History Film / TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles1990

-->'''Splinter''': The Shredder uses you. He poisons your mind to obtain what he desires. He cares nothing for you or the people you hurt.

* TruerToTheText: Although it borrowed elements from the then-current animated series (such as April as a news reporter rather than a scientist), the first film is one of the most faithful adaptations of the original comics in the entire franchise, including direct adaptations of several storylines from the original comics (the first issue, the exile at April's farm, and the "Return to New York" arcs). It also had Casey Jones in a prominent role like in the comics, as opposed to his DemotedToExtra in the animated series -- and like in the comics it also made Raphael the most central Turtle, with the other three getting far less attention and plot importance.

* EekAMouse: In the opening scene, April leaves the news studio, but is frightened when she sees a brown rat by the parking lot. Later on, she freaks out upon seeing Splinter and the Turtles for the first time.

* ItCameFromTheFridge: After the turtles return home from the farm, Donatello inspects the fridge. After finding a pizza, he asks Mikey "Do you like penicillin on your pizza?"

* MartialArtsForMundanePurposes: Leo puts his swords to use by slicing up a pizza that Mikey threw up in the air and distributing the slices. The last one ends up falling on Splinter's head.

%%'''Passenger''': What the hell was that?!\\

** A Pepsi can as well as an Ocean Spray carton are seen when the Turtles spend the night at April's apartment for the first time.

** In the beginning, Danny and a fellow teen eat Burger King meals while helping the Foot unload their stolen merchandise.
** Domino's Pizza, whom Michelangelo gleefully shorts for arriving two minutes late.
-->'''Michelangelo:''' Wise man say: "Forgiveness is divine, but never pay full price for late pizza."

** April when Casey informs her about what he heard on her apartment's answering machine.

* AnchoviesAreAbhorrent: At the beginning of the film, Michelangelo is ordering pizza from Domino's. He angrily threatens the person on the other end of the line about what would happen if they put anchovies on it, but is cut off before he can elaborate.

* BadNewsInAGoodWay: When April says she has to go to a neighbor's house four miles away to call Charles, Casey responds, "Hey, you just saved yourself an eight-mile round tripper. You were fired." April doesn't take it well—either the news or Casey's attempt at "sensitivity."

* BadassNormal: The Shredder and Casey Jones. The Turtles and Splinter ''kinda'' count, if you consider that, outside of being mutants, they have no other special or enhanced powers

* DogPileOfDoom: After April catches the three Foot Clan in the act of stealing equipment from her news van, said thieves pounce on her as she tries fleeing. Fortunately for April, the Turtles intervene.

** April when Casey informs her about what he heard from Charles on her apartment's answering machine. Donatello shares this reaction.

** The Shredder has two at the end. The first is when he sees Splinter alive and well, and the second is when he's about to fall into a garbage truck.

-->'''Master Splinter:''' Yes Oroku Saki, I know who you are. We met many years ago, in the home of my master... Hamato Yoshi!

** April when Casey informs her about what he heard on her apartment's answering machine.

* MistakenForAfterlife: After encountering Splinter and the Turtles in the sewer den for the first time, a panicked April shrieks and says "Oh, my god. Oh, my god. I'm dead. I'm dead, aren't I?".

Financially the most successful of the movies made thus far, the first was mostly an adaptation of [[Comicbook/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtlesMirage Eastman and Laird's original comic]], although it did take some elements from the [[WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles1987 popular '80s cartoon]], such as the turtles' love of pizza and their differently colored headbands, and April's job as an investigative reporter. The costumes for the eponymous heroes, as well as puppetry for Splinter and the turtles as young mutants, were provided by Creator/JimHenson.

** A can of Pepsi as well as a carton of Ocean Spray are seen when the Turtles spend the night at April's apartment for the first time.

** A can of Diet Pepsi as well as a carton of Ocean Spray are seen when the Turtles spend the night at April's apartment for the first time.
** Cans of Pepsi and Mountain Dew can be seen when the teens are partying at the Foot's local nightclub.

** Raph screams "DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMN!" after his initial encounter with Casey Jones in Central Park fails.
** Raph has an unintelligible scream when Splinter is kidnapped. That scream can even be heard on the surface. An old man walks by and hears it, but shakes his head "nah, it couldn't be."
** "SPLINTERRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!"

** April when Casey informs her about her dismissal from her job.

** The garbage truck driver in the final battle bails upon seeing the final battle during Mikey and Don's "shell pun" bit.

* ThisIsGonnaSuck: After falling through the floor down two levels to the antique basement, the Turtles and April have this reaction when they are faced with Master Tatsu and more of his Foot clan ready to attack.
-->'''The Turtles:''' ''[groaning]'' Oh no...

** When Charles leaves a message for April telling her she's fired during the fight at the antique store; his "I know this must come as a blow" is followed up by the Foot soldier underneath the answering machine getting a blow to the head and knocked out.

** April when [[EekAMouse she sees a brown rat near the sewers]] upon leaving the studio, and moments later when she encounters three Foot clan thieves stealing news equipment from the parking lot.

The film also features Creator/RaymondSerra as Sterns, the Chief of the New York Police Department; Jay Patterson as Charles Pennington, April's supervisor; Michael Turney as Daniel Pennington, Charles's delinquent son; and Toshishiro Obata as Tatsu, the Foot's second-in-command, with voice dubbed by Creator/MichaelMcConnohie.

* MistakenForAfterlife: After encountering Splinter and the Turtles in the sewer den for the first time, a panicked April shrieks and says "Oh, my god. Oh, my god. I'm dead. I'm dead".

** In the beginning, Danny eats a Burger King meal while helping the Foot unload their stolen merchandise.
** Domino's Pizza, whom Michelangelo gleefully shorts for arriving late.

** Cans of Mountain Dew are seen when the teens at the Foot Clan nightclub are having fun.

** The Turtles spend the night at April's apartment shortly before the Foot captures Splinter.

** In the beginning, Danny eats a Burger King meal while helping the Foot unload their stolen merchandise.

* HeroesGoneFishing: At the start of the film, Splinter, Leo, Mike and Don have pizza from the local Domino's while Raph goes out to watch ''Film/{{Critters}}''.

** Three more in quick succession. The older lady on the street has one when two runaway teenagers steal their purse. Then the teenagers have one when Raphael trips them hands the snatched purse back to the lady. Shortly after that, the teenagers have another one upon meeting the masked Casey Jones for the first time in Central Park, and run for it.

* MistakenForAfterlife: After encountering Splinter and the Turtles in the sewer den for the first time, a panicked April screams and initially assumes she's dead.