Tuesday 12 November 2013

Turbot

Hate to say this Pixar, but you could learn a few things from this Dreamworks movie. And I have to wonder, is this a better Ryan Reynolds superhero movie than Green Lantern?

A snail like to go fast ('cos that's humour by inversion, right?), although I have to say the snails seem to go pretty damn fast for snails anyway. Okay, but this one particular snail likes to race, and gains superpowers in a way that I'm sure no kid will ever imitate at all, leading to no nitrous oxide related snail deaths, honest guv. But gain superpowers he does, and then goes on to race in the Indy 500, because that's a thing that happens, and not at all does any scientician ever want to examine him and find out 'what the f?'. And of course, there's the hero figure, who turns out to be a douche (although he could easily have not been. Competitive, yes, brutally realistic about a snail's chance in a race, certainly, but not at actual idiot that tries to kill anyone). And best of all, a brother learns to not fear any more...

Okay, so it's a speeding snail, but at least it's something different. And there's no guru figure, no 'you can do it, no wait you just hit the low point of the movie and need to build yourself back up, go on to win' play. Not the most original movie, let's face it (little guy competing out of his depth), but still a few different beats than certain other movies I could mention.

Dreamworks have always gone heavy on the voice actors and this is no different. Lots of big names here, not least Paul Giamatto and Samuel L Jackson.

Better than Planes could be considered 'damning with faint praise', at yet it is far superior watch when compared back to back.

[END]

No comments: