Turbo Kid (2015)

"Prepare to taste a turbo charge of justice... In the face!" - The Kid

In a post-apocalyptic world, Eli from Degrassi becomes a hero to fight a tyrannical overlord.
Starring: Munro Chambers, Laurence Leboeuf, Michael Ironside

Link to IMDB

The Kid

It's 1997 and the world has been reduced to a toxic wasteland after a nuclear war, but there are still a few people struggling to survive. We meet The Kid as he rides around on his BMX, scavenging for supplies and food to take back to his secret bunker. There are small shanty towns where people gather to trade goods and get drunk, but Kid prefers to live on his own so he can read his Turbo Rider comic books in peace. Kid soon meets a wacky girl named Apple. She's annoying and won't stop harassing him, so eventually he agrees that she can stick around and go scavenging with him, and this way neither of them has to be alone.
All the clean water in the land is being controlled by one man, the cruel Zeus, and with the help of his personal little army he rules over the land. But one brave man, Frederic, is willing to stand against Zeus and try to discover the source of the clean water.

Zeus

Apple might be a weirdo, but she gets more likable as Kid begins to realize she's pretty cool. Kid also discovers an old turbo-charged Power Glove laser weapon and it makes him feel like a superhero. After Kid, Apple and Frederic kick some butt against Zeus, they have to go on the run to escape his wrath. And that's only the first half of the movie!
The gore in the fights is awesome! I'm so glad the movie is rated R, so they could have fun with the over-the-top bloody battle scenes.
In flashbacks we learn some of the history of the characters and how they're connected. This adds some nice emotional resonance among all the violence and goofing around. It's revealed that Apple has a secret, and she needs Kid's help more than we could have imagined.
There's more to the story, but I don't want to spoil anything that happens next. It's a fun ride with great characters we actually care about, as they band together and prepare to bring down Zeus in an awesome finale.

"Christ sakes, would you shut the fuck up!? Let's fight!" - Frederic

The movie doesn't hide that it's drawing inspiration from classic 80's action and sci-fi movies, and it's done with love for the genre. The humour, the violence, the themes; they all fit perfectly. Despite having a small budget, everything feels right and looks good. Even the cool synth music adds energy or a haunting mood when needed. The actors do a great job, and Michael Ironside is committed to making the villain feel real without being too melodramatic. This is a wonderful homage to the 80's era, which few movies ever figure out how to do correctly.

That's our Apple

Be sure not to miss:
- The Kid is a bit of a hoarder. Just like Eli was on Degrassi !!
- The cereal was called Soleil Vert. One of the many little jokes referencing older movies of the genre.
- Who knew that VHS made such great firewood?
- Rats enough!

Internet review:
"Turbo Kid is an absolute blast and deserves all the love and praise that it’s been given!" - BD_Jonny

Should I watch it?
Absolutely!! I can't wait to watch it again.

Where can I find it?
Check your local theaters and film festivals, it might still be showing somewhere.
If you can't find a screening, links here

Turbo Kid gets...