''Turbo'' is a 2013 American
3D computer-animated sports comedy
A sports film is a film genre in which any particular sport plays a prominent role in the film's plot or acts as its central theme (arts), theme. It is a production in which a sport, sporting event, athlete (and their sport), or follower of sport ...
film produced by
DreamWorks Animation and distributed by
20th Century Fox
20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Dis ...
. The film was directed by
David Soren (in his feature directorial debut) from a screenplay he co-wrote with
Darren Lemke and
Robert Siegel
Robert Charles Siegel (born June 26, 1947) is an American retired radio journalist. He was one of the co-hosts of the National Public Radio evening news broadcast ''All Things Considered'' from 1987 until his retirement in January 2018.
Early ...
.
It stars the voices of
Ryan Reynolds
Ryan Rodney Reynolds (born October 23, 1976) is a Canadian-American actor. He is one of the highest-grossing film actors of all time, with a worldwide box-office gross of over billion.
He began his career starring in the Canadian teen ...
,
Paul Giamatti
Paul Edward Valentine Giamatti (; born June 6, 1967) is an American actor and film producer. He first garnered attention for his breakout role in '' Private Parts'' as Kenny "Pig Vomit" Rushton, leading to supporting roles in ''Saving Private R ...
,
Michael Peña
Michael Anthony Peña (; ; born January 13, 1976) is an American actor. He has starred in many films, including ''Crash'' (2004), '' World Trade Center'' (2006), '' Shooter'' (2007), '' Observe and Report'' (2009), '' Tower Heist'' (2011), '' Batt ...
,
Snoop Dogg,
Maya Rudolph,
Bill Hader
William Thomas Hader Jr.''Finding Your Roots'', January 26, 2016, PBS. (born June 7, 1978) is an American actor, comedian, writer, and producer. He is the creator, producer, writer, director, and star of the HBO dark comedy series ''Barry'' (201 ...
,
Luis Guzmán
Luis Guzmán (born August 28, 1956) is a Puerto Rican actor. His career spans over 40 years and includes a number of films and television series. He has appeared in the Paul Thomas Anderson films ''Boogie Nights'' (1997), ''Magnolia'' (1999) an ...
,
Ben Schwartz,
Richard Jenkins
Richard Dale Jenkins (born May 4, 1947) is an American actor who is well known for his portrayal of deceased patriarch Nathaniel Fisher on the HBO funeral drama series '' Six Feet Under'' (2001–2005). He began his career in theater at the Tr ...
,
Ken Jeong
Kendrick Kang-Joh Jeong (, ; born July 13, 1969) is an American actor, stand-up comedian, producer, writer and licensed physician. He rose to prominence for playing Leslie Chow in ''The Hangover'' film series (2009–2013) and Ben Chang in the ...
,
Michelle Rodriguez
Mayte Michelle Rodriguez (born July 12, 1978) is an American actress.
Rodriguez began her career in 2000, playing a troubled boxer in the independent sports drama film ''Girlfight'' (2000), where she won the Independent Spirit Award and Gotha ...
, and
Samuel L. Jackson
Samuel Leroy Jackson (born December 21, 1948) is an American actor and producer. One of the most widely recognized actors of his generation, the films in which he has appeared have collectively grossed over $27 billion worldwide, making him ...
.
Set in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...
, the film follows an ordinary garden snail who pursues his dream of winning the
Indy 500
The Indianapolis 500, formally known as the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, and commonly called the Indy 500, is an annual automobile race held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) in Speedway, Indiana, United States, an enclave suburb of Indianap ...
after a freak accident gives him superspeed.
Soren came up with the idea for the film. He conceptualized ''
Fast & Furious
''Fast & Furious'' (also known as ''The Fast and the Furious'') is a media franchise centered on a series of action films that are largely concerned with street racing, heists, spies, and family. The franchise also includes short films, ...
'' with snails, and won the competition. DreamWorks Animation bought the idea, and let it "simmer" for more than five years. For the racing side of the film, Soren was inspired by his six-year-old son's fascination with race cars.
The film, which was released in the United States on July 17, 2013,
was met with mixed to positive reviews, with praise for the animation, humor, and voice acting, but criticized for its lack of originality. Despite earning $282.5 million on a $127 million budget, the film
underperformed at the box office, prompting the studio to take a total of $15.6 million
write-down
A write-off is a reduction of the recognized value of something. In accounting, this is a recognition of the reduced or zero value of an asset. In income tax statements, this is a reduction of taxable income, as a recognition of certain expenses ...
on behalf of the film. A television series based on the film, titled ''
Turbo Fast'', with only
Ken Jeong
Kendrick Kang-Joh Jeong (, ; born July 13, 1969) is an American actor, stand-up comedian, producer, writer and licensed physician. He rose to prominence for playing Leslie Chow in ''The Hangover'' film series (2009–2013) and Ben Chang in the ...
and Mike Bell reprising their roles, was put into production a year before the film's release,
and it first aired on
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fi ...
on December 24, 2013.
