Film

Turbo Kid

Name: Turbo Kid
Genre: Action, Comedy, Science Fiction
Released: 2015
Cast: Munro Chambers, Laurence Leboeuf, Michael Ironside, Aaron Jeffery, Edwin Wright

Survival adventure
Relentless

Turbo Kid is a candy-coloured action-comedy set in a neon-soaked post-apocalypse where an orphaned BMX enthusiast fights a tyrannical warlord. It's proudly artificial—synth-scored, cartoonishly violent, genuinely funny. Made for people who loved 80s genre films as much as they love making fun of them, without the mockery ever turning mean.

TMDb rating

3.2

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you have a soft spot for cheap-looking 1980s adventure films and enjoy gleefully over-the-top gore played completely straight, with a sweet-natured heart underneath.

Skip it if you find low-budget retro homage tiresome, or you squirm at gore that arrives often and without much restraint, since the film leans into both rather than apologising.

What it asks of you: Its shape is brisk and episodic, about ninety-five minutes of scrappy set pieces in a cheerful, unbothered tone, asking you to accept its wild sincerity over its logic.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Mad Max: Fury Road2015

Kinetic, joyful action filmmaking with a hand-crafted look that respects the stunts. Pure propulsive cinema about survival in a hostile wasteland, and it moves with real wit.

But If you want dialogue-heavy character work, this isn't it. Long stretches are dialogue-free, which some find exhausting rather than exhilarating.

The Guest2014

Adam Wingard directs this synth-soaked thriller with the same retro-genre energy as Turbo Kid. Dark, stylish, genuinely thrilling, and funny in ways that catch you off-guard.

But Tonally it's harder-edged and bleaker than Turbo Kid's warmth. The violence here isn't playful—it has real menace.

Kung Fury2015

A 30-minute action-comedy that understands Turbo Kid's DNA: 80s pastiche, practical effects, genuine affection for the genres it's playing with. Free and fever-dream weird.

But It's deliberately shambolic and brief. Some find the joke overstays its welcome in that short runtime; others wish there was more.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Turbo Kid

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

The Battery2012

Both are low-budget post-apocalyptic films that reject realism for personal vision. Where Turbo Kid erupts in colour and action, The Battery whispers. Same DNA, opposite aesthetic register.

A two-person zombie film that ignores action entirely for intimate character study. Shot on 16mm by Colin Westerbeck, it's poetic and genuinely moving—proof that post-apocalyptic storytelling doesn't need spectacle.

But Almost no dialogue, minimal plot, and it's relentlessly bleak. If you want Turbo Kid's fun, this is its opposite extreme.

What We Do in the Shadows2014

Mockumentary horror-comedy with the same irreverent tone and gift for making genre conventions feel fresh. Smart, warm, hilarious, and genuinely inventive.

But The humour is character-based and conversational rather than action-driven. If you're here for spectacle, this is small-scale and intimate.

Blue Ruin2014

A revenge film in a decaying American landscape, shot with real craft and an unexpectedly dark sense of humour. Lean, committed, and thrilling in unexpected ways.

But It's grim and relentless in tone—there's no candy-coloured joy here. The protagonist is pathetic in ways that some find more tragic than entertaining.

Hobo with a Shotgun2011

Canadian exploitation cinema that wears its grindhouse roots proudly. Absurdist, trashy, and genuinely inventive. The same spirit of genre love without pretension.

But It's deliberately grimy and unpleasant in aesthetic. The violence is harsh rather than cartoonish, and it lacks Turbo Kid's warmth and humour.

Manborg2011

DIY sci-fi action made with stop-motion and miniatures by Steven Kostanski. Aggressively weird, genuinely inventive, and lovable in its ambition.

But It's deliberately low-fi in ways that can feel cheap rather than charming. The narrative is secondary to the visual weirdness, which will frustrate plot-focused viewers.

Akira1988

Both use neon and practical effects to create post-apocalyptic worlds where youth and optimism clash with decay. Akira does it in colour and movement; Turbo Kid is its live-action spiritual sibling.

The gold-standard for hand-drawn sci-fi action. Tokyo sprawls in neon and decay; the animation is insanely detailed; the colour palette is stunning. Genre cinema as high art without losing the fun.

But At 124 minutes, it's a commitment, and the plot's complexity can feel overwhelming. Some find the philosophical weight tedious compared to straightforward adventure.

Possession1981

Both are films made by directors with singular visions using practical effects and bold colour choices to create worlds that don't feel real. Where Turbo Kid is joyful, Possession is anguished—opposite emotional registers, same formal fearlessness.

Andrzej Żuławski's surreal horror masterpiece—hallucinatory, operatic, visually overwhelming. Isabelle Adjani gives a performance of unhinged brilliance. Raw, strange, and unforgettable.

But It's not action or comedy. It's deliberately incoherent, deeply unsettling, and asks nothing of the audience but to feel its wrongness. Some will find it pretentious or just exhausting.