163 reviews
When it comes to plot, Turbo Kid isn't exactly the most cerebral. A lot of the runtime focuses on the friendship between The Kid and Apple, and how her happy-go-lucky attitude is a stark contrast to his coy, safe existence. There's some backstory flashbacks inserted every now and then that shows a connection between The Kid and Zeus, and the conflict between them establishes a reason for all the action.
But the plot is fairly superfluous to Turbo Kid's true purpose, and that's 80s nostalgia and homage. The whole thing feels like a post-apocalyptic movie made in the 80s, with nods to the movies of the time wherever you look. My favourite of which is everyone riding around on BMX bikes and chopper-cycles, reminiscent of movies like E.T. and The Goonies, and yet when you think about it, it actually makes perfect sense in a post-apocalyptic world where fuel is probably non-existent.
Another great aspect of the 80s angle is the special effects. There isn't a whole lot of CGI in Turbo Kid, but what CGI we do get is deliberately cheap and obvious. The Kid's arm weapon shoots out bright lights and lasers that look ripped straight out of Highlander, and the nuclear winter clouds are recreated with clever liquid mixtures that are super-imposed in the sky above landscapes, landscapes of which that are super reminiscent of the original Mad Max. The level of blood and gore is typically over-the-top as well, with blood spurting and spraying all over the place whenever someone loses an appendage or gets cut in half (which actually happens a lot, The Kid's weapon literally vaporises people, and Skeletron has a projectile circular saw on his arm). Fight scenes become blood baths, and uses how over-the-top and silly it is to it's advantage. For instance in the final fight scene, a goon ends up wearing a tower of torsos and legs of his comrades in a comedic pile-up.
Of course a massive 80s homage like Turbo Kid wouldn't work without a suitable synthcore score, and in that regard Turbo Kid fails to disappoint. Almost every scene is punctuated by staccato synth bass and electro dance drums pulsing away with twinkly keyboard sounds and arpeggios coursing out the melody. There's even an appearance from John Farnham's Thunder in Your Heart which is about as 80s as synth-rock gets (listened to by the character of a tape walkman, of course).
Now I'd be lying if I didn't say the dialogue and scripting was awful and cheesy as hell, or that a number of the actors overdid their deliveries, but in a way that all just added to the charm of the movie. When you really think about it, dialogue and acting wasn't typically great in a lot of the most iconic movies from the 80s, filled with lines and exchanges that today seem really cliché and cheesy. What would usually be a criticism in any other movie, here just feels like another layer to the homage of 80s classics and B-movies.
Of course when it comes to acting, the standout is Laurence LeBoeuf as the zany, overly optimistic Apple who befriends The Kid. Her smile is infectious and she takes every scene in her stride, becoming the true heart and soul of the entire movie. Munro Chambers certainly does an admirable job as The Kid, following the path of coward-turned-hero naturally and fluidly, and embracing the audience surrogate through this 80s adventure. Aaron Jeffrey seems to have a lot of fun as the cowboy Frederic, delivering every cheesy one-liner with all the panazz and cliché accentuation that the homage deserves, while Michael Ironside likewise seems to have a lot of fun as the villainous Zeus, tearing up and dominating every scene he's in. Edwin Wright as well, despite not having any lines of dialogue at all, turns Skeletron into a figure befitting of nightmares.
Turbo Kid is a deliberately cheesy exploration of an apocalyptic wasteland. It's been coined as a Mad Max love story on BMX bikes, and honestly that's about as accurate a description as you can get. Every scene uses 80s love and appreciation, and it never fails to warm your heart and make you squirm at graphic spurts of blood, sometimes simultaneously. In some respects it is awful, and yet that only adds to it's genuine charm, and often feels like a deliberate choice. You can tell the budget wasn't particularly huge, but that often plays in it's favour. Turbo Kid was a thoroughly enjoyable romp that stands out from many of today's more expensive endeavours. I give it an 8/10, and would recommend to anyone with a fundamental love of 80s movies.
But the plot is fairly superfluous to Turbo Kid's true purpose, and that's 80s nostalgia and homage. The whole thing feels like a post-apocalyptic movie made in the 80s, with nods to the movies of the time wherever you look. My favourite of which is everyone riding around on BMX bikes and chopper-cycles, reminiscent of movies like E.T. and The Goonies, and yet when you think about it, it actually makes perfect sense in a post-apocalyptic world where fuel is probably non-existent.