The film was dedicated to animator Nicholas Sanger Hoppe, who died of
brain cancer before the film was released.
Plot
In a suburban
San Fernando Valley tomato garden of
Van Nuys in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...
, Theo, self-named "Turbo", is a garden snail who dreams of being a racer, just like his hero, five-time
Indy 500
The Indianapolis 500, formally known as the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, and commonly called the Indy 500, is an annual automobile race held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) in Speedway, Indiana, United States, an enclave suburb of Indianap ...
champion Guy Gagné. However, his obsession with racing makes him an outcast in the slow and cautious snail community, and a constant embarrassment to his older brother, Chet.
After nearly getting killed by a
lawnmower
A lawn mower (also known as a mower, grass cutter or lawnmower) is a device utilizing one or more revolving blades (or a reel) to cut a grass surface to an even height. The height of the cut grass may be fixed by the design of the mower, but g ...
in an attempt to retrieve a fallen tomato, Theo wanders onto a freeway to admire the traffic and wishes upon a star, later revealed to be an airplane, that he could be fast. Suddenly, he is sucked into the
supercharger of a
Chevrolet Camaro
The Chevrolet Camaro is a mid-size American automobile manufactured by Chevrolet, classified as a pony car. It first went on sale on September 29, 1966, for the 1967 model year and was designed to compete with the Ford Mustang. The Camaro ...
, fusing his molecules with
nitrous oxide
Nitrous oxide (dinitrogen oxide or dinitrogen monoxide), commonly known as laughing gas, nitrous, or nos, is a chemical compound, an oxide of nitrogen with the formula . At room temperature, it is a colourless non-flammable gas, and has ...
. When he wakes up, he possesses
superspeed and other characteristics of a real car. However, his first attempt to try out his new powers ends with him crashing a boy's tricycle into the garden in which many other snails worked at, resulting in him and Chet getting fired from the garden crew.
Chet angrily scolds Theo for his recklessness, and is snatched by a crow, but is pursued and rescued by Theo at a rundown
strip mall
A strip mall, strip center or strip plaza is a type of shopping center common in North America where the stores are arranged in a row, with a sidewalk in front. Strip malls are typically developed as a unit and have large parking lots in front. ...
called "Starlight Plaza". There, they are captured by Tito Lopez, a
taco truck
A food truck is a large motorized vehicle (such as a van) or trailer, equipped to cook, prepare, serve, and/or sell food. Some, including ice cream trucks, sell frozen or prepackaged food; others have on-board kitchens and prepare food from scratc ...
driver who works at the Plaza, and are brought to a
snail race
Snail racing is a form of humorous entertainment that involves the racing of two or more air-breathing land snails. Usually the common garden snail species ''Cornu aspersum'' is used. This species is native to Europe, but has been accidentally in ...
held by him and his co-workers. Theo wins the race in a matter of seconds, astounding both the humans and snails alike, earning the respect of the snails, led by Whiplash, and firmly establishing the name "Turbo" as his own. Chet, on the other hand, is not happy with his brother's new ability and wants him to return to normal. Tito dreams of reviving Starlight Plaza, with Turbo as a main attraction, much to his brother and coworker Angelo's annoyance. The snails manage to divert and strand a tour bus to see Turbo's superspeed, bringing impressive business. With this success, Turbo convinces Tito to enter him in the Indy 500 as a competitor, and his coworkers agree to put up the entrance fee and accompany them to
Indianapolis.
Tito is initially refused entry into the race, but a chance meeting with Gagné allows Turbo to show off his speed, qualifying for the race via achieving a speed of 226 mph, becoming a sensation on
social media
Social media are interactive media technologies that facilitate the creation and sharing of information, ideas, interests, and other forms of expression through virtual communities and networks. While challenges to the definition of ''social medi ...
and forcing the CEO of
IndyCar to reluctantly let Turbo compete. The night before the race, after a heated argument with Chet, who is still unwilling to respect his brother's wishes, Turbo sneaks out to meet Gagné, who reveals his true colors by demoralizing him and warning him to back out of the race. In the race the next day, the racetrack and the more experienced competitors leave Turbo in last place. At a pitstop, Whiplash and his crew give Turbo a pep talk, advising him to stop racing like a car. Turbo uses his small size to his advantage and rapidly gains ground, but Gagné resorts to cheating and knocks him against the wall, damaging his shell and weakening his superspeed.
