Speed Racer (2008) User Reviews (501)

Pleasing and grandly amusing adventure about a crack racer based on a Japanese classic cartoon

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 23 August 2009]

This tale starts with Speed Racer (Emile Hirsch), he is an aggressive, impetuous, and brave crack pilot to win breathtaking world races. He lives with his mom (Susan Sarandon) and Pops racer (John Goodman) who designs a fabulous car along with a mechanic(Kirk Gurry), the Match 5 . The proprietary of Royal Industries does him a lavish offer but he rejects it. And he also uncovers a dark secret about the biggest races are being fixed . Speed Racer must save the sport he loves and his family racing business. Then Speed join forces with his one time rival Racer X (Matthew Fox) to win ¨Casa Cristo¨ rally , a cross country race, competing against dangerous racers and a shifty Japonese racer(Rain) and ultimately the ¨Grand Prix¨.

This exciting movie contains thrills, action-packed, tension, suspense and overwhelming races, but also some commercial elements. This is a dynamic, fast-paced and amusing movie. Full of action, its complemented by silly comedy in charge of a little boy and a monkey. The picture relies heavily on the overlong and death-defying races that are incredible and magnificently made by 3D computer generator. The story moves like a supersonic bullet for most of its running time and the last generation of fantastic cars steal the show. Contrived beyond belief with spectacular races that play like video games, but slickly calculated to please 2000 audiences and children especially. Emile Hirsch as valiant racer is good, he's an instinctive, stubborn and valiant young man. Susan Sarandon and John Goodman are sympathetic as his affectionate parents and Christina Ricci is beautiful as his love interest. Colorful cinematography plenty of pastel and glimmer color by David Tattersall. Impressive and groundbreaking production design by Owen Patterson. Stirring and moving musical score by Michael Giacchino, usual of J.J. Abrahams movies. The motion picture is well directed by the brothers Larry and Andy Wachowski adapting the famous Japonese anime . The Wachowski, also screenwriters(Speed Racer, V for vendetta)achieved his big success with Matrix trilogy and here get another great hit.

Speed Racer

[jboothmillard · 7/10 · 3 June 2016]

The Wachowskis (Bound, Cloud Atlas) have come a long way since directing The Matrix franchise, in fact both brothers have made the transition to become openly transgender women, Larry is now Lana and Andy is now Lilli, this process started happening around the time of the release of this film, when they were still credited as The Wachowski Brothers (Lana was still Larry then). Basically in near- distant future, eighteen-year-old James "Speed" Racer (Into the Wild's Emile Hirsch) has always had a love and life for automobile racing, since he was in school, he is now the youngest driver in the WRL (World Racing League) with natural racing instincts. Speed's ultimate dream is to win the Casa Cristo Cross Country Rally, also known as The Crucible, this race took the life of his older brother Rex (Scott Porter). Speed is loyal to his family's independent business, Racer Motors, run by his parents, Pops (John Goodman) and Mom (Susan Sarandon), Speed is using his brother's car, the Mach 5 and his own Formula One car the Mach 6, both designed by his father. The owner of conglomerate Royalton Industries, E.P. Arnold Royalton (Roger Allam), makes a lucrative offer to sign to race with him, and have an astoundingly luxurious lifestyle, Royalton is angered when he declines. Then Speed uncovers a secret that many races are being fixed, top corporate interests, including Royalton, are cheating to gain profit, having denied his offer Royalton wants to ensure that that Speed will not win races. Speed has the support of his parents and his girlfriend Trixie (Christina Ricci), he enters The Crucible, and he is going against his one-time rival, the mysterious masked Racer X (Lost's Matthew Fox), Speed seeks to rescue his family's business and the racing sport itself. In the end Speed wins the race, Royalton's crimes are exposed, and a flashback reveals Racer X is in fact Rex, he faked his death and changed his appearance with plastic surgery as part of a plan to save his family and the sport of racing, he chooses not to reveal his identity to his family, Royalton goes to jail and the Racer celebrate Speed's victory, Speed and Trixie kiss. Also starring Paulie Litt as Spritle Racer, Benno Fürmann as Inspector Detector, The Wolverine's Hiroyuki Sanada as Mr. Musha, Rain as Taejo Togokahn, Shaft's Richard Roundtree as Ben Burns, Edge of Tomorrow's Kick Gurry as Sparky and Run Lola Run's Moritz Bleibtreu as Grey Ghost. Hirsch does well as the young racing hero, Goodman and Sarandon get their time as the parents, and Allam is a suitably dastardly villain, this film is based on a cult 1960s anime show, which would explain why the world in which the characters inhabit is digitised, the backgrounds and fast-paced race sequences are filled to the brim with vibrant colourful special effects CGI, this adds to the spectacle of it, all the family will watch and enjoy entering a different dimension, a most fun sports action comedy. Very good!

