HOLLYWOOD—Being dragged to a kid’s flick is not always fun, especially when you have the presumption that the movie is something that you’ve seen before. Seeing the trailers and TV spots for “Turbo” it looked like cars, only in place of actual vehicles you have snails. The title character of the picture, Turbo (voice of Ryan Reynolds) has big dreams of being a racer, like his icon Indy champion Guy Cagne.
As most of us adults already know, snails do not move very fast, so Turbo’s dreams seem almost impossible. He feels like a black sheep in his community and finds himself in constant battle with his older brother Chet (voice of Paul Giamatti). Chet likes to think of himself as being better than his younger brother, and has no trepidation about flaunting that idea in his community. So what is a snail like Turbo to do? He makes a wish and that wish, happens to come true when Turbo finds his DNA infused with nitrous oxide, giving him the ability to move like a speeding car.
His attempt in showcasing his newfound powers gets him and Chet in quite a bit of trouble, to the point where they are captured by Tito (voice of Michael Pena), a taco truck driver who races other snails. It is here that Turbo builds friendships with a sleuth of other snails that embraces his originality. That’s the key word folks: originality.
“Turbo” instills an important message to kids, even us grown-ups, who on occasion feel like odd balls in particular group settings. Being who you are is what makes you unique, and not being afraid to step outside of the typical conformities of society is even more important. Just imagine if every single person behaved and acted like everyone else, how dull would this planet be? Very dull.
A bevy of laughs comes from Turbo’s new found friends Smooth Move (voice of Snoop Dogg), Whiplash (voice of Samuel L. Jackson) and Burn (voice of Maya Rudolph). Some children may equate “Turbo” to the movie “Cars” as there are quite a few similarities in both animated pictures in terms of concept, yet “Turbo” stands on its own two feet.
I found the animated flick to be quite engaging on the adult level, just as much as for the small tikes who bring the adults to the multiplex. “Turbo” is full of fast moving snails, vengeful people, a powerful message and hilarious characters. What else can you ask for in a movie?
By LaDale Anderson