With one lap to go and Turbo in the lead, Gagné drives over
debris
Debris (, ) is rubble, wreckage, ruins, litter and discarded garbage/refuse/trash, scattered remains of something destroyed, or, as in geology, large rock fragments left by a melting glacier, etc. Depending on context, ''debris'' can refer to ...
on the last turn and overtakes Turbo, inadvertently causing a crash involving most of the competitors, including Turbo, who wakes to find his shell punctured and his superspeed gone, causing him to give up and hide in his shell. Surprised at seeing his brother losing hope, Chet, with a change of heart, braves several dangers to meet with Whiplash's crew and encourage Turbo to continue. Turbo, inspired by the crew's support, resumes the race. Gagné desperately pursues him by dragging his wrecked car, but Turbo narrowly wins and Gagné loses his status.
Starlight Plaza thrives from Turbo's fame, all the businesses become spectacular successes and hold elaborate snail races. Whiplash's crew are given special propulsion aids for their shells, while Chet is the track referee and paramedic, and the garden snails have also received special shells of their own. Turbo discovers that his shell has healed, and his superspeed has returned, now ready to race once again.
In a mid-credits scene, one of the snails from the garden is finally able to tuck into his shell, only to realize that he is too big to come out.
Voice cast
*
Ryan Reynolds
Ryan Rodney Reynolds (born October 23, 1976) is a Canadian-American actor. He is one of the highest-grossing film actors of all time, with a worldwide box-office gross of over billion.
He began his career starring in the Canadian teen ...
as Theo/Turbo, the protagonist, a
garden snail
''Cornu aspersum'' (syn. ''Cryptomphalus aspersus''), known by the common name garden snail, is a species of land snail in the family Helicidae, which includes some of the most familiar land snails. Of all terrestrial molluscs, this species may w ...
who dreams of becoming a racer and the next Indianapolis 500 champion and obtains superspeed during a car race.
*
Paul Giamatti
Paul Edward Valentine Giamatti (; born June 6, 1967) is an American actor and film producer. He first garnered attention for his breakout role in '' Private Parts'' as Kenny "Pig Vomit" Rushton, leading to supporting roles in ''Saving Private R ...
as Chet, Turbo's older brother.
*
Samuel L. Jackson
Samuel Leroy Jackson (born December 21, 1948) is an American actor and producer. One of the most widely recognized actors of his generation, the films in which he has appeared have collectively grossed over $27 billion worldwide, making him ...
as Whiplash, the leader of the Starlight Plaza Snail crew.
*
Michael Peña
Michael Anthony Peña (; ; born January 13, 1976) is an American actor. He has starred in many films, including ''Crash'' (2004), '' World Trade Center'' (2006), '' Shooter'' (2007), '' Observe and Report'' (2009), '' Tower Heist'' (2011), '' Batt ...
as Tito Lopez, a "Dos Bros" taco truck driver who finds and befriends Turbo.
*
Luis Guzmán
Luis Guzmán (born August 28, 1956) is a Puerto Rican actor. His career spans over 40 years and includes a number of films and television series. He has appeared in the Paul Thomas Anderson films ''Boogie Nights'' (1997), ''Magnolia'' (1999) an ...
as Angelo Lopez, Tito's brother and a "Dos Bros" taco truck driver.
*
Bill Hader
William Thomas Hader Jr.''Finding Your Roots'', January 26, 2016, PBS. (born June 7, 1978) is an American actor, comedian, writer, and producer. He is the creator, producer, writer, director, and star of the HBO dark comedy series ''Barry'' (201 ...
as Guy Gagné, a French-Canadian Indy 500 champion, and the main antagonist.
*
Snoop Dogg as Smoove Move, a flexible snail.
*
Maya Rudolph as Burn, a red snail.
*
Ben Schwartz as Skidmark, Whiplash's "feisty #2".
* Mike Bell as White Shadow, a white snail.
*
Ken Jeong
Kendrick Kang-Joh Jeong (, ; born July 13, 1969) is an American actor, stand-up comedian, producer, writer and licensed physician. He rose to prominence for playing Leslie Chow in ''The Hangover'' film series (2009–2013) and Ben Chang in the ...
as Kim-Ly, an elderly manicurist at Starlight Plaza.
*
Michelle Rodriguez
Mayte Michelle Rodriguez (born July 12, 1978) is an American actress.
Rodriguez began her career in 2000, playing a troubled boxer in the independent sports drama film ''Girlfight'' (2000), where she won the Independent Spirit Award and Gotha ...
as Paz, a car mechanic at Starlight Plaza.
*
Richard Jenkins
Richard Dale Jenkins (born May 4, 1947) is an American actor who is well known for his portrayal of deceased patriarch Nathaniel Fisher on the HBO funeral drama series '' Six Feet Under'' (2001–2005). He began his career in theater at the Tr ...
as Bobby, a
shopkeeper at a hobby store in Starlight Plaza who makes custom snail shells.
*
Kurtwood Smith
Kurtwood Larson Smith (born July 3, 1943) is an American television and film actor. He is known for playing Clarence Boddicker in ''RoboCop'' (1987), Robert Griggs in ''Rambo III'' (1988), and Red Forman in ''That '70s Show'' (1998–2006), as ...
as Indianapolis Motor Speedway CEO
*
Dario Franchitti as Scottish Anchor, Male Tourist
*
Will Power
William "Will" Steven Power (born 1 March 1981) is an Australian motorsports driver who currently competes in the IndyCar Series, driving for Team Penske. He is the 2014 and 2022 IndyCar Series champion and the 2018 Indianapolis 500 champion. ...
as Australian Anchor
*
Mario Andretti
Mario Gabriele Andretti (born February 28, 1940) is an Italian-born American former racing driver. One of the most successful drivers in the history of motorsports, Andretti is one of only two drivers to have won races in Formula One, IndyCar, t ...
as Indianapolis Motor Speedway Traffic Director
*
Paul Page and
Chris Parnell as Announcers
*
Paul Dooley
Paul Dooley (born Paul Brown; February 22, 1928) is an American character actor, writer and comedian. He is known for his roles in '' Breaking Away'', '' Sixteen Candles'', and ''Popeye''.
Early life
Dooley was born Paul Brown on February 22, ...
as Carl, Chet and Turbo’s boss.
*
Chris Miller as Tour Bus Driver
*
Lloyd Sherr as Spanish DJ
Production
''Turbo'' was directed by first-time director
David Soren, who also came up with the idea for the film. The origins of the film lie in a competition
DreamWorks Animation which based on the Disney movie
Herbie Fully Loaded from 2005, organized for all employees to pitch a one-page idea. The night before, Soren conceptualized ''
Fast & Furious
''Fast & Furious'' (also known as ''The Fast and the Furious'') is a media franchise centered on a series of action films that are largely concerned with street racing, heists, spies, and family. The franchise also includes short films, ...
'' 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."
Soren explained why he chose snails: "For me, it was less about trying to make a racing movie and more about finding an underdog that I could really latch onto. I think that a snail is inherently an underdog. It's smashed, eaten by people, the butt of slow jokes around the world. It just seemed loaded with obstacles. Obviously, the opposite of slow is fast, and that's where racing came into the picture."
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
The IndyCar Series, currently known as the NTT IndyCar Series under sponsorship, is the highest class of regional North American open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars in the United States, which has been conducted under the auspices o ...
) 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.
Release
''Turbo'' had its
world premiere
A première, also spelled premiere, is the debut (first public presentation) of a play, film, dance, or musical composition.
A work will often have many premières: a world première (the first time it is shown anywhere in the world), its firs ...
on May 20, 2013, at the
CineEurope
CineEurope (formerly Cinema Expo International) is the longest running European trade show and convention for the cinema industry. Organised by Prometheus Global Media Film Group Expo and jointly since 2015 with the International Union of Cin ...
film distributors' trade fair in
Barcelona
Barcelona ( , , ) is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within ci ...
, Spain.
It was theatrically released in the United States on July 17, 2013.
''Turbo'' was originally scheduled for a July 19, 2013, release, but DreamWorks Animation moved the release up by two days.
In
Chile
Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...
, this film was the first feature film to play in the
4DX
4DX is a 4D film format developed by CJ 4DPlex, a subsidiary of South Korean cinema chain CJ CGV. It allows films to be augmented with various practical effects, including motion-seats, wind, strobe-lights, simulated-snow, and scents. First i ...
motion format, featuring
strobe light
A strobe light or stroboscopic lamp, commonly called a strobe, is a device used to produce regular flashes of light. It is one of a number of devices that can be used as a stroboscope. The word originated from the Ancient Greek ('), meaning ...
ning, motion, wind, water sprays, and aroma effects, which premiered at a Cine Hoyts theater in
La Reina
La Reina ( Spanish: "The Queen") is a commune of Chile located in Santiago Province, Santiago Metropolitan Region created in 1963 from an eastern portion of the Ñuñoa commune. It belongs to the Northeastern zone of Santiago de Chile.
La Re ...
.
Home media
''Turbo'' was released digitally on October 22, 2013, having in its first week the highest box office to digital unit ratio for DreamWorks Animation.
It was released on DVD, Blu-ray, and Blu-ray 3D on November 12, 2013. The Blu-ray and DVD both come with a wind-up Turbo toy. As of April 2015, 7.1 million home entertainment units were sold worldwide.
Video games
A video game based on the film, titled ''Turbo: Super Stunt Squad'', was released on July 16, 2013 on
Wii U
The Wii U ( ) is a home video game console developed by Nintendo as the successor to the Wii. Released in late 2012, it is the first eighth-generation video game console and competed with Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4.
Th ...
,
Wii,
Nintendo 3DS,
Nintendo DS,
PlayStation 3
The PlayStation 3 (PS3) is a home video game console developed by Sony Computer Entertainment. The successor to the PlayStation 2, it is part of the PlayStation brand of consoles. It was first released on November 11, 2006, in Japan, November ...
, and
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. As the successor to the original Xbox, it is the second console in the Xbox series. It competed with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generati ...
. Published by
D3 Publisher
is a Japanese video game developer and publisher founded on February 5, 1992. The company is known for the ''Simple'' series of budget-priced video games. Their games have been released for the Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS, Ni ...
, the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii U versions were developed by
Monkey Bar Games
Monkey Bar Games was an American division of the defunct video game developer Vicious Cycle Software, based in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Monkey Bar's mission was the creation of family entertainment products on all handheld and console video gam ...
. The Wii, Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo DS versions were developed by
Torus Games. In the game, a crew of characters has to perform stunts to build up their skills and win challenges. The game received negative reviews from critics with
Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created by Jason Dietz, Marc ...
giving the PS3 version a 38/100. It was the last DreamWorks Animation game to be published by D3 Publisher and also the last DreamWorks Animation game to be released on Nintendo DS.
A free
mobile game titled ''Turbo Racing League'' was developed by
PikPok
PikPok is a New Zealand video game developer and publisher based in Wellington. It was founded as a subsidiary brand of the game developer Sidhe. Since 2012, PikPok has been the company's primary brand.
PikPok is a developer and publisher of i ...
and was released on May 16, 2013, for
iOS
iOS (formerly iPhone OS) is a mobile operating system created and developed by Apple Inc. exclusively for its hardware. It is the operating system that powers many of the company's mobile devices, including the iPhone; the term also include ...
,
Android, and
Windows Phone 8
Windows Phone 8 is the second generation of the Windows Phone mobile operating system from Microsoft. It was released on October 29, 2012, and, like its predecessor, it features a flat user interface based on the Metro design language. It was s ...
devices. Played as a snail, the game allows players to race against time and collect tomatoes to earn upgrades.
Verizon Wireless
Verizon is an American wireless network operator that previously operated as a separate division of Verizon Communications under the name Verizon Wireless. In a 2019 reorganization, Verizon moved the wireless products and services into the div ...
sponsored a competition with a total of $1 million in cash prizes—the largest sum for a mobile game to date—in which competitors had to achieve daily goals or collect enough tomatoes to unlock access to the weekly contest. The competition, which ran for eight weeks from May 16 through July 7, 2013, awarded the 10 fastest racers of each week up to $25,000, while the winner of the week was invited to the Grand Finale Race Event, which took place in Los Angeles on July 17, 2013, to earn the title of Turbo Racing League Champion and earn $250,000.
In its first ten weeks, the game was downloaded more than 20 million times, and was the most downloaded racing application during the time. This game is no longer officially available and can now only be downloaded from 3rd party websites.
Reception
Critical response
''Turbo'' received generally mixed reviews from critics. The
review aggregator
A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews of products and services (such as films, books, video games, software, hardware, and cars). This system stores the reviews and uses them for purposes such as supporting a website where users ...
website
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...
gives the film a 67% approval rating based on 114 reviews, with an average rating of 6.1/10. The website's consensus reads: "It's nowhere near as inventive as its off-the-wall premise might suggest, but ''Turbo'' boasts just enough colorful visual thrills and sharp voice acting to recommend as undemanding family-friendly fare." Another review aggregation website
Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created by Jason Dietz, Marc ...
calculated a score of 58 out of 100 based on 30 reviews. The film earned an "A" from general audiences polled by
CinemaScore, and an "A+" from audiences under age 18.
Peter Debruge of ''
Variety
Variety may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats
* Variety (radio)
* Variety show, in theater and television
Films
* ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont
* ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'' gave the film a positive review, saying "Co-writer/director David Soren's story offers little that even the average 6-year-old couldn't imagine, though the film's considerable charm comes through via its characters and sense of humor."
Chris Nashawaty of ''
Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cu ...
'' gave the film a B, saying "While there's no denying that the film is a harmless, wholesome, and heart-warming ride crafted with polish and skill, it's also so predictable that you'll see every twist in the story driving down Fifth Avenue." Lou Lumenick of the ''
New York Post
The ''New York Post'' (''NY Post'') is a conservative daily tabloid newspaper published in New York City. The ''Post'' also operates NYPost.com, the celebrity gossip site PageSix.com, and the entertainment site Decider.com.
It was established ...
