Review of Turbo Kid (2015) by Raziel S — 29 Dec 2017

The first thing everyone was saying was ''Mad Max'' before I could go see the movie. Those comments were mostly coming from young people. When the first wave of violence started, I was seeing everything Cyborg by Albert Pyun, so wrongly down rated by nowadays standards. Those types of B-Movies from the 80s did little miracles to studios running low, from 500k investment to 10 million of return box office. Where Turbo Kid wins is exactly by mimicking the B effect - if you got me, and it is where Turbo Kid ridiculously wins. People told you the movie wasn't mocking its inspirations but I totally disagree with that, the movie is feeding on how the second decade of 21st century's sees those old movies as ridiculous and exaggerated.

Turbo Kid hilariously revolves over bikes ''on a world without gas'' mind you, but it is the constant characteristic of comedy here. Movies like Battletruck, also from the 80s had gigantic evil, badass looking trucks that were pretty scary, I remember having nightmares when I was a kid - don't blame my parents, it was easy to sneak VHS into rooms. BMX? Bicycles? Is that scary when it shows up with an epic song on screen? Nope, it is just an slap on my perception because it is funny to see an evil super bad guy riding a bike. They even leaved a good old classic music theme from Rad movie, its ridiculous on a good way but just too awesome to be criticized.

Unlike the grim future of Cyborg, movies that wasn't exactly on the B category like The Running Man had all the violence so explicit and abundant (Total Recall for example) it could get a little dumb and so, ending up being funny but usually by the wrong way, not because they were comedy essentially. Those are the movies Turbo Kid are taking on, and it is interesting to see that the desperate formula of low budget plus violence (funny or unfunny) still works - for those who got the talent. The movie works very good by itself, it is really impressive. Feeding on all that thing from the 80s when they had balls to do action movies, but Turbo Kid actually ends up with his own identity. Its pretty legitimate. I repeat, it is a jewel of a movie.

The acting was definitely the most interesting and why not impressive point that made me think much of that. But my top acting had a battle between two actors on my mind to win the first place.

1- Edwin Wright did the Skeletron and he won my first place, even with a mask he totally nailed how all the maniac sociopaths from those movies used to be like, totally mocking the exaggeration but all again ending up with his own identity. Every time he shows up on screen he is acting the mental mute grunt, no big philosophies it is simply fun to watch him showing up with his nervous tickling and tics. He is almost too likeable for a brutal bloody villain.

2- Laurence Leboeuf did Apple, a combo of a well written character with good acting that helps getting people's attention for that movie, specially on our time when cute kitties and cute girls are so much googled for. Most of the movie's miracles on my opinion comes from that character because it works, the actress gave life to her disgruntled personality. There were two scenes in particular that the actress was very far away from her Laurence self, because she totally got incarnated into Apple. It isn't easy to act so enthusiastic all the time Laurence also nailed it. Also, she's just too fun and loving her awkward personality is instantaneous. You must prize actors and actresses that understands what the writer wants and they always have their own improvisation out of the script.

3- I see no one talking about Orphée Ladouceur because she didn't had a line on the movie. But you must understand that Turbo Kid works so flawlessly on the combination of actors that they all ended up with interesting incarnation, ways, looks and acting. The female guard of a tyrant acted and kicked ass like the female guard of a tyrant. The characters were just too creative and that helped my way of seeing this all. Even Yves Corbeil little moment on screen made it believable so you get an idea. All actors did it good. Also, having Michael Ironside gives the movie the sci-fi attention it deserves by acting as Nero. He doesn't need any comments.

Munro Chambers has his moments but unfortunately the main hero on all medias are always overlooked. He fits perfectly as the 80s hero mainly by hair and looks and how he got from wimp to warrior. When he climbs the pool his theme follows, he is the Kid. But he couldn't cry on sad moments, while Laurence had to hold her tears on over-enthusiastic moments. Like ''I love scavenging!!!" or "My name is apple.".

Speaking of themes, retrowave electronic music is super cool on that movie. Wearing-the-gear sequences were fashion back on the 80s specially around animes with armor themes. The movie doesn't fail a bit on the ridiculous fun homage.

Don't think the movie has everything on its place though.

- Strange plot holes are scattered through half of the movie.

- The plot becomes predictable at some point due repetition of things.

- It can also diverge from logic and it causes some discontinuity.

- Possible due low budget, you won't see many different places.

- Sometimes dialog is fair, sometimes its fun, sometimes it fades away.

Editing isn't the best I've seen. Actually I have seen better editing on amateur videos on Youtube but I won't categorize that as a bad thing. I have this impression that the editing was mocking the 80s editing in some way or if not that, maybe feeding on the 80s way and following their steps by recreating the easy-does-it formula. Maybe editing without spending much. Sometimes action key moments are literally cut and you have to get it in less than a second.

Good 80s feeding also has its syndrome if I can say that. You can't bring characters back if you remove them from the plot, not without some dumb reasons or very smart writing. I just hope to see some turbo blast kicking evil soon, as if I was a kid again back in the 80s waiting for the next ultra-violent action flip.