Turbo Parent Guide
One must give screenwriters Darren Lemke, Robert D. Siegel and David Soren credit for pulling off an idea so utterly ridiculous and contradictory as a snail on the world's most famous racetrack.
Parent Movie Review
Have you ever wanted to go fast? I mean really fast. Turbo (voice by Ryan Reynolds) does. But despite his zippy name and his need for speed, Turbo is a snail with a velocity that rivals that of slow moving tar.
Regardless of the taunts from his fellow mollusks and the discouraging comments from his brother Chet (voice by Paul Giamatti), Turbo still dreams of following in the footsteps of his hero, racecar driver Guy Gagne (voice by Bill Hader). Every night after working in the tomato patch, Turbo watches old videotapes of Guy’s track triumphs and imagines himself wearing the laurel wreath around his snail neck. Yet after nearly being crushed while trying to outrun a lawnmower, Turbo gets laughed out of the garden.
Despondently inching his way across a highway overpass, he is accidentally knocked into the Los Angeles aqueduct system where he falls on the hood of a souped-up street racer. As the car barrels off the start line, Turbo is sucked into the manifold and immersed in nitrous oxide. This unintended dunking turns the slow moving snail into a blistering speed machine.
However his new ability for acceleration remains unappreciated—at least until a taco hawker named Tito (voice by Michael Peña) captures Turbo and Chet. When Turbo rips up a makeshift track during a local snail racing competition, Tito begins to dream big. But not big enough for Turbo. With Guy Gagne in his sights, Turbo turns Tito’s attention to the Indianapolis 500.
One must give screenwriters Darren Lemke, Robert D. Siegel and David Soren credit for pulling off an idea so utterly ridiculous and contradictory as a snail on the world’s most famous racetrack. In essence Turbo is a classic sports story complete with trash talking and an Eye of the Tiger musical interlude. It also explores family dynamics and champions the spirit of teamwork as Tito’s fellow storeowners in a rundown strip mall try to save their dying businesses. As well the DreamWorks’ team earns applause for the amazing animation that adds authenticity to the depictions of Los Angeles inner city streets.
While the characters in this story experience moments of peril and some brief violence (including a startling incident when a bird smashes into a bus window), the film never drives out of bounds for families with older children. Keeping its content concerns in check, the story focuses on pursuing life goals. While that may seem a little hokey in a world where dreams don’t always come true, Turbo’s success can’t happen without the support of others. Luckily for this little speedster, he has a whole road crew cheering him all the way to the winner’s circle.
Directed by David Soren. Starring Ryan Reynolds, Paul Giamatti, Maya Rudolph, Samuel L. Jackson. Running time: 96 minutes. Theatrical release July 17, 2013. Updated July 17, 2017About author
Turbo
Rating & Content Info
Why is Turbo rated PG? Turbo is rated PG by the MPAA for some mild action and thematic elements.
Violence: Some characters are crushed while others are snatched up by birds and eaten. Others experience frequent peril. A snail is nearly run over by a lawnmower. Abird is repeatedly thrown against a window. One bird is hit and killed by a bus. A huge racetrack crash includes numerous cars. A woman attacks and hits another character. Characters shoot nails into the tires of a bus. A character is nearly crushed by a car. Some depictions may frighten children. Characters engage in illegal street racing.
Sexual Content: Brief veiled sexual comments are used.
Language: The script includes some name-calling and mean-spirited comments.
Alcohol / Drug Use: Secondary characters are seen with beer bottles. A character’s physiological makeup is changed after being exposed to nitrous oxide. A character drinks excessive amounts of an energy drink.
Page last updated July 17, 2017
Turbo Parents' Guide
How are cultural groups and individuals depicted in this story? Do these portrayals promote stereotypes in a positive or negative way?
Chet tells Turbo that not every dream is meant to come true. How can parents help their children balance their aspirations with a sense of reality? Should parents ever discourage their children’s dreams? Can a person find alternate ways to achieve success if his or her original plans don’t work out?
Although the film’s content concerns are fairly limited, the movie does depict street racing, speeding and the excessive use of energy drinks. How can parents use these portrayals to talk about these risky behaviors with their children?
Turbo becomes an Internet sensation after a recording of his local snail race goes viral. What impact does social networking have on pop culture? How can it create instant fame?
Home Video
The most recent home video release of Turbo movie is November 12, 2013. Here are some details…
Home Video Notes: Turbo
Release Date: November 12, 2013
Turbo releases to home video in the following packages:
Turbo Blu-ray Deluxe Edition (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy)
- TURBO pullback racer toy (for a limited time while supplies last).
- Smoove Move’s Music Maker – Watch music videos featuring songs from the film .
- Meet Tito – Director David Soren provides an introduction for a deleted scene.
- The Race – Director David Soren provides an introduction for a storyboard sequence. Viewers can even see picture-in-picture comparison to the final cut.
- Shell Creator - Create your own shell from select-able parts
- Champions Corner - Host Paul Page interviews Turbo one-on-one to hear all about his racing techniques and inspirations!
- Be An Artist! – Dave Burgess, Head of Character Animation on the film, shows the audience how to draw: Turbo, Whiplash, Skidmark, Burn, Smooth Move, White Shadow, Chet and Customizable Racers.
- Team Turbo: Tricked Out – See Turbo and all the rest of the snail crew in a break- down of the cool components that make up each of their shells.
- TURBO F.A.S.T Trailer from TV show – First look at upcoming new TV show this December
- Holiday Favorites – Sneak Peeks
- World of DreamWorks Animation – Music videos from your favorite DreamWorks Animation feature films
Turbo Blu-ray 3D Deluxe Edition (Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray+ DVD + Digital Copy)
- Feature film in high definition and 3D
- All the Blu-ray and DVD content listed above
Turbo DVD (Single disc DVD)
- TURBO pullback racer toy (for a limited time while supplies last).
- Feature film in standard definition
- Champions Corner - Host Paul Page interviews Turbo one-on-one to hear all about his racing techniques and inspirations!
- Be An Artist! – Dave Burgess, Head of Character Animation on the film, shows the audience how to draw: Garden Turbo and Racing Turbo.
- Team Turbo: Tricked Out – See Turbo and all the rest of the snail crew in a break- down of the cool components that make up each of their shells.
- World of DreamWorks Animation
- Previews
Related home video titles:
Characters with impossible wishes appear in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Ratatouille and Tangled. Racing dreams also plague the characters in Cars and Cars 2. The snails in this animated movie resemble the slugs portrayed in Flushed Away.
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