'' gave the film three out of four stars, saying "Let's just say there are no surprises here, and that's not necessarily a bad thing in a film that's aimed mostly at the under-10 set. Mercifully, the characters and the comedy are just sophisticated enough to keep their minders from drifting off." Bill Goodykoontz of ''
The Arizona Republic
''The Arizona Republic'' is an American daily newspaper published in Phoenix. Circulated throughout Arizona, it is the state's largest newspaper. Since 2000, it has been owned by the Gannett newspaper chain. Copies are sold at $2 daily or at $3 ...
'' gave the film three out of five stars, saying "There's certainly no harm in seeing 'Turbo.' Competent, pretty funny in places, awfully nice to look at, that sort of thing. There's just not a lot of excitement, though." Rafer Guzman of ''
Newsday'' gave the film two-and-a-half stars out of four, saying "''Turbo'' has just enough heart to make it to the winner's circle." Claudia Puig of ''
USA Today
''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgi ...
'' gave the film two-and-a-half stars out of four, saying "This good-natured but generic animated tale of a puny garden snail with huge dreams has some appealing characters, a few laughs and then devolves into a predictable Tortoise and the Hare spinoff."
A. O. Scott of ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
'' gave the film a mixed review, saying "Even in the absence of originality, there is fun to be had, thanks to some loopy, clever jokes and a lively celebrity voice cast." Betsy Sharkey of the ''
Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the U ...
'' gave the film three-and-a-half stars out of five, saying "Honestly, they pretty much had me at racing snails." Linda Barnard of the ''
Toronto Star
The ''Toronto Star'' is a Canadian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper. The newspaper is the country's largest daily newspaper by circulation. It is owned by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary of Torstar Corporation and pa ...
'' gave the film two out of four stars, saying "''Turbo''s colourful trek to product placement-littered Indianapolis is as rote as it gets, but little viewers won't care about predictability." David Hiltbrand of ''
The Philadelphia Inquirer
''The Philadelphia Inquirer'' is a daily newspaper headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The newspaper's circulation is the largest in both the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the Delaware Valley metropolitan region of Southeastern Pennsy ...
'' gave the film two out of four stars, saying "Let's face it: Kids aren't a very demanding audience. If there's color, movement, and a high quotient of silliness, they're happy." Peter Hartlaub of the ''
San Francisco Chronicle
The ''San Francisco Chronicle'' is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. It was founded in 1865 as ''The Daily Dramatic Chronicle'' by teenage brothers Charles de Young and Michael H. de Young. The ...
'' gave the film a negative review, saying "After the originality of the hero, the filmmakers borrow too heavily from other movies; the similarities to ''
Ratatouille
Ratatouille ( , ), oc, ratatolha , is a French Provençal dish of stewed vegetables which originated in Nice, and is sometimes referred to as ''ratatouille niçoise'' (). Recipes and cooking times differ widely, but common ingredients include ...
'' and ''
Cars
A car or automobile is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of ''cars'' say that they run primarily on roads, Car seat, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport private transport#Personal transport, people in ...
'' are almost distracting." Laremy Legel of ''
Film.com'' gave the film an 8.5 out of 10, saying "''Turbo'' is the sort of film that should work extremely well for folks who are interested in it. It lives up to expectations, even often exceeding them, though it's a shame it's unlikely to find much of a cross-over audience."
Colin Covert of the ''
Star Tribune'' gave the film three out four stars, saying "''Turbo'' isn't a perfect cartoon, but it's so likable that, like its humble hero, you have to root for it." Moira MacDonald of ''
The Seattle Times
''The Seattle Times'' is a daily newspaper serving Seattle, Washington, United States. It was founded in 1891 and has been owned by the Blethen family since 1896. ''The Seattle Times'' has the largest circulation of any newspaper in Washington ...
'' gave the film three out of four stars, saying "Ultimately, ''Turbo'' nicely lives up to its diminutive hero's credo of, "No dream is too big, and no dreamer too small"—a pleasant thought, for people of all sizes." Jen Chaney of ''
The Washington Post
''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
'' gave the film two-and-a-half stars out of four, saying "''Turbo'' is a derivative but nevertheless good-hearted movie that's peppered with enough clever touches to engage adults as well as moviegoers of the smaller, squirmier variety." Joe Neumaier of ''
New York Daily News'' gave the film three out of five stars, saying "Families who have already raced to ''
Monsters University'' and ''
Despicable Me 2
''Despicable Me 2'' is a 2013 American computer-animated comedy film produced by Illumination Entertainment and distributed by Universal Pictures. The sequel to ''Despicable Me'' (2010), it is directed by Chris Renaud and Pierre Coffin, and ...
'' will find ''Turbo'' an acceptable third-place finisher. A sort of escargot-meets-''Cars'' adventure, it has some sharp vocal turns and remains fun even when its inventiveness runs out of gas." Tom Russo of ''
The Boston Globe
''The Boston Globe'' is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes, and has a total circulation of close to 300,000 print and digital subscribers. ''The Boston Glob ...
'' gave the film two-and-a-half stars out of four, saying "While Disney seems to actively court entertainment headlines every time it gives us a new princess of color, here there's no fuss, just a fully realized cartoon world that happens to be made up of the places and diverse faces found around an urban strip mall."
Todd McCarthy of ''
The Hollywood Reporter
''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Hollywood film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade paper, and in 2010 switched to a weekly larg ...
'' called the film "An attractively designed but narratively challenged, one-note film." David Fear of ''
Time Out'' gave the film two out of five stars, saying "All ''Turbo'' does is give Reynolds, Paul Giamatti, Samuel L. Jackson and Snoop Dogg the easiest paychecks they'll ever make, and its corporate overlords the chance to sell a few toys." Nell Minow of the ''
Chicago Sun-Times
The ''Chicago Sun-Times'' is a daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Since 2022, it is the flagship paper of Chicago Public Media, and has the second largest circulation among Chicago newspapers, after the ''Chicago ...
'' gave the film a B+, saying "The movie gets a bit slow, with too much time spent on the human characters, who are dreary and underwritten, compared to the big dreams of the little snail. But the film picks up when the racing snails come back onscreen, thanks to the adorable character design, with expressive use of those googly eyes, and especially to the voice talent." A. A. Dowd of ''
The A.V. Club
''The A.V. Club'' is an American online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was cre ...
'' gave the film a B−, saying "For all its chronic familiarity, the movie has its minor pleasures, many of them visual. Though at this point it's basically a given that a new studio-animated movie will look good, ''Turbo'' often looks downright exceptional." R. Kurt Osenlund of ''
Slant Magazine'' gave the film two-and-a-half stars out of four, saying "As a film about social issues, and simply being yourself, it's commendably progressive, going so far as serving as a kind of coming-out story."
Box office
''Turbo'' grossed $83 million in North America and $199.5 million in other countries for a worldwide total of $282.6 million.
The film cost $127 million to produce
and DreamWorks Animation spent over $150–175 million to market it.
Although the film had one of the lowest grosses in the history of DreamWorks Animation,
forcing the company to take a $13.5 million
write-down
A write-off is a reduction of the recognized value of something. In accounting, this is a recognition of the reduced or zero value of an asset. In income tax statements, this is a reduction of taxable income, as a recognition of certain expenses ...
,
the ''Turbo'' franchise (which includes the Netflix television series ''Turbo Fast'') is still expected to be profitable.
In North America, on its opening day, the film earned $5.8 million in 3,552 theaters.
The film went to number 3 in its first weekend with $21.3 million behind ''
The Conjuring
''The Conjuring'' is a 2013 American supernatural horror film directed by James Wan and written by Chad Hayes and Carey W. Hayes. It is the inaugural film in ''The Conjuring'' Universe franchise. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga star as Ed and ...
'' and ''
Despicable Me 2
''Despicable Me 2'' is a 2013 American computer-animated comedy film produced by Illumination Entertainment and distributed by Universal Pictures. The sequel to ''Despicable Me'' (2010), it is directed by Chris Renaud and Pierre Coffin, and ...
'', making this the third-lowest all-time opening for a DreamWorks Animation computer-animated film, or adjusted for inflation and 3D prices, the lowest ever for a DWA CG film. ''Turbo''s domestic performance was a disappointment for DreamWorks Animation, which had expectation for their films to be "$150 million, $200 million grossing movies."
Jeffrey Katzenberg
Jeffrey Katzenberg (; born December 21, 1950) is an American filmmaker, animator, and media proprietor. He became well known for his tenure as chairman of Walt Disney Studios from 1984 to 1994. After departing Disney, he was a co-founder and C ...
, DreamWorks Animation's CEO, attributed less than expected gross to the bad release date, set in the middle of over-crowded summer marketplace, having an original film compete with five other animated films
—by about 100% more than before.
The film opened at number one in 32 territories. It became one of the top dozen animated films of all time in China, Korea, and Venezuela.
On February 25, 2014, Jeffrey Katzenberg announced that the studio would have to take a $13.5 million
write-down
A write-off is a reduction of the recognized value of something. In accounting, this is a recognition of the reduced or zero value of an asset. In income tax statements, this is a reduction of taxable income, as a recognition of certain expenses ...
on the film, claiming that it "fell short of our expectations", particularly in key international markets. This marked the second film in two years that DreamWorks Animation has lost money on, after ''
Rise of the Guardians
''Rise of the Guardians'' is a 2012 American 3D computer-animated fantasy action-adventure film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Paramount Pictures. The film was directed by Peter Ramsey (in his feature directorial debut ...
