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Speed Racer
Directed by: Andy and Larry Wachowski
Starring: Emile Hirsch
Genre:
Action/Fantasy
Run Time: 135
min.
Release Date: May 2008
On The Web:
Official
Site
Teaser:
Movie Trailer
Reviewed by
Byron Merritt |
Being both heavily into THE MATRIX
trilogy and the original SPEED RACER cartoon of the late 60s,
I went into this re-imagining with high hopes. I figured surely the
Wachowski brothers could do it justice if anyone could.
I had to think back to my childhood and remember if the cartoon was
really that good, and I must say that, in its day, it was. It was also
probably the first anime I’d ever seen, and I enjoyed the style
immensely. But one has to wonder if that style would translate well to a
feature film in today’s market.
Although there must certainly be fans of this film out-and-about, you
won’t find one here. Why? you might ask. For me, it was the complete
lack of a coherent story flow. Anime isn’t necessarily known for this
anyway, which was why I questioned Speed Racer being made into a movie
in the first place. I think the Hollywood big-wigs must’ve thought that
they could tug the memory-strings of those who’d grown up with the
cartoon series and get them to plop down hard-earned cash at the box
office. Not to mention attaching big name directors and stars to it.
Undoubtedly the film did well because of these aforementioned items. But
if you’re looking for anything approaching substance, you won’t find it
here.
The film is a zig-zagging, nonstop, car race (for the most part) that
leaves no time for the audiences eyes to rest. This created a sort of
disorientation for me, in that I felt I was being pushed (or dragged)
along throughout the entire film. It was like the film makers didn’t
want you to rest and think about ...anything. “Just enjoy the cool cars,
the excess colors, and all this action,” is what they seemed to be
saying. Although Emile Hirsch (MILK)
did an okay job with what he was given, I simply didn’t care about him
or his family in any way, shape or form because I never got to know them
(we were always “racing” from one car race to the next).
That said, I did discover some things that worried me as a kid:
1. Pops Racer hasn’t died of high blood pressure. He’s got his temper
semi-under control.
2. Sparky is gay. For sure. Did you see the way he looked at Speedy’s
butt?
3. Mom Racer needs to get laid. Desperately. She’s too wound up.
4.Racer X. Is he Speedy’s long, lost brother. Well ...you’ll have to
watch and find out.
I have to wonder if kids who can’t sit through stories that develop good
characters wouldn’t enjoy this flick. It moves so fast that I don’t
think it’d give them time to care. Which might be why Speed Racer did
better than I thought it would at the cinema...
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Image from Speed Racer
DVD cost: $28.58
Purchase:
Tower.com
Film Review Stew
Favorite? No.
Stew Poo-Poo? No.
Newsworthy:
With the race cars being
totally fictional, most of the pedestrian cars are actually based on
real-life futuristic concept cars (one can easily spot an orange
Rinspeed E-GO Rocket parked at the nearest to the screen when Rex picks
Speed up from school). At one point, two Peugeot concept cars (the
award-winning Peugeot 4002 Lion design and the quirky Moonster) are seen
as well.
Movie Quote: "Your
son seems to be interested in only one thing. All he talks about, all he
seems capable of thinking about, is automobile racing."
Other Actors/Actresses
from Speed Racer
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