Another great aspect of the 80s angle is the special effects. There isn't a whole lot of CGI in Turbo Kid, but what CGI we do get is deliberately cheap and obvious. The Kid's arm weapon shoots out bright lights and lasers that look ripped straight out of Highlander, and the nuclear winter clouds are recreated with clever liquid mixtures that are super-imposed in the sky above landscapes, landscapes of which that are super reminiscent of the original Mad Max. The level of blood and gore is typically over-the-top as well, with blood spurting and spraying all over the place whenever someone loses an appendage or gets cut in half (which actually happens a lot, The Kid's weapon literally vaporises people, and Skeletron has a projectile circular saw on his arm). Fight scenes become blood baths, and uses how over-the-top and silly it is to it's advantage. For instance in the final fight scene, a goon ends up wearing a tower of torsos and legs of his comrades in a comedic pile-up.
Of course a massive 80s homage like Turbo Kid wouldn't work without a suitable synthcore score, and in that regard Turbo Kid fails to disappoint. Almost every scene is punctuated by staccato synth bass and electro dance drums pulsing away with twinkly keyboard sounds and arpeggios coursing out the melody. There's even an appearance from John Farnham's Thunder in Your Heart which is about as 80s as synth-rock gets (listened to by the character of a tape walkman, of course).
Now I'd be lying if I didn't say the dialogue and scripting was awful and cheesy as hell, or that a number of the actors overdid their deliveries, but in a way that all just added to the charm of the movie. When you really think about it, dialogue and acting wasn't typically great in a lot of the most iconic movies from the 80s, filled with lines and exchanges that today seem really cliché and cheesy. What would usually be a criticism in any other movie, here just feels like another layer to the homage of 80s classics and B-movies.
Of course when it comes to acting, the standout is Laurence LeBoeuf as the zany, overly optimistic Apple who befriends The Kid. Her smile is infectious and she takes every scene in her stride, becoming the true heart and soul of the entire movie. Munro Chambers certainly does an admirable job as The Kid, following the path of coward-turned-hero naturally and fluidly, and embracing the audience surrogate through this 80s adventure. Aaron Jeffrey seems to have a lot of fun as the cowboy Frederic, delivering every cheesy one-liner with all the panazz and cliché accentuation that the homage deserves, while Michael Ironside likewise seems to have a lot of fun as the villainous Zeus, tearing up and dominating every scene he's in. Edwin Wright as well, despite not having any lines of dialogue at all, turns Skeletron into a figure befitting of nightmares.
Turbo Kid is a deliberately cheesy exploration of an apocalyptic wasteland. It's been coined as a Mad Max love story on BMX bikes, and honestly that's about as accurate a description as you can get. Every scene uses 80s love and appreciation, and it never fails to warm your heart and make you squirm at graphic spurts of blood, sometimes simultaneously. In some respects it is awful, and yet that only adds to it's genuine charm, and often feels like a deliberate choice. You can tell the budget wasn't particularly huge, but that often plays in it's favour. Turbo Kid was a thoroughly enjoyable romp that stands out from many of today's more expensive endeavours. I give it an 8/10, and would recommend to anyone with a fundamental love of 80s movies.
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.
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.
- please_stand_by
- Feb 25, 2017
- Permalink
Turbo Kid can basically be summarised as 'The Road Warrior' on bicycles. Basic post-apoc tropes apply, and it makes no attempt to be anything other than what it is. And it does so admirably. The story is simple (in a good way), the soundtrack admirable and the scenery is appropriately bleak.
'B-movies' like this are hard to judge in terms of acting, but the actors play their parts admirably. It may be cringe worthy or cheesy to some, but its grand nonetheless. The effects are 'cheap', over the top and feel very 'dated', but in a good way.
If you love cheesy 80s action flicks, enjoyed Kung Fury and the like you'll feel right at home. Grab the SO, some popcorn and relax. It'll be a fun time.
'B-movies' like this are hard to judge in terms of acting, but the actors play their parts admirably. It may be cringe worthy or cheesy to some, but its grand nonetheless. The effects are 'cheap', over the top and feel very 'dated', but in a good way.
If you love cheesy 80s action flicks, enjoyed Kung Fury and the like you'll feel right at home. Grab the SO, some popcorn and relax. It'll be a fun time.
The 80s is arguably one of the most influential decades of movie history. Films such as Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and Back to the Future have often been credited as the inspiration of many directors of today's generation. One film series in particular pretty much kicked off the entire post-apocalyptic film genre, Mad Max. Created by George Miller, Mad Max was a series of movies that followed titular hero Max and his adventures in a post-apocalyptic Australia,usually meeting with thieves who are oppressing a certain people and then fighting them in several gun fights, brawls, and car chases. The Series overall while having varying degrees of quality has been a mainstay in pop culture, kicking off many more movies about nuclear wastelands.
This brings me to Turbo Kid, a 2015 Canadian sci-fi action comedy made to mimic the over the top action films of the 80s, Mad Max especially. Synth heavy music dominates the soundtrack and the effects are purposefully cheesy. While the movie may not be perfect, it certainly is an entertaining adventure.