A Wild Ride Of Colors & FX

[ccthemovieman-1 · 7/10 · 26 September 2008]

If you're into color, this film is for you. It's hard to imagine a movie with more and bolder colors and wild action that is presented here.

The story is predictable and a bit juvenile but I'm an older guy. For kids and most of the family, this should be very enjoyable. For those, like me, who like special-effects and stylish visuals, it was definitely worth a look, particularly on a Blu-Ray hi-definition disc.

Many of the characters were over-the-top, especially the villains, naturally, led by Roger Allam as "Arnold Royalton." The good guys - meaning "Speed Racer" and his family, were okay. It was odd seeing Susan Sarandon and John Goodman playing the parents, but, that's Hollywood. The younger brother "Sprittle" (Paulie Litt) and the chimp, I'm sure, drew most of the laughs from most audiences.

This film, however, is not really about the story or, more specifically, about futuristic auto racing, although if you love auto racing you should like this - it's about the incredible colors and special-effects extravaganza. Hey, the guys who made this movie made the three "Matrix" films, so that should tell you something.

Terribly marketed but actually a technically impressive and quite fun family film despite being overlong and a bit hollow

[bob the moo · 11 September 2008]

As a child Speed Racer not only had his name as a developmental factor in his passion for motor racing, but also the influence of his older brother and famous driver Rex Racer. However when Rex is revealed as corrupt he is thrown from the sport and is eventually killed in a deadly cross-country race – devastating his family but yet purring Speed on to continue his brother's legacy, believing him to have been wrongly accused. As an adult he appears to have the racing world at his feet, with only the limited resources of his father's company as a constraint. An offer from one of the largest firms in the sport appears – but Speed soon learns that the sport he loves is not as pure or as clean as it is for him.

I remember seeing the trailer for this film and both me and my girlfriend turned to one another and simply said in unison that Speed Racer "looks awful". Presented as an adult action movie of sorts, it just looked terribly gaudy and nonsensical and I was not surprised when it got a critical mauling on its release in the UK. I watched it recently anyway though and quickly worked out that actually it was meant to be that way and that the marketing department did a terrible job of selling it by presenting it as something that it wasn't. Rather than an action film it is essentially a live action version of a cartoon series (which I have not seen) that is trying to be a cartoon in the same way as Tank Girl tried to be the comic strip even if it wasn't a great film. With Speed Racer it actually works better because it has the budget and the consistency across the film to just about carry the style. Substance-wise it must be said that there is not enough going on to really carry a film that is over two hours long and a lot of stuff could have been cut back some but this isn't really a film that is about substance. Some have said it is good for children and I do agree but again this makes me wonder why it ran as long as it did.

Anyway, the film it is all about the visual design and in this regard the film is quite impressive IF you keep in mind that it is deliberately the way that it is and that the gaudy colours and excessive special effects are all part of it and not just a sign of the Wachowski brothers going out of their minds. Style does not make a film brilliant though and indeed Speed Racer is still an acquired taste – if you can get into the comic book style then it just about works but personally I do not agree with those praising it to the high heavens. Technically yes, it is really good and I particularly like the visual awareness that built it, for example the editing and overlaying of images in the style of a comic book. The cast are not any good in a traditional sense but they do play up the hyper comic style performances required. Hirsch is a bit stiff but leads the film well, while Fox has already shown he likes style without a lot of substance and is equally sturdy. The supporting cast is deep in faces, all of whom pretty much fit with the weird comic book style even if I'm not sure what any single one of them personally gained by being in the film (apart from money of course). Ricci, Goodman, Sarandon, Roundtree and many others all show up and add to the novelty feel of the film.

Speed Racer is not a great film by any means but it certainly did not deserve the panning it generally got. It is important to watch it as a kid's animated cartoon, even if it cost millions and seems silly. In this mind, the visual style and everything else works because it makes sense – however two hours+ is still a tough ask for a film that is all style with very little of substance.

Visually Amazing with Stunning Colors

[BaronBl00d · 6/10 · 21 December 2008]

I never saw the Japanese animated series and went into Speed Racer as a pure novice. I also am not of a fan of racing. Notwithstanding I enjoyed the film as a piece of enjoyable entertainment as it chronicles the rise and grit of Speed Racer and the Racer family as they combat the evils of a world built on bribery, consumerism, and sponsorships. While much of the story's finer subtleties may have been lost on me, the film is very easy to understand. It's not Hamlet but is better than some of the mindless entertainment churned out these days in Hollywood. Part of the credit goes to the actors who give their roles enough attention to take them seriously for the most part. Emile Hirsch is fine in the title role. Matthew Fox is really rather good as Racer X. John Goodman gives an acceptable performance as Pops Racer and Susan Sarandon the same as the mom. I really enjoyed the performance of Roger Allam as the heavy. He could ooze with dialog with the best. The directors achieved more importantly a film that is visually stunning and stylistic in its own right. I didn't like all of the innovative things they did. The constant scenes overlapping became tiresome after awhile. But the races had a surrealistic look that made them oddly quite compelling. Speed Racer isn't trying to be taken too terribly serious. After all it is based on an animated series! But it does give the audience a lot of bang for its buck and captivated me the entire time. The biggest annoyance for me was the kid playing Spritle - I just didn't find him cute at all. Not one bit.

I felt like I was on Speed while watching this movie

[Smells_Like_Cheese · 5/10 · 11 May 2008]

Speed Racer, blockbuster number 2 for the summer, based off the popular animated 60's cartoon, the first real "Japanimation" series, we have the now live action film. What was supposed to also be a family film, this film just flops on. First I'll start on the positives: bright colors, exciting effects, and it felt like a cartoon, which is what it meant to bring. However, this movie was overly long, if it's supposed to be for kids, so don't make it into a 2 hour and 15 minute film. Like one of the ending scenes where Speed has all these flash backs of earlier scenes, we didn't need it. Some of the dialog, it was decent but again, could have been shortened. Also, I know that CGI is a thing that will never die, but it's not my cup of tea, because it just takes away something special. But the story does deliver on it's fast paced race scenes.

Speed Racer has lived a fast paced life on the road, trying to live up to his "deceased" brother's world of racing. But all these sponsors are coming after him, but he wishes to stay in the family with his dad, mom, little brother, and Tricksey, his girlfriend. With the help of a mysterious Racer X, Speed wishes to beat the sponsors who threw things in his face and just make money off of him, and can just prove that he is the number one racer in the world.

Speed Racer, for a summer blockbuster, it's a decent enough film, however it does have it's flaws here and there. Now the one thing I was impressed with is that not only did they make it feel like a cartoon, but it was over all pretty faithful the the original cartoon series, so you get a real feel of the original story. I just think it was a little too long and the CGI was a little too much, it was almost like why did they even need the actors? Everything was probably a green screen, so what's the point in making it with human actors? But this is a fun movie for the kids with the bright colors, it just could have been shorter, because the kids will probably loose attention with the film. But for the 10+ year old's, they'll definitely get into it.

5/10

Way better than I thought...

[BandSAboutMovies · 7/10 · 27 April 2019]

As a kid, I was totally obsessed with Japanese culture. In the late 1970's, we had Godzilla, Gamera, Johnny Sokko, Ultraman, Battle of the Planets, Starblazers and Speed Racer all on TV at the same time. The thing is, I was the older brother who always felt like the screw-up, so Racer X was my hero. I avoided this movie when it was released. How could it live up to my memories? I'm pleased t admit I was wrong. This movie is crazy in all the best ways.

After years of this movie never getting made, The Wachowskis were able to bring it to the screen. Just from the beginning - where time overlaps and we get both the backstory of Speed, his brother Rex and the race that they've both won - this movie grabs you. Yes, it's way too CGI intense but at some point, all the blurring and spins and overlaps just win you over.

Speed Racer (Emile Hirsch) loves racing and loves his family - Pops (John Goodman), Mom (Susan Sarandon), brother Spritle, chimp Chim Chim, his mechanic Sparky and his girlfriend Trixie (Christina Ricci) - even more. He once had a brother named Rex who left the family for racing and became one of the dirtiest racers in the sport before dying in the Casa Cristo 5000 cross country rally. Seriously, the flashback scene that tells you all of this will either thrill or exhaust you.

Everything from the show is here, from how Speed leaps from the Mach 5 and the screen turns to pose in the original animation to characters like race fixer Cruncher Block, Inspector Detector, Snake Oiler and Prince Kabalah as well as the Mach 5, the Shooting Star, the GRX race car and the Mammoth Car.

In a better world, the fact that this movie exists in a candy-colored neon world would have been seen as a welcome escape from the grim and gritty world that we live in. Sadly, it was not to be, although the film made up from its box office losses via merchandising and video sales.

At one point, Julien Temple was to direct, Johnny Depp was to play Speed and Henry Rollins was going to be Racer X. I kinda wanna see that movie now.

Look at the bright pretty colours.....

[neil-476 · 3/10 · 27 May 2008]

This movie was a disappointment. I don't know if the Speed Racer cartoon was ever shown in the UK - if it was, I missed it. But the fact that I've never seen the TV series is, I think, a reason why I may not have all the data I need to assess this film comprehensively. Because I don't think I am within the demographic which this film is aimed at.

Mind you, I'm not sure what that demographic is (other than middle-aged people who want to see the TV series translated into shiny new CGI - and that's an assumption on my part). One might think that the movie is a kids' film - it's full of bright shiny (bordering on fluorescent) colours, hyper-kinetic energy designed to appeal to the video game generation, and a simple-minded story. But then, and going with the story, there is much to put kids off - though simple-minded, I have my suspicions that kids aren't going to be too enthralled with the backstory of corporate corruption and, for a movie which runs over 2 hours (a long time for those restless little bums to stay on seats), there are several sections which are very very talky. I confess that I found it hard to stay awake through the main villain's attempted corruption of Speed.

There was a fair bit to irritate unindoctrinated adults, too - the immensely shudder-making younger brother and pet chimp take the chequered flag in this particular race. And, while I understand that this movie takes place in its own universe - a universe in which the laws of physics as we know them don't quite apply - I found myself getting very distracted by the randomness and inconsistency with which they were applied. OK, so you can race round mountain bends at several hundred miles per hour, and come to an abrupt stop without being pulped. But how come that out of the many, many apocalyptic crashes, the only one which actually harms anyone is Rex Racer (OK, I know, I know, but in terms of the impact on other characters). My, how dangerous this racing is - well, not really, you just get cocooned in foam or parachuted to safety.

I can't figure out the Wachowski brothers. Bound was a fabulous suspense thriller, wound tight as a watchspring. The Matrix was a groundbreaking sci-fi spectacular, with an interesting plot. V for Vendetta was a tolerable adaptation of a classic comic series.

But Speed Racer is grown from the same seeds as the Matrix sequels. Yes, there's some fabulous eye candy in it. But I also need something for the brain to get its teeth into. Where the Matrix sequels went to an extreme of overblown pretentiousness, it's almost as if the Wachowskis have gone to the opposite end of the spectrum here just to make a point. And neither extreme works.

Speed Racer was undeniably eye-catching, but I did not care about a single thing beneath the gaudy surface. Because there wasn't anything beneath that surface.

Pure popcorn fun for the whole family. Great job, Andy & Larry.

[The_Amazing_Spy_Rises · 8/10 · 10 May 2008]

Well, what you've got here is a case of audience/critic disagreement. Obviously, this movie will get bashed by the critics because of its cartoonish and campy mood, but that's just it: the world shown on screen by the Wachowski brothers is marvelous. The animation is perfect for the atmosphere they're trying to create. Don't go in expecting Matrix-esquire effects, because there aren't any bullet time scenes. The effects used are so fitting for this movie because they're almost cartoonish and the movie doesn't take itself too seriously.

The film, an adaptation of the long running Japanese anime, revolves around natural racing phenomenon Speed (the wonderful Emile Hirsch) and his family, which somehow includes John Goodman and Susan Sarandon (whoever pulled off this casting deserves some kind of award). Oh yeah, and the casting directors managed to get Matthew Fox and Christina Ricci as well. What really stood out in this area is that everyone involved really understood the characters and the world that Speed Racer is supposed to display. It's not supposed to be overly serious, nor is it supposed to be that realistic either. With the warm performances of Hirsch, Goodman, and Ricci, you get transported into another world (isn't that the point of movies anyway?). Matthew Fox is also great as the mysterious Racer X, whose role is sort of misconstrued by the previews. He showed a different side that I didn't think he could on 'Lost'.

The visual effects, as I've said before, aren't going to be Matrix-esquire, but there are a few "whoa" factor sequences that had my jaw dropping. I also need to warn you that, if you can't take fast camera movements or rapid shots, be careful. It's not as bad as Cloverfield or Blair Witch (because the quickness only occurs in the race sequences), but I'd still try to grab a seat in the middle or back of the theater. The film is visually stunning outside of the races themselves as well. The buildings, the cities, the homes, the cars themselves...all beautiful.

The Wachowski brothers get an A+ for keeping the movie in the spirit of the show as much as they could (they really did a great job), however the film has a major flaw: a runtime of just under 2 and a half hours. That's a BIG no no for a movie that is obviously marketed towards kids, unless it has the names "Star Wars" or "Harry Potter" on it. The film also has a sensual scene or two featuring Ricci and Hirsch, not to mention occasional language.

My advice: don't listen to the critics, see this movie for the fact that it's pure entertainment for the audience, and it will take you away to a visually stunning world for a couple hours. Definitely an enjoyable movie for the entire family.

when it's a dumb, colorful B-movie from an anime show, it works. when it goes for plot, it... doesn't so much

[Quinoa1984 · 6/10 · 27 May 2008]

Leave it to the Wachowski brothers, masterminds behind the Matrix and V for Vendetta, to take something of a cult item like Speed Racer and try and turn it to a summer blockbuster. It wasn't so bad trying to make it into a movie, but the "summer" and "blockbuster" parts are trickier, particularly when up against the heavyweight competition (which, as with Indiana Jones and especially Iron Man are, to be fair, better movies). In their attempt to make a movie suitable for kids they did a job better than expected, but it's also a nutty piece, a film brimming with a cavalcade of colors and CGI gimmickry that's akin to Nascar on LSD. Like the show, it works best for a cult audience- either fans of the show or those who are little kids (under 10) or can tap into that side of themselves now and again- and it's not surprising it didn't do well at the box-office. In another part of the year, maybe, it would've done better.

I would like to report that it's the most underrated flick of the season, but I'd be lying. It is a flawed movie, where the story- of Speed Racer (Emile Hirsch) and his battles with the corrupt owner of Royalton motors (Roger Allam) with the help of Trixie, his girlfriend (Christina Ricci) and the mysterious masked Racer X (Matthew Fox), not to mention winning the big Grand Prix race- is told at times in such a jumbled way that one starts to loose the momentum built up in the race scenes. Even in the climax of the picture there's spouts of flashbacks that almost start to kill the adrenaline in the sequence. And, as is often to happen in kids movies, only here to the max, there's a detailing of the plot, twists that occur (I won't reveal which though they should be obvious), and some themes touched upon (redemption, revenge) that can barely be given enough weight given everything else that's going on.

But this being said, there is enough to recommend in the picture overall for a rental; preferably widescreen for the full effect of the close-up visual scheme used constantly. When sticking to what probably made the series enjoyable, Speed Racer is good, not-quite old fashioned guilty pleasure. Actors like Allam (reprising a role somewhat from V For Vendetta) and Fox chew up their scenes especially well, and Hirsch is a solid choice for Speed. There's actually fun comic relief between Speed's younger brother and a chimp (including one impossibly laugh out loud moment where they fight monsters inside a bad anime TV show). And the races themselves are delirious imaginations, somewhere between the range of kung-fu and the pod race from Phantom Menace with a chase of amphetamines. They truly are some crazy works of pop-art, and for all the money (too much money) that went into the visual effects, they synthesize strangely for these races, either on the wintry slopes or in the wacky Grand Prix itself.

What the brothers and the VFX crew were on when they created much of these scenes I can't say, and depending on the viewer they'll either delight one to hell or make on totally dizzy. For me, it's somewhere in the middle.

Pretty but empty

[zetes · 5/10 · 18 May 2008]

Certainly not the abject failure many critics seem to think it is, but it's certainly no success, either. I found the cartoonish world created by the Wachowskis and their three dozen special effects teams (seriously, the credits last half as long as the movie listing visual effects artists) constantly astounding and beautiful. I never got tired of looking at it (though I'd be willing to bet most would). Unfortunately, after the visual splendor, Speed Racer has little to offer. The characters are as thin, if not thinner, than they were in the original series. Susan Sarandon and John Goodman, the pros that they are, are both decent as Speed's parents, and Paulie Litt brings a lot of energy as Speed's youngest brother, Spritle. In fact, he has so much of that energy that the Wachowskis include him in every sequence. The rest of the cast is pretty lifeless, especially Emile Hirsch, who did quite well in Into the Wild last year, in the lead and Matthew Fox in the beyond thankless role of Racer X. It's almost worth it to Lost fans to see it for a scene where Fox gets in a fight with a ninja. I can't hate on Christina Ricci because she's way too hot as Trixie. The racing and fight scenes are decent action-wise, but it's occasionally difficult to tell what the heck is going on. The images move so fast that it's easy to miss who is who and what is what. The plot is like that, too. There were definitely bad guys whom I didn't really get. I just ended up assuming they all work for the big bad guy (Roger Allam) in some way. I have to admit that I was enjoying it most of the way through, but it's the kind of junk food that vanishes instantly. All in all, an empty experience.

Total 10 when on edibles

[seshygrl89 · 10/10 · 16 May 2023]

All of the bright color and cartoonish effects are really fun under the right circumstances. ;) Even if not under the influence, it can still be a real fun movie especially when it feels like it's making fun of itself. Was a fan of the original show so I liked the movie for that fact alone but the other factors take it over the top, just like the effects. A fun ride, just like the one the race cars have. It's like a more colorful family friendly Sin City. Much of the movie is like riding a rainbow. It is probably the most colorful movie there is. The plot stands on its own even if it is often overshadowed by obvious ridiculousness.

Poor Marketing, Good Film

[gavin6942 · 6/10 · 24 May 2008]

Young Speed Racer is in constant admiration of his older brother Rex Racer. Coming of age, Speed becomes a great driver himself, possibly the best in the world. Who is Racer X? What is the story with the evil gang who tortures people with piranhas? And is it better to be independent or join up with a billion dollar corporation in order to get the best gear? I've been a fan of Speed Racer for some time. I grew up watching reruns on late night television (it's a 1960s show, and I'm a bit younger than that). I have a Speed Racer shirt that I love wearing. So when I heard a film was coming out and starring one of my favorite actresses, Christina Ricci, as Trixie, I was intrigued. But then I saw the trailer and my heart sank. It was all digital animation and looked about as boring as watching NASCAR.

At fault here are the people who made the trailer. If this film fails, it's the poor advertising. Who cares about seeing race scenes? The focus should have been on the actors. The trailer doesn't tell you that this film stars heavy-weights like Ricci, John Goodman, Susan Sarandon and Matthew Fox. Very little of the movie actually takes place on the race track. Goodman in particular is quite good (as usual) and Fox isn't as wooden as he is on "Lost".

