Movie Review: Turbo

Image found here: http://goo.gl/WCZwre

Turbo has been on my Netflix Watch Instantly queue for some time, but I only recently got around to watching it.

This is, quite obviously from the picture, the unlikely story of a snail that wants to (and does!) go fast, all the way to the Indianapolis 500. I think most people could relate to at least one facet of this movie, whether it's feeling different than those around you, or being inspired by speeches about going after your dreams, or finding that feeling of home when you've found that place where you belong. It's a cute story that both children and adults can enjoy. 

I liked some of the subtleties that adults would pick up on, but maybe kids wouldn't. For example, at the garden, Turbo is the only orange snail; everyone else is either blue, purple, green, or pink-ish. So you know from the get-go that he's different. I also liked the parallels drawn between different social interactions. At the garden, Turbo was isolated from the other snails because he wasn't like them. Later in the movie, his brother Chet feels that same isolation from the group of racing snails, since he can't relate to them. 

Paul Giamatti played Chet, and I thought his voice was the most distinct. His anxious, paranoid, self-conscious voice is easily picked out, and while listening to it, all I can picture is his costume from Planet of the Apes. Samuel L. Jackson's voice is also pretty identifiable. Turbo is played by Ryan Reynolds, which I never would have guessed. As much as women love him, he just doesn't do it for me. Blake Lively could do so much better.

Creepy! Image found here: http://goo.gl/EJJwsy

 And speaking of Samuel L. Jackson and Indianapolis...

And here's a fun song from the movie:

Three out of five stars! It's like the kid-friendly, cartoon version of Talladega Nights (just not as funny. But what movie is?!).