It's the distant future of 1997, atomic war has devastated the world, what few remains of civilization there are live their lives as Scavengers and Barbarians. Add in the fact that a water shortage is leaving the world thirsty and the one person who controls the water is a mad tyrant, the World is not a very happy place.
The Film stars Munro Chambers as "The Kid", A scavenger and comic book lover who looks up to his idol, the superhero Turbo Rider. He leads a simple life of collecting junk, selling the junk, and then getting his small rations of food and water. One day, he meets a slightly insane girl named "Apple"(played by Laurence Leboeuf) who follows him around believing him to be his best friend. The two get involved in a series of incidents that has them end up getting pursued by the leader of the civilization, Zeus (played by the underappreciated Michael Ironside). In order to combat Zues's forces, The Kid takes on the persona of the Turbo Rider, to end the oppression caused by the warlord.
The Story does feel generic, hitting beats that can be seen from a mile away. However, where the movie does excel is in its characters. While the acting is (purposefully) cheesy, the characters really do start to grow. Laurence Leboeuf's portrayal of Apple is charming and genuinely funny in some parts and with a twist midway through the movie, Her character gets deeper and you start to feel for her even more. Another should be given to the previously mentioned Michael Ironside, of Total Recall fame. His performance is so over the top but not too much to where it belittles his character, even though his actions in the movie is mostly played for laughs.
Speaking of laughs, the movie's comedy is hit and miss. There are some jokes and actions that made me laugh, while others were..OK at best. Most of the comedy comes from action, more specifically the heavy amount of gore in the film. Many heads and body parts get cut up, usually with heavy sprays of blood. While Gore in movies can go overboard sometimes, mainly using it for shock value, This movie uses it well, The setting in the film is built well enough to make the gore seem like the kind of action that would occur in their world. The fight scenes could have been handled better though, with some of the hand to hand combat looking extremely cheesy.
But in a way, that's the whole point of the movie, to be cheesy. The world, the characters, the story, the action all is made to mimic the cheesy feel of 80s action films. It wont leave you with any lasting message or theme. Its main goal is to entertain and to that end, I genuinely enjoyed the movie. I can easily recommend it to any fan of action movies, and sci-fi movies, especially if you enjoyed 2014's similar film "Kung Fury".
3/4 stars: Check it out.
It's the distant future of 1997, atomic war has devastated the world, what few remains of civilization there are live their lives as Scavengers and Barbarians. Add in the fact that a water shortage is leaving the world thirsty and the one person who controls the water is a mad tyrant, the World is not a very happy place.
The Film stars Munro Chambers as "The Kid", A scavenger and comic book lover who looks up to his idol, the superhero Turbo Rider. He leads a simple life of collecting junk, selling the junk, and then getting his small rations of food and water. One day, he meets a slightly insane girl named "Apple"(played by Laurence Leboeuf) who follows him around believing him to be his best friend. The two get involved in a series of incidents that has them end up getting pursued by the leader of the civilization, Zeus (played by the underappreciated Michael Ironside). In order to combat Zues's forces, The Kid takes on the persona of the Turbo Rider, to end the oppression caused by the warlord.
The Story does feel generic, hitting beats that can be seen from a mile away. However, where the movie does excel is in its characters. While the acting is (purposefully) cheesy, the characters really do start to grow. Laurence Leboeuf's portrayal of Apple is charming and genuinely funny in some parts and with a twist midway through the movie, Her character gets deeper and you start to feel for her even more. Another should be given to the previously mentioned Michael Ironside, of Total Recall fame. His performance is so over the top but not too much to where it belittles his character, even though his actions in the movie is mostly played for laughs.
Speaking of laughs, the movie's comedy is hit and miss. There are some jokes and actions that made me laugh, while others were..OK at best. Most of the comedy comes from action, more specifically the heavy amount of gore in the film. Many heads and body parts get cut up, usually with heavy sprays of blood. While Gore in movies can go overboard sometimes, mainly using it for shock value, This movie uses it well, The setting in the film is built well enough to make the gore seem like the kind of action that would occur in their world. The fight scenes could have been handled better though, with some of the hand to hand combat looking extremely cheesy.
But in a way, that's the whole point of the movie, to be cheesy. The world, the characters, the story, the action all is made to mimic the cheesy feel of 80s action films. It wont leave you with any lasting message or theme. Its main goal is to entertain and to that end, I genuinely enjoyed the movie. I can easily recommend it to any fan of action movies, and sci-fi movies, especially if you enjoyed 2014's similar film "Kung Fury".
3/4 stars: Check it out.
