Turbo Kid (2015)

One of my all time favorites.

It's complicated... I really like the directing, acting and writing but, there are issues with the way it's shot that I just can't deny. As much as I love the storytelling and the fantastic performance but, there are also certain scenes that didn't need to exist.

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

The easiest way to put this is that they made a film for 10 year old me but knew I'd be mid 30s when I watched it! So much fun. Some of the best kills I've ever seen and the most awesome synth soundtrack ever!

What an amazing tribute to 80s movies! Over the top gore and blood is so fake and so awesome! The girl Apple is so super sweet and cute!

I really wanted to like this movie. The trailer hit all the right notes for me and I was psyched to go see it. Turbo Kid played one weekend in my town and I missed it. Luckily Netflix came along and made it available. I will not say it is a waste of time, just a waste of potential. Here is where spoilers may dwell. I thought it had a decent opening, following this lonely kid as he scavenged a post nuclear apocalyptic landscape. The walkman cuing up the 80's montage song was funny, but like the kid who collected artifacts from a bygone decade that's all this movie really does. It takes from all the BMX movies, the post apocalypse movies. Definitely Zombieland with his list of survival rules. I don't need all that nostalgia without a payoff. Turbo Kid gets some life when Apple shows up. An oddly cheery blonde female who isn't quite right. Leboeuf steals the show with her character. Not much of a show to steal but it's hers. The script was solid when it centered around this young odd couple. Where the writing failed this project was nearly everything that wasn't them. The Aussie/Kiwi Cowboy was very out of place. He seemingly maintained the peace in this "village" that was under the thumb of a cycloptic warlord. Zeus, yep his name is Zeus and he is portrayed by Micheal Ironside who is what you would expect. No let down there. The settings are not well established at all. This town/village is never shown or established in a competent manner. I know, I know, B-Movie here. That does not excuse a lack of fundamentals in story telling. Weather it's a comic, a game or a movie. You still need to set the stage for everything to play out in. So it's a hodge podge really. Then there is the splatter. Which really I think is another weak link. The gore for the most part is not exciting or all that grotesque. It's just kind of there. The laser blasts are well done. Turbo Kid eviscerates quite a few baddies and that all looks good. All the cross section, dissections are clunky. Like bad 70's samurai movies. I know, I know B-Movie. But you have to have some consistent effects work to get some thrills. These are not thrilling effects. From the mid point on the film becomes predictable and follows all the tropes of the movies I assume they are paying homage to. When the girl is captured and the Kid comes to the rescue. Later on the Kid and the Cowboy are surrounded and she (Apple) comes to the rescue. So on and so forth. It has feeling and that is it's best quality. I'm not a teen or twenty something so I need a bit more than that even in a B-movie schlock fest. Turbo Kid has the coherence of the Toxic Avenger and that is what broke the spell for me. It worked when I was naive but I have more discerning tastes now. I think this could have been a solid film had they focused mostly on the couple and had the rest of the story and characters run through them. Oh well not a total waste. Set laser to meh.

Turbo Kid is a fun little post-apocalyptic adventure, heavily evocative of certain landmark films from the 80's, particularly Mad Max; however, the creators do not rely on cheap references, but instead revel in the stylistic nuances of their influences to create something new and, for the most part, novel. Their love for what they are making is tangible throughout, giving the entire experience an earnest sincerity that most films, particularly those with a larger budget, simply don't have.The film is quite bloody and violent, to an extent that could easily alienate viewers who are averse to such things; however, the violence is so incredibly campy and over the top so as to mostly be endearing, or even funny. That said, the film's main characters, The Kid and Apple, are so lovably innocent and optimistic that the overall tone remains lighthearted and fun. Their friendship gives the film a wonderful heart. The villains provide a good counterpoint, though they are fairly one-dimensional. The original music is also absolutely fantastic, matching the tone perfectly.The world itself isn't developed much and occasionally the film's small budget becomes slightly detrimental to the viewer's immersion. The creators are mostly very clever with their budget though; all the characters riding bikes instead of driving cars is just adorable and matches the film's tone perfectly. The costumes and overall visual style are also top notch.The amazing thing is that despite the silliness and low budget, this film still manages to have far more heart than most big budget films. It's a genuinely endearing and fun experience.