School holidays would not be complete without a new loveable hero in a children's movie.
Enter DreamWorks' Turbo (voiced by Ryan Reynolds), the ordinary snail who dreams big but is constrained by his physical traits. He comes out of his shell when a freak accident transforms his previously slow andboring life, endowing him with super-speed powers. Against the odds, he strives to achieve his dream of winning the Indy 500.
The plot of the underdog turned unlikely star is rooted in many a traditional kids' tale. The speed theme is reminiscent of the classic Tortoise and the Hare story, with the racing theme unashamedly deriving elements from Disney Pixar's successful Cars franchise - even down to the animations of the characters.
It even smacks at times of a revved-up animated kids version of The Fast and the Furious, and just in case you were in any doubt, actress Michelle Rodriguez is the voice of the Hispanic tough-chick beautiful car mechanic, an animated version of Letty Ortiz, her character in the original The Fast and the Furious.
Turbo is so silly it is engaging, and although a little predictable at times, the animation is sophisticated and the movie has plenty of laughs. The voice cast is top notch, with Paul Giamatti's drone as older brother Chet a perfect foil for Turbo.
Snoop Dogg is the streetwise Smoove Move and the brilliantly versatile Samuel L. Jackson voices snail leader Whiplash, whose slogan is "Snail Up".
Though Turbo may not super charge the kids' imaginations like Cars, it's not going to get any complaints either. Harmless wholesome family fare that reminds us again, any dream is possible. Perfect holiday entertainment.