- brodieblizzard
- Jan 4, 2018
- Permalink
Some films have no pretensions other than to simply entertain their audience. Turbo Kid is such a movie. It plays upon the continual love for the 80's that still shows no signs of abating. Its set in the future of 1997 - well this was the distant future in the 80's I seem to recall – and the world is a post-apocalypse. General lawlessness prevails and life is a survival of the fittest. Enter The Kid, a teenager who lives in a scrap yard surrounded by old 80's toys, he is joined by an ever-optimistic girl called Apple and together they go against a gang of bad guys ruled over by an evil man called Zeus.
This Canadian movie really goes for it on the 80's homage front. We have heroes on BMX bikes and a world not dissimilar to the Mad Max template. We also have a very agreeable 80's styled synth score that emphasises its influences at all times. The two young heroes make for an engaging central couple, with Laurence Leboeuf particularly impressive as the girl Apple. Michael Ironside is also on hand to offer some additional B movie cred and as a star of many 80's genre pics his presence makes additional sense. The story is nonsense of course but it never pretends otherwise. It's more a means to an end to allow us to see lots of over-the-top bloody action violence and colourful characters decked out in a selection of great outfits. It's fast-paced and, most importantly, it never forgets that its principle objective is to entertain. It reminded me a little of another Canadian movie Hobo with a Shotgun (2011) which also was a hyper violent modern recreation of an 80's genre pic with a veteran genre star (in that case Rutger Hauer). Turbo Kid adopts the same approach but dispenses with the more mean-spirited stuff from that one; its focus is squarely on a fun time.
This Canadian movie really goes for it on the 80's homage front. We have heroes on BMX bikes and a world not dissimilar to the Mad Max template. We also have a very agreeable 80's styled synth score that emphasises its influences at all times. The two young heroes make for an engaging central couple, with Laurence Leboeuf particularly impressive as the girl Apple. Michael Ironside is also on hand to offer some additional B movie cred and as a star of many 80's genre pics his presence makes additional sense. The story is nonsense of course but it never pretends otherwise. It's more a means to an end to allow us to see lots of over-the-top bloody action violence and colourful characters decked out in a selection of great outfits. It's fast-paced and, most importantly, it never forgets that its principle objective is to entertain. It reminded me a little of another Canadian movie Hobo with a Shotgun (2011) which also was a hyper violent modern recreation of an 80's genre pic with a veteran genre star (in that case Rutger Hauer). Turbo Kid adopts the same approach but dispenses with the more mean-spirited stuff from that one; its focus is squarely on a fun time.
- Red-Barracuda
- Jun 21, 2015
- Permalink
"Turbo Kid" is a post-apocolypic comedy that I've seen described as "Mad Max meets BMX." I don't know if I'd agree that, however. "Turbo Kid" feels a lot more like its own thing. "Mad Max" is set in the Wasteland, and the latest MM film had a multi-million dollar budget. "Turbo Kid," in contrast, was Canadian funded (ouch) and is set in Canada (in November, it looks like) and everyone rides bicycles.
Yeah.
I like this movie: in fact, I watched a lot of it with a smile on my face. It's almost a perfect movie, except for one thing: Apple and "The Kid" have too many "moments" together. You know, "moments?" Too many times when they lock eyes, stare for a moment, and then both smile slowly-- gah. Also, a lot of their dialogue is a bit too awkward for my tastes, but tastes are as arbitrary as... film reviews (teehee.)
However, "moments" aside, a lot of this movie is just great. Apart from its fight scenes, which are both glorious and hilarious, a lot of "Turbo Kid's" charm stems from its celebration of the 80's and 90's. Everything from its kicking soundtrack, Commander Keen (and flannel!) costumes, and even its title is a retro sendup. Seriously: there's a campfire scene where they're using VHS tapes instead of logs. Brill!
Michael Ironside is also great. I only knew him as Sam Fisher, a henchman from "Total Recall," and the dude rockin' the awesome mullet in "Highlander 2," but after "Turbo Kid" I've learned that Ironside is a treasure-- and he's funny in this. Laurence Leboeuf deserves a shoutout too, even though she's essentially playing the "Manic Pixie Dream Girl" stereotype. However, she deserves credit because she takes what could be extremely awkward material ("moments") and just runs with it. And the I like that she doesn't cover up her Quebecois accent.
Actually, you know what? *Everyone* is great in this-- Skeletron, your wild eyes rocks my socks, and Frederic, you're hilarious because your super-intense character lampoons Mel Gibson. A lot heart went into "Turbo Kid." That's what makes it a loving parody.
Maybe in 30 years we'll see 2010 kids make a movie lampooning reality TV, social media, and dumb phrases like "FTW" and "be awesome." Or maybe by then we'll have moved on from "meta" culture--I don't know. But "Turbo Kid" is a both brilliant parody and a loving tribute to 80's and 90's pop culture, and it has a lot of heart.
