TURBO KID (Anouk Whissell, François Simard, Yoann-Karl Whissell). 93 minutes. Rating: NNN
Where to watch: iTunes
Imagine making a flipbook out of dollar-store VHS sleeves. That’s Turbo Kid, and mostly in a good way.
A Canada-New Zealand co-production shot in rural Quebec, it lovingly mashes up forgotten 80s classics like Def-Con 4 and Laserblast with the inexplicably beloved Australian teen pic BMX Bandits, which was probably big in New Zealand, too.
In an imaginary 1997, a plucky young hero (Munro Chambers) and his perky android sidekick (Laurence Le-boeuf) journey toward a battle with the one-eyed overlord (Michael Ironside) who rules their post-apocalyptic wasteland.
It’s a little on the long side, and the over-the-top gore feels weirdly inappropriate given the whole teen-hero thing, but those clumsy elements also seem authentic to the goofy, anything-goes attitude of the movies that writer/direc-tors Anouk Whissell, François Simard and Yoann-Karl Whissell are emulating.
The actors get it, too. Leboeuf is a delight, Ironside is clearly enjoying himself, and the retro production design is impeccable.
And if you’re enjoying the current wave of genre homages, keep an eye out for The Editor, opening next month. There’s always room for giallo.