I'm still not a fan of CGI or computer animation in general. But, to be fair, in order to turn a 1960s anime into a live-action film, I think the Wachowski brothers ("Matrix") did about as good as can be expected. At least they used a real chimp for Chim-Chim. The animation didn't bother me. In fact, my only real complaint was with Ricci. I miss the days of the pudgy Ricci. This new one, who needs to eat a sandwich, doesn't have the appeal or charisma as she did in her younger days.

"Speed Racer" will not be for everyone. The humor is unusual, the characters are strange (on purpose) and exaggerate Japanese culture quite a bit at times. The film strives towards PG, but includes situations that would have worked better with a PG-13, so it comes off as awkward at times. But I really thought this would be a bigger disappointment. I enjoyed "Speed Racer", and for anyone who is curious I don't think they should shy away.

What were they thinking?

[kgprophet · 3/10 · 11 May 2008]

This movie is bad. It's "Last Action Hero" bad, it's Ang Lee's "Hulk" bad, it's "Flinstones" bad, it's "Phantom Menace" bad. I started to get that sinking feeling as the opening act failed to find it's groove, jumping all over the place without giving the audience a chance to ground themselves. Supposedly this is a movie made for youngsters. If this was true, they would know enough to keep the running time to about 90 minutes. I can guarantee you that if the studio required the Wachowski Bros to shorten the run time, this movie would have been much better. They also should have known that you can't keep up this flashy visual style for over two hours, for it becomes repetitious and loses it's effect on the audience. The worst thing you can ever do for a summer popcorn movie is have long long monologues. My God, it's not a contest to see how many words you can use to describe the racing business. What were they thinking as we are inundated with countless close-ups spewing subplot after subplot. After about an hour of this claptrap, I just gave up trying to keep track of who was in trouble, who was friendly, it just went on and on.

The flashy editing didn't help with the racing sequences, because you are only given 1 second to figure out what's going on in a shot before it changes again. A few race sequences weren't fleshed out enough to get a sense of the endurance. We rarely see the actual start, and the flashy editing prevents you from keeping track of who is where, or whether they are winning.

I gave this movie a shot by seeing it on Imax, but it just made the nose hairs bigger.

Added 05/27/08: I am truly puzzled by the stark contrast in the reviews on IMDb. Many reviews were 10 stars and fawning over how perfect it is. I really can't see by any stretch of the imagination how this could be given a perfect score. Judging not only by the critical reviews but also the nearly empty theatres nationwide, it is NOT any kind of masterpiece. I am hesitant to guess, but perhaps these early reviews were planted? I was fooled in the past by early glowing reviews on IMDb (Swordfish comes to mind), and certainly am wary these days. Especially when the film is given 10 stars and described as if it is the most important achievement in movie-making. Speed Racer? I don't think so.

The Hungry Desire of Eye

[tedg · 10 May 2008]

I saw this the same night as the latest film by my favorite filmmaker and I must admit that this held its own.

Sure, the story is silly and there are the requisite two lessons for children. All the shots with the parents could have been replaced with a dialog card so far as I care. But this is highly cinematic in a fine-grained sense.

Coursegrained long form would be the cinematic values of that Peter Greenaway film, where the narrative has substance and is cast cinematically. The contrast is shocking, with this Wachowski business seeming to be mere busy style.

But look again. There's real value in how the story is told even though the story is as close to vacuous white noise as possible. In fact, there's a statement there that matters. This movie is about movie-making. The watchers of the "race" are watchers of the movie. Its a simple fold.

I consider this the best of the brothers' films because their sometimes intriguing plots distract from their deeper intent. That intent is to visually explore what it means to watch. Sure, those plots are about watching as well. But people watch "The Matrix" and build religions around the story mechanics as if they matter. Previously, "Bound" was my favorite Wachowski film because it suppressed the noise of the story so as to equal the expression of that story in terms of the eye, the desire of eye.

These folks are to Welles as Coltrane is to Getz. They run riffs whose patterns are derived from the languid, meaningfilled studies of what went before, but which are presented so quickly you cannot possibly comprehend the fullness with which they were originally loaded.