Definitely worth watching.
Yeah.
I like this movie: in fact, I watched a lot of it with a smile on my face. It's almost a perfect movie, except for one thing: Apple and "The Kid" have too many "moments" together. You know, "moments?" Too many times when they lock eyes, stare for a moment, and then both smile slowly-- gah. Also, a lot of their dialogue is a bit too awkward for my tastes, but tastes are as arbitrary as... film reviews (teehee.)
However, "moments" aside, a lot of this movie is just great. Apart from its fight scenes, which are both glorious and hilarious, a lot of "Turbo Kid's" charm stems from its celebration of the 80's and 90's. Everything from its kicking soundtrack, Commander Keen (and flannel!) costumes, and even its title is a retro sendup. Seriously: there's a campfire scene where they're using VHS tapes instead of logs. Brill!
Michael Ironside is also great. I only knew him as Sam Fisher, a henchman from "Total Recall," and the dude rockin' the awesome mullet in "Highlander 2," but after "Turbo Kid" I've learned that Ironside is a treasure-- and he's funny in this. Laurence Leboeuf deserves a shoutout too, even though she's essentially playing the "Manic Pixie Dream Girl" stereotype. However, she deserves credit because she takes what could be extremely awkward material ("moments") and just runs with it. And the I like that she doesn't cover up her Quebecois accent.
Actually, you know what? *Everyone* is great in this-- Skeletron, your wild eyes rocks my socks, and Frederic, you're hilarious because your super-intense character lampoons Mel Gibson. A lot heart went into "Turbo Kid." That's what makes it a loving parody.
Maybe in 30 years we'll see 2010 kids make a movie lampooning reality TV, social media, and dumb phrases like "FTW" and "be awesome." Or maybe by then we'll have moved on from "meta" culture--I don't know. But "Turbo Kid" is a both brilliant parody and a loving tribute to 80's and 90's pop culture, and it has a lot of heart.
Definitely worth watching.
- thisseatofmars
- Nov 6, 2015
- Permalink
- CathodeRayTubesRock
- Aug 7, 2017
- Permalink
I don't really have any previous knowledge of most of the actors or seen or heard anything prior to watching the movie apart from the trailer.
I won't go into plot details as there are other reviews that did that way better.
What I do want to say though is: set your expectations right!!! If you liked what you saw in the trailer, hey...if you liked the poster and know what "homage" means as a genre then go see it! But if you are not aware of those things....please don't come back here giving ratings of 1 and saying how bad this movie was.
It's one of those artsy movies that you'd better watch on your own in my opinion. The universe is very captivating. The characters are likable and relatable. They are pure and innocent in a way. There is no nudity in the movie. And the gore is 80's style, but you could probably go with a tween or a teen. It's way safer than what Hollywood offers to that audience.
I really enjoyed the movie. If you have open mind, some time and know what to expect it's a nice treat at the beginning of the autumn. If some of those things do not apply to you, then you'd probably skip or leave the cinema.
I won't go into plot details as there are other reviews that did that way better.
What I do want to say though is: set your expectations right!!! If you liked what you saw in the trailer, hey...if you liked the poster and know what "homage" means as a genre then go see it! But if you are not aware of those things....please don't come back here giving ratings of 1 and saying how bad this movie was.
It's one of those artsy movies that you'd better watch on your own in my opinion. The universe is very captivating. The characters are likable and relatable. They are pure and innocent in a way. There is no nudity in the movie. And the gore is 80's style, but you could probably go with a tween or a teen. It's way safer than what Hollywood offers to that audience.
I really enjoyed the movie. If you have open mind, some time and know what to expect it's a nice treat at the beginning of the autumn. If some of those things do not apply to you, then you'd probably skip or leave the cinema.
- kk-yanakiev
- Sep 14, 2015
- Permalink
Turbo Kid is a fun little film that mashes a hyper-violent post apocalyptic wasteland with 80's retro-style science fiction. The film revolves around The Kid, a nameless scavenger who lives alone in an underground bunker. He spends his days scavenging, reading comics and trading at the local settlement. One day he meets a robot girl, falls head over heals, and goes to save her after she is kidnapped by leather wearing goons working for an imperious gang-leader. The Kid teams up with a tough-as-nails cowboy and his robot girlfriend to try and survive, and maybe enjoy the scenery and grow up along the way.
Turbo Kid was straight up adorable. The film features a cool 80's soundtrack, a la Nicholas Winding Refn's Drive, in a Mad Max style (or more like The Bed Sitting Room style) post apocalypse setting. The movie was adorable for a couple of reasons: First, all the characters ride around on BMX bikes, which is charming in its own way. These goons with leather gear and masks all riding around on bikes is just too cute! The soundtrack was great (if you fancy bands like College, Com Truise etc.), and the science fiction aspects of its were fun in a campy sort of way.
Don't get me wrong. This was not a masterpiece of a film. It is low budget, campy and over the top in some aspects. Even so, it was a fun, tongue-in-cheek film that mixes fun science fiction arm blasters with gritty and grindhouse style gore. It has a particularly original charm to it, in parts low budget, but with a ton of heart and soul. The whole thing just oozed charm and fun camp. The actors looked like they were having a blast, the soundtrack is great (once again!) and the film itself was shot well and directed straight. This is no big budget blockbuster, but it is fun, enjoyable, and adorable! Worth a watch for sure if you want to try something a little outside the box. It might not blow you away per say, but it just might charm the pants off of you. I am quite glad I was able to watch this one.
Turbo Kid was straight up adorable. The film features a cool 80's soundtrack, a la Nicholas Winding Refn's Drive, in a Mad Max style (or more like The Bed Sitting Room style) post apocalypse setting. The movie was adorable for a couple of reasons: First, all the characters ride around on BMX bikes, which is charming in its own way. These goons with leather gear and masks all riding around on bikes is just too cute! The soundtrack was great (if you fancy bands like College, Com Truise etc.), and the science fiction aspects of its were fun in a campy sort of way.
Don't get me wrong. This was not a masterpiece of a film. It is low budget, campy and over the top in some aspects. Even so, it was a fun, tongue-in-cheek film that mixes fun science fiction arm blasters with gritty and grindhouse style gore. It has a particularly original charm to it, in parts low budget, but with a ton of heart and soul. The whole thing just oozed charm and fun camp. The actors looked like they were having a blast, the soundtrack is great (once again!) and the film itself was shot well and directed straight. This is no big budget blockbuster, but it is fun, enjoyable, and adorable! Worth a watch for sure if you want to try something a little outside the box. It might not blow you away per say, but it just might charm the pants off of you. I am quite glad I was able to watch this one.
My quick rating - 6,6/10. A futuristic (1997 is the future in this movie) look at the planet running out of water ala Mad Max. The movie itself is such a tribute to the 80s flicks including the midi music, the time frame, clothing, etc. that it then makes sense that the future is 1997. Same basic idea but cross that with Kick Ass and an extreme amount of blood and guts. This was a fairly solid movie that held its own on all accounts. It even sprinkled a little love twist between our star and a quirky robot girl. The action is edited nicely to keep a solid look to it. The actors play their parts just fine (not like Michael Ironside EVER has a problem playing a bad guy.) Apple (Laurence Leboeuf) The female robots facial expressions throughout the movie almost seemed painful to pull off. CGI maybe? lol. Anyway, a very well made and violent flick that will surely garner a slight cult following just as Kick Ass did. I can see sequel potential out of this one and look forward to it. Definitely check it out if you get the chance and have fun with it. I can assure you the film makers did just that.
I think this is the last time i trust IMDb ratings and reviews before viewing something.Its so misleading!!People trashing blockbusters with huge budgets and awesome casts and scripts and yet they praise this huge load of crap and rate it 7.1? HA hA!!!!
So lets actually review the title. We have a female lead character that her dialog and script are pretty much laughable(in the wrong way most of the times) . the post apocalyptic world we get to see is 2 warehouses and i would say 50 people.And the best way to try and live is arm wrestling for no reason ..wear outfits like its halloween and ride around on bicycles!!!!yeah bicycles!!! I don't have a problem with guts and gore , but when done like in this film is again laughable in the wrong way.
I really want to say so much but this title isn't worth my time. I would not suggest this to anyone except to some boys night with a lot of drinking.
the movie is ridiculous . Not worth the time .No acting besides 2 actors.
2/10
So lets actually review the title. We have a female lead character that her dialog and script are pretty much laughable(in the wrong way most of the times) . the post apocalyptic world we get to see is 2 warehouses and i would say 50 people.And the best way to try and live is arm wrestling for no reason ..wear outfits like its halloween and ride around on bicycles!!!!yeah bicycles!!! I don't have a problem with guts and gore , but when done like in this film is again laughable in the wrong way.
I really want to say so much but this title isn't worth my time. I would not suggest this to anyone except to some boys night with a lot of drinking.
the movie is ridiculous . Not worth the time .No acting besides 2 actors.
2/10
- Fluke_Skywalker
- May 23, 2017
- Permalink
...that I had to check at the end to see if they made it(as a note it turns out they are still in business but didn't make this one). Personally a fan of the B movie classics like Toxie and et al, but to each his own.
To the movie... campy but fun. Very low budget and it looks it. Acting over done. Special effects over done 80s vintage. Script is shallow but amusing...well you get the idea.
