By Francis Agnoli

TURBO KID is exactly the kind of movie you think it is. It is a joyous love letter to the post-apocalyptic movies of the 1980s - down to its acid rain-soaked setting, the futuristic year of 1997 - although thankfully without much of the ugly misogyny often inherent to that genre.

The film seems like something a young kid would have written after seeing MAD MAX for the first time - throwing together as many tropes and clichés as possible - and only just now got around to filming. I do not write that to be an insult but out of admiration. There is a purity and a lack of cynicism to these proceedings, all the way down to the gleefully gory violence. Even the extras look like they are having the time of their lives.

For a special touch, the characters ride not souped-up gas-guzzlers but BMX bikes. The creative choice leads for more than a few entertaining visuals - the image straight-faced men peddling around - as well as to the realization of how much more practical these vehicles are.

As for the plot, it services the film well enough. There are bad men; there are hardened-but-good-hearted men. Our protagonists, the Kid (Munro Chambers) and Apple (Laurence Lebeouf), find themselves caught up in the middle. The aforementioned tropes and clichés come into effect, but their sheer quantity does allow for more than a few genuine surprises.

TURBO KID is first and foremost a fun and lighthearted film. You should know from the trailer or even the poster whether you are going to like it. If you have any affection for the MAD MAX films or any movies from that genre, then you will most likely enjoy TURBO KID.

FilmScene will be screening TURBO KID twice this week, Wednesday (9/2) at 10:00pm and Thursday (9/3) at 8:30pm.