Retro Sci-fi, Neo Fantasy, Turbo Kid

For a few years now, people have suddenly become obsessed with nostalgia.  You see it everywhere.  Just go to a grocery store and look at soda.  Not only do you find that they are selling soda in glass bottles with old logos, even the regular logos have a touch of retro to them.  I like the style as I prefer a simple approach to the looks of a product.  But it isn't just soda.  People are making the old new again.  Independent developers are making retro-stylized video games, music and movies pretty much all the time.  Sometimes these things work better than others.  This new found genre of... things has created some really creative ideas.  People are inspired by the things they loved in their youth and have made a sort of new style where science fiction never grew up and exploitation runs rampant through a Canon films inspired, over the top, ultra violent world.

My only issue with all this is that the world they have created never existed, and the younger audience that loves this stuff is looking at the new with nostalgia goggles on for something that was never like that.  Sadly, these new consumers then think that older films were like this and eventually get disappointed when they go seeking them out.  It is a business model that is destined to fail simply because of the passage of time.  In the mean time it will be a great ride though.

We've seen Manborg, Kung Fury, and Turbo Kid come out of this new trend.  Manborg being influenced by Exterminator 1&2.  Kung Fury is seemingly influenced by ninja films, nazi-sploitation, and Miami Vice.  But Turbo Kid is influenced by something I love just as much as any of that, Italian post apocalyptic rip offs of The Road Warrior.  There is nothing wrong with influence and I love how this genre is constantly expanding.  So let's talk Turbo Kid.

Something I love about this film is that it really captures the feel of an 80's movie.  Often the idea gives way to excessive and strange for the sake of strange, and there isn't anything wrong with that either.  The big difference between the other two great titles I mentioned, and this one is that Turbo Kid really makes you feel for these characters.  The Kid is well written, and the character Apple is weird and endearing.  I often found myself wanting to know more about The Kid, or just the world around him and luckily I got that.  The two characters work well together, but as I was watching the film, I was reminded of something odd, a film called Heartbeeps.  The Kid and Apple look similar in a way and travel around scavenging.  Much like the two robots of Heartbeeps.  That is where the similarities end but it was strange to think of that.

The reason why I am not talking too much about the plot is because much of the plot is comprised of minor plot twists that make up the story.  I don't know what I am allowed spoil because of the film being so new.  The Kid is a fan of a comic book superhero called Turbo Rider.  He collects comics and Turbo Rider merchandise.  His enjoyment of a nostalgic fictional character helps us to connect with The Kid throughout the film.  He wants to be like Turbo Rider as much as we would like to be like Superman or whoever we idolize in a similar way.

He meets a girl named Apple in the wasteland and they begin to travel together.  The evil bad guy is named Zeus and he controls a big water supply in this wasteland.  So he is the big bad and people don't like him.  He is played by Michael Ironside in his best performance since the last time he was on the screen.  I meant that too, whatever this man is in becomes instantly improved just because he is in it.  Starship Troopers, Top Gun, hell even Highlander 2 are all better movies because you get to see Michael Ironside in them.  Yes, I do enjoy watching Highlander 2 because of him.  How can anyone see General Katana and not smile a little?  If I had to compare Michael Ironside's performance to something it would be General Katana.

This movie is over the top, violent, nostalgic, weird, and I love it.  But what makes it so great is the lasting impression the characters make on you.  It is rare that a movie like this will go for substance as much as style, but I am happy to report this film has both.  The movie is great, and I highly recommend watching it without much knowledge as to what it is about.  Let the story happen to you.  Let the world that Turbo Kid resides in wash over you.  You won't regret it.