Bottom line if Plan B or the Toxic Avenger bring a smile, if you can't wait for the next Tarantino film or next Sharknado flick then you will likely enjoy this film.
To the movie... campy but fun. Very low budget and it looks it. Acting over done. Special effects over done 80s vintage. Script is shallow but amusing...well you get the idea.
Bottom line if Plan B or the Toxic Avenger bring a smile, if you can't wait for the next Tarantino film or next Sharknado flick then you will likely enjoy this film.
- sfinancing
- Apr 25, 2017
- Permalink
We got some good fun movies in the eighties. Do we need another one? By all means. Just another movie where the hero can decimate entire flocks of bad gunmen with a bad-ass machine-gun, his trusty knife and when he needs to go personal his gnarled bare hands. Those were simple movies where action was over the top and the hero was even able to remember one or two nice one liners. What have we got here? Well, it seems to fit the bill formally. Lots of bad guys wearing silly outfits, lots of blood and we even have a hero. However, maybe we have outgrown this kind of movie or maybe the absolutely inane script, the awful acting and the silly situations are to blame. This movie sucks BIG!!! It seemed to last forever. Longer than an Indian Movie with two pauses to eat a sandwich while they change rolls. Well, there is something good to say about everyone who had a hand in this movie, if they ever get another chance at the movies they can only improve.
- CleveMan66
- Aug 29, 2015
- Permalink
The year is 1997, and the world has become a wasteland. The only people left alive scavenge for what they can find, and try to avoid other people. The Kid lives his life like this, until one day he stumbles across and odd girl named Apple,,,
This movie is over the top but in the best ways possible, lol!! 80s elements are in full swing, and it is quite violent, but in that over the top, cheesy way, lol. 6.4 rating!
This movie is over the top but in the best ways possible, lol!! 80s elements are in full swing, and it is quite violent, but in that over the top, cheesy way, lol. 6.4 rating!
- reddiemurf81
- Aug 4, 2021
- Permalink
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!
So much fun. Some of the best kills I've ever seen and the most awesome synth soundtrack ever!
Saw this on the Horror Channel in the UK. It's certainly not a horror movie but a post-apocalyptic fantasy one. A kid dons a superhero costume and takes on evil Michael Ironside with the help of a female robot and an arm wrestling cowboy.
It's pretty fast paced and good fun, Buckets of gore & violence. Ironside as always is an effective baddie but credit too to the rest of the cast.
- Stevieboy666
- Apr 28, 2018
- Permalink
I loved this movie. The gore was traditional non-CG and had a great 80's feel to it.
Brought me back to the good times of Never ending story memories. This movie made me really feel for the characters, and something I would love to share with friends.
My vote is to watch this and you'll find yourself smiling and grinning at the light hearted fun with serious under-tones.
Although they barely touched on the back story of what happened to the world, we kind of get the side notes of what happened. But the story itself wasn't about how civilization got there, but focuses on the views of the innocent main character. I fell in love with the co-star Apple, even with her annoying happy go lucky cartoon behavior. Definitely stole the show.
Brought me back to the good times of Never ending story memories. This movie made me really feel for the characters, and something I would love to share with friends.
My vote is to watch this and you'll find yourself smiling and grinning at the light hearted fun with serious under-tones.
Although they barely touched on the back story of what happened to the world, we kind of get the side notes of what happened. But the story itself wasn't about how civilization got there, but focuses on the views of the innocent main character. I fell in love with the co-star Apple, even with her annoying happy go lucky cartoon behavior. Definitely stole the show.
- jimfoghorn
- Sep 20, 2015
- Permalink
The only thing that comes into mind when I think of this movie is the hard-R, over-the-top gore. Much more gory than I expected. It's comparable to "Happy Tree Friends" in terms of gore. The only difference is that it's just gore. Body parts don't fly out, and it's not as gross or uncomfortable.
IMO, the gore is just distracting, and there was some overacting. There were some good lines of dialogue, though.
Pros:
Cons:
Review: 6
IMO, the gore is just distracting, and there was some overacting. There were some good lines of dialogue, though.
Pros:
- Some good action
- Occasionally funny dialogue
Cons:
- Mediocre acting
- Distracting gore
Review: 6
- gamergcfan
- May 8, 2016
- Permalink
Incoherent. No clear goal of the hero. You can't have a hero without a quest. Save the girl? Revenge? Water? WTF? Nobody sympathetic to identify with and hop along for the ride. It's as if there might have been a coherent story in there somewhere before some schizophrenic film editor got splice happy with flash backs and non sequitur scenes.
The dialogue is next to useless. Everyone says exactly what they are supposed to, e.g; 'Don't die on me.'
One third into the movie you are BEGGING one of the villains to come through the screen and put you out of your misery.
I am stunned this one any type of award. An homage to '80's movies is an absolute bullshit fraud characterization.
Terrible writing. Bad directing. Insane editing. Passable acting.
The dialogue is next to useless. Everyone says exactly what they are supposed to, e.g; 'Don't die on me.'
One third into the movie you are BEGGING one of the villains to come through the screen and put you out of your misery.
I am stunned this one any type of award. An homage to '80's movies is an absolute bullshit fraud characterization.
Terrible writing. Bad directing. Insane editing. Passable acting.
- joseabecker
- Sep 6, 2015
- Permalink
This film is independent movie gold. The cinematography is beautiful, from the old buildings, to the landscapes, this film makes you believe your in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. There are a lot of practical effects and blood gags, lots of blood! One touch I enjoyed was the use of bicycles, if you think about it, it makes scent in a post-apocalyptic world there most likely isn't gas so how else do you get around. The little bit of C.G. they use is really 80's, as well as the music and props, which is part of the charm of Turbo Kid.
Besides Total Recall's (1990) Michael Ironside who plays a great villain, the rest of the cast isn't as well know which makes this movie stand out. Munro Chambers plays the star of the film known as "The Kid"; like most post-apocalyptic movies in the 80s his back story gets flushed out throughout the film. At times The Kid reminds me of a young Mad Max, although The Kid doesn't become an interesting character until we run into "Apple" played by Laurence Leboeuf. When we first see apple she is CREEPY! But we quickly glow to love her and with her humorous personality she kind of steals the show. Aaron Jeffery plays the bad ass character who is a mix of Mad Max, Indiana Jones and Snake Plissken. All together the whole cast works really well together and their chemistry gets you really invested in the film.
The story moves at a quick pace once it gets warmed up and it just keeps going which kept me glued. Sure the blood is over the top, there are some quick fixes to keep the story going and there is some cheesy times but it is all fun and I really enjoyed this film from start to finish. Unfortunately this film maybe forgotten by most so don't pass it up. Turbo Kids is another independent film that shows why you should look for non-mainstream films because they try harder, they are fun and a bit different. Cheers and remember life won't suck as long as there is a good movie to watch.
9 out of 10
Edited by Samantha Locke
facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/FatMikesMovieReviews
Twitter: @FatMikeTPK
Besides Total Recall's (1990) Michael Ironside who plays a great villain, the rest of the cast isn't as well know which makes this movie stand out. Munro Chambers plays the star of the film known as "The Kid"; like most post-apocalyptic movies in the 80s his back story gets flushed out throughout the film. At times The Kid reminds me of a young Mad Max, although The Kid doesn't become an interesting character until we run into "Apple" played by Laurence Leboeuf. When we first see apple she is CREEPY! But we quickly glow to love her and with her humorous personality she kind of steals the show. Aaron Jeffery plays the bad ass character who is a mix of Mad Max, Indiana Jones and Snake Plissken. All together the whole cast works really well together and their chemistry gets you really invested in the film.
The story moves at a quick pace once it gets warmed up and it just keeps going which kept me glued. Sure the blood is over the top, there are some quick fixes to keep the story going and there is some cheesy times but it is all fun and I really enjoyed this film from start to finish. Unfortunately this film maybe forgotten by most so don't pass it up. Turbo Kids is another independent film that shows why you should look for non-mainstream films because they try harder, they are fun and a bit different. Cheers and remember life won't suck as long as there is a good movie to watch.
9 out of 10
Edited by Samantha Locke
facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/FatMikesMovieReviews
Twitter: @FatMikeTPK
- sweeeetmikey
- Sep 11, 2015
- Permalink
- DareDevilKid
- Sep 17, 2015
- Permalink
If you find people losing body parts on screen entertaining then you will have a jolly good time with Turbo Kid. There is lots of red coloured liquid spraying out of bad actors a plenty.
So lets talk about the actual film. The script is bad. The dialogues are bad. The acting is so bad you will cringe. The characters are bad. The jokes are so bad you will probably laugh.
Turbo Kid tries so hard to cash in on the 80's retro thing. And if that is your thing you are way better off with Kung Fury anyway. Since that film delivers where Turbo Kid fails.
So Turbo Kid is bad on purpose... Well that still makes a bad film if you ask me. Apart from the 80's style splatter stuff Turbo Kid has not much to offer.
So lets talk about the actual film. The script is bad. The dialogues are bad. The acting is so bad you will cringe. The characters are bad. The jokes are so bad you will probably laugh.
Turbo Kid tries so hard to cash in on the 80's retro thing. And if that is your thing you are way better off with Kung Fury anyway. Since that film delivers where Turbo Kid fails.
So Turbo Kid is bad on purpose... Well that still makes a bad film if you ask me. Apart from the 80's style splatter stuff Turbo Kid has not much to offer.