Turbo Kid is an homage to 80s post-apocalypse flicks set in the far off future of 1997. It’s an inventive, wacky, melodramatic affair that finds a comic book superhero fan becoming the superhero he’s always read about. It’s fast-paced, remarkably witty and filled with all the action, blood and heart that one could ask for.
The Kid (Munro Chambers) is an orphan, scratching out a meager existence in the aftermath of a natural disaster – acid rain – scavenging bits and pieces that keep him in food and water. He lives in an underground bunker that, wear and tear aside, could be any teenaged boy’s bedroom – it’s a mess! When he’s not scavenging or bartering, he’s reading his Turbo Rider comics.
After one reasonably successful trip, he encounters an abnormally cheerful girl named Apple (Laurence Laboeuf, Durham County) – who promptly attaches herself to him. Meanwhile, in the ramshackle market where The Kid trades, a nameless cowboy (Aaron Jeffrey) arm wrestles all comers.
While The Kid and Apple are headed home, she is kidnapped by some very Mad Max-looking guys in cobbled together armor. In his attempt to get away, The Kid falls into what appears to be a hidden vessel – the secret headquarters of the hero behind the Turbo Rider comics – where he finds the Rider’s armor-clad skeleton and turbo-charged energy weapon.
Circumstances lead to all Apple and the arm wrestler (whom we learn is called Frederick)finding themselves in a gladiatorial situation – in an empty swimming pool – for the entertainment of local dictator Zeus (Michael Ironside). Before the festivities can begin, The Kid arrives to save his new friend and the three escape – after suitable ultraviolence – but not before Apple is injured (which lkeads to a whole ‘nother set of problems).
The Turbo Kid is, in essence, what you’d get if you crossed Mad Max with a non-super-powered version of Marvel’s Ghost Rider in a (very R-rated) world where the primary form of transportation was BMX bikes. It’s dirty and greasy and a patchwork quilt of a world created by jamming the most mismatched materials and objects together to create a semi-livable environment.
The writer/directors – Anouk Whissell, François Simard and Yoann-Karl Whissell – show a love of 80s post-apocalypse movies and beyond the obvious influences, have created a pretty original world and a set of engaging characters. They’ve also carefully planted Easter eggs that reference or outright quote some of the genre’s most beloved movies (the most obvious being Soylent Green) which gives their world a unique feeling of depth and wit.
Whissell, Simard & Whissell might sound like a law firm, but they are a trio of filmmakers who share a vision – a distinctly B-movie vision – with enormous clarity and precision. Turbo Kid captures every nuance of those 80s movies that inspired them (the dialogue, the manic action, the diversity of character types and situations, the frenetic pacing, the eighties death-of-the-world synthesizer score, and so on) without ever mocking them.
The result is a unique experience from the creating of a pastiche. Turbo Kid will remind of many things while remaining itself at all times.
The cast is perfect for this type of film – Ironside is the quintessential 80s B-movie bad guy; Laboeuf totally gets the slightly off-kilter overly enthusiastic Apple and makes her something unique for the genre, and Chambers nails the earnest survivor with the surprising naivte – not an easy thing to do.
As writers and directors Whissell, Simard & Whissell have created a film that is pure, thrilling fun – and even pulled off a multi-Hitchcock-style series of cameos (yes, they can act, too!).
Turbo Kid is not to be missed.
Final Grade: A+
Note: Turbo Kid is in select Canadian Theaters tonight and available on VOD beginning Friday.
CINEPLEX THEATRES – ONE NIGHT ONLY
TORONTO, VANCOUVER, OTTAWA, HAMILTON, EDMONTON, CALGARY, WINNIPEG, HALIFAX
AUGUST 28
TORONTO – CINEPLEX YONGE & DUNDAS and CARLTON CINEMAS (week runs)
OTTAWA – MAYFAIR THEATRE (limited engagement)
WATERLOO – PRINCESS THEATRE (limited engagement)
EDMONTON – METRO THEATRE (limited engagement)
VANCOUVER – RIO THEATRE (limited engagement)
KITCHENER – APOLLO THEATRE (limited engagement)
HALIFAX – CINEPLEX PARK LANE (week run)
AUGUST 28
AVAILABLE ON VOD – BELL, iTUNES, ROGERS, SHAW, VIMEO