''. On October 29 it was revealed that DreamWorks had taken a further $2.1 million loss on the film, due to its poor performance in international markets.
Accolades
Music
![DreamWorks Turbo, Snoop Dogg at E3 2013](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/30/DreamWorks_Turbo%2C_Snoop_Dogg_at_E3_2013.jpg)
''Turbo: Music from the Motion Picture'' is the soundtrack of the film.
Henry Jackman
Henry Pryce Jackman (born 1974) is an English composer. He composed music for films such as '' Kong: Skull Island'', '' X-Men: First Class'', ''Winnie the Pooh'', ''Wreck-It Ralph'', ''Puss in Boots'', '' Monsters vs. Aliens'', '' Captain Phi ...
composed the original music for the film, which was released on July 16, 2013, by
Relativity Music Group
Relativity Music Group was a record label owned by Relativity Media
Relativity Media is an American media company founded in 2004 by Lynwood Spinks and Ryan Kavanaugh. The company brokered film finance deals and later branched into film ...
. The soundtrack with an additional 11 songs was released on the deluxe edition.
Snoop Dogg, who voiced Smoove Move in the film, also contributed to the soundtrack with an original song titled "Let the Bass Go", which was played over the closing credits. According to Dogg, the song is "something upbeat that everyone in the house can enjoy. I'm on my old-school rap style there: we took sounds from the Eighties like an 808 bass to give it that 'Planet Rock' and 'Going Back to Cali' feel. It was about paying homage, while at the same time taking the movie to the next level."
Animated series
A
flash-animated television series, titled ''
Turbo Fast'', debuted exclusively on
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fi ...
on December 24, 2013, when the first five episodes of the first 26-episode season were released, with subsequent episodes following around holidays throughout 2014.
As the first original Netflix series for children, it is available in United States and in the 40 countries where Netflix offers its service.
Picking up where the film has left off, the series follows Turbo and his crew on their worldwide exploits while mastering new stunts and competing with villains.
A total of 56 eleven-minute episodes will be produced by DreamWorks Animation Television, with production services provided by
Titmouse
''Baeolophus'' is a genus of birds in the family Paridae. Its members are commonly known as titmice. All the species are native to North America. In the past, most authorities retained ''Baeolophus'' as a subgenus within the genus ''Parus
...
.
A large part of the production is outsourced to South Korea, which marks the first time for DreamWorks Animation to outsource to the country. The series is directed by Mike Roush,
executive produced by
Chris Prynoski
Chris Prynoski (born November 1, 1971) is an American film and television producer, animator, and director, known for his work on TV programs such as ''Downtown'', '' Metalocalypse'', '' Freaknik: The Musical'', ''Motorcity'' and '' Megas XLR'' a ...
,
and features
Reid Scott as the voice of Turbo,
John Eric Bentley as Whiplash,
Grey DeLisle-Griffin as Burn,
Phil LaMarr
Phillip LaMarr (born January 24, 1967) is an American actor, comedian and screenwriter. LaMarr was one of the original featured cast members on the sketch comedy television series '' Mad TV''. His voice acting roles in animated series include J ...
as Smoove Move,
Amir Talai as Skidmark and Tito,
Eric Bauza
Eric Bauza (born December 7, 1979) is a Canadian-American voice actor and comedian. His most-known roles include Stimpy on '' Ren and Stimpy "Adult Party Cartoon"'', Foop on '' The Fairly OddParents'' and its reboot '' Fairly Odder'', Thunderbol ...
as Chet,
Ken Jeong
Kendrick Kang-Joh Jeong (, ; born July 13, 1969) is an American actor, stand-up comedian, producer, writer and licensed physician. He rose to prominence for playing Leslie Chow in ''The Hangover'' film series (2009–2013) and Ben Chang in the ...
, who reprises his role of Kim Ly,
and Mike Bell, who also reprises his role as White Shadow.
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Turbo
2013 films
2010s American animated films
2010s sports comedy films
2013 fantasy films
2013 3D films
2013 computer-animated films
20th Century Fox animated films
20th Century Fox films
American 3D films
American children's animated comedy films
American children's animated fantasy films
American computer-animated films
American sports comedy films
Animated sports films
Animated films about animals
Animated films about auto racing
American auto racing films
DreamWorks Animation animated films
Fictional gastropods
Films adapted into television shows
Films scored by Henry Jackman
Films set in Indiana
Films set in Indianapolis
Films set in Los Angeles
Films with screenplays by Darren Lemke
Indianapolis 500
3D animated films
2013 directorial debut films
2013 comedy films
Films directed by David Soren (animator)
2010s English-language films