Film Review: "Turbo" (2013).

Turbo is "wired for speed." This computer-animated sports comedy film directed by David Soren, written by Soren, Robert Siegel and Darren Lemke, and produced by DreamWorks Animation. After a freak accident infuses him with the power of super-speed, Turbo kicks into overdrive and embarks on an extraordinary journey to achieve the seemingly impossible: competing in the world's fastest race, the Indianapolis 500. With the help of his tricked-out streetwise snail crew, this ultimate underdog puts his heart and shell on the line to prove that no dream is too big, and no dreamer too small.

The origins of the film lie in a competition DreamWorks Animation organized for all employees to pitch a one-page idea. The night before, Soren conceptualized Fast & Furious with snails, and won the competition. The studio bought the idea, and let it "simmer" for more than five years. When Soren and his family moved into a new home with a backyard infested with snails, he pushed for the idea and "got it back on the fast track." For the racing side of the film, Soren was inspired by his six-year-old son's fascination with race cars. DreamWorks Animation partnered with Hulman & Company, parent company of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Indy Racing League, LLC (the organisation that sanctions the IZOD IndyCar Series) to make the racing as authentic as possible. Dario Franchitti, four-time IZOD IndyCar Series champion, was a technical consultant on the film, giving advice how Turbo should navigate the speed and competition through the eyes of a snail. An IndyCar was parked inside the DreamWorks studio during production, to provide artists immediate access to the race cars featured in the film.

The film stars the voice talents of Ryan Reynolds, Paul Giamatti, Michael Peña, Snoop Dogg, Maya Rudolph, Michelle Rodriguez, Samuel L. Jackson, Luis Guzmán, Bill Hader, Richard Jenkins, Ken Jeong, Ben Schwartz, and Kurtwood Smith. The voices are great, a handful of puns are funny and the last half-hour is the DreamWorks movie we've expected to see. But that stalling sound in the opening of the film is DreamWorks' first-ever sputtering-out of imagination and immersion. Reynold's infectious good-natured energy permeates DreamWorks' light-hearted animated movie about Theo, a garden snail who dreams of becoming a racer and the next Indianapolis 500 champion and obtains superspeed during a car race.

Fueled with plenty of humor, action, heartfelt drama, and amazing new technical feats, Turbo is a high octane delight for moviegoers of all ages. Unlike other DreamWorks releases, the film does not cross over to adults as well as Madagascar or How to Train Your Dragon. But kids will love it, and isn't that what this type of animation is all about? Although the plot coasts along a predictable path, the verbal jokes and sight gags rev things up along the way, making the film enjoyable almost from start to finish. It is not DreamWorks at its very best but it's immaculately drawn, full of surprises and beautifully voiced. It also moves at an astonishing speed.

Simon says Turbo receives:

Also, see my review for The Croods.