giant rat/shaman. Kids just eat this up, the crazier, the better.

Here, they reunite to once again take on giant stone ancient warriors and a slew of huge semi-scary monsters. A few life lessons about brotherhood are intermingled along with lots of skirmishes.

Is it too violent for kids? Well, it’s cartoonish, but there is one battle after another. You’ll have to decide for yourselves if you think this amount of battling is bad for your children. If your kid keeps trying to saw his little brother in half, then maybe you should prevent him from too much screen aggressiveness. For others, the action stirs the imagination and is even somewhat of a release.

The technical qualities are good, as is the computer-generated cartooning. And the brothers become closer by film’s end.

Full of Eastern philosophy? I don’t think so. Master Splinter is a gentle being who instructs his students to work together in order to best an opponent and to find the best in themselves. He is someone they respect and turn to for guidance. But the film isn’t a serious proponent of Eastern religions. That said, they do call him Master. You might need to explain that. And you never know when something even as simple as a cartoon about turtles who respect a wise philosopher is going to raise questions concerning religion. This might be a good opportunity to discuss Jesus and biblical teachings.

Distributor: Warner Bros.