That overloading of serious visual grammar has an immediate effect: that we are really there instead of digesting something filtered to be simple enough for us to understand. But there's a deeper effect: there is so much motion here, so many paths we can choose from to decide what we see, that there's a sort of tease between the film and our mind about what options they will present — and what tricks they will use to suggest paths to comprehension. And on our part to discard, to race ahead of the track suggested, to speed ahead and get to the end before even the movie.

I consider this serious work, and an advance in film grammar that possibly will be profound.

Ted's Evaluation -- 3 of 3: Worth watching.

The ultimate Wachowski movie

[name99-92-545389 · 6/10 · 28 February 2022]

To my eyes this is peak Wachowski, with all that implies, positive and negative.

Wachowski movies pretty much always provide intense visual spectacle coupled to a plot that makes little to zero sense (oh spare me your nonsense about deep philosophy embedded in The Matrix!), and this movie dials both of those to 11.

The plot makes zero sense even within the framework of the movie! The drivers all believe the races are honest, and the parents all believe racing is mostly safe, even though every event looks like something out of Death Race 2000???

So just accept, going in, that the plot is nonsense and it's ALL about the visuals. Which has a few consequences, the most important of which is that this movie was made for a large OLED screen, and displayed in HDR. Do not try to watch it on anything less. It just will not be pleasant; you'll miss all the value of the movie. The stills show some of what to expect, but they and the previews on this site don't have the HDR that makes what you see truly astonishing, these insane ultra-oranges side by side with deep purple or eye-watering fuchsia.

And so, and I cannot stress this enough, the experience is like eating cotton candy - more than a small dose will make you violently ill! I watched it over four days, about half an hour a day, and I think that's about the right pace. Anything more than that and your brain and visual system will be permanently scarred.

I really was bored by the film and dislike it a great deal

[dbborroughs · 2/10 · 10 May 2008]

They say if you can't say something nice don't say anything. Yea well...The performances are fine... I can't for the life of me say anything nice other than that, other than maybe its not quite as hyperactive as some have claimed. Unreal mix of live action and animation this is a perfect example of a visual wizards art. No doubt this film looks exactly the way the directors wanted it to be. The problem is that in throwing money at the visuals they forgot things like the ability to follow the races, excitement, a script. This is someone's idea of what speed racer is not what it really is. I grew up on the TV show and I recognized visual steals and the way that things were done in the cartoon, but where the cartoon had reasons for doing things they way they did, here they simply rip off the shots but have nothing behind them.The shots made you feel and moved the story, they didn't just look cool. They use the shots because they think it will play the same way, which it doesn't. Who did they make this for? Its not for adults. Its not really for women or girls. I think only young boys will like this since it will mirror an adolescent fantasy. Whats worse the film drones on and on and on and on.It never ends, it never builds to anything its either a scene of exposition or one of frantic visuals. I don't like it. I don't know what I would call it, its not a good film or a fair film or even an okay one, but its not "bad" in any classic sense. its dull and boring and way too hyperactive...then again maybe Bad sums it up.

Going nowhere slowly

[preppy-3 · 6/10 · 10 May 2008]

Live action update of the 1960s animated series. In this Speed Racer (Emile Hirsch) is a race car driver. He's trying to live up to his brother Rex who died in a car crash race. An evil corporation tries to buy Speed out but he refuses. So they decide to kill him in any race he's in.

This has gotten vicious reviews from critics. To be honest they're pretty correct. There's no characterization of anyone, the script is by the numbers and the dialogue is so predictable it's groan worthy. But this film mostly concentrates on the visuals and, in that respect, it works. The visuals during the races are just incredible--you just sit there slack-jawed at what you're seeing. They're fast, loud and violent (BUT within a PG rating). Also the movie is extremely family friendly--it stresses a strong loving family that sticks together no matter what. And the mother is played by Susan Sarandon and the father by John Goodman. Who wouldn't want them as parents? Unfortunately we get the annoying younger brother Sprittle and his equally annoying chimpanzee pal Chim Chim! They're unfunny and drag the film down. But the kids in the audience I had loved them.

Still the film has a plot so predictable it was insulting--I lost track at how many times I rolled my eyes over the dialogue. It makes the original cartoