North Texas Daily

Cole Clay / Intern

Rating: 1.5/5 Stars

There are probably very few snail enthusiasts with an affinity for family movies and Indy Car racing out there, but if that sounds like your niche then the new Dreamworks animated movie “Turbo” is going to be right up your alley. With a haphazard plot and lowbrow jokes “Turbo” appears to be arbitrarily pulled from a hat by group studio executives fresh out of ideas.

After a freak accident, our hero, an ordinary garden snail conveniently named Turbo voice by Ryan Reynolds (“Green Lantern” 2011), is given the opportunity to chase his dream of winning the Indy 500.

Quickly, this movie becomes more dried up than a snail doused in salt. Instead of focusing on the central plot, “Turbo” becomes way too distracted by it’s lousy jokes and a relentless string of motivational anecdotes that should have stayed on a bumper sticker.

The message of the movie is rather troubling. It attempts to convey that no dream is too large, but what audiences more than likely will hear is if you’re small, weak and incapable of winning—juice up and you will have a chance.

The movie does have some distinctive voice acting performances that turn out to be the only saving grace. Bill Hader, Maya Rudolph, Paul Giamatti and the infinitely entertaining Samuel L. Jackson all do a fine job as the supporting cast of mollusks.

“Turbo” lacks in terms of its originality, ironically slow pace and unfunny sense of humor and will remind most of the standard family animated flick.

“Turbo” Opens this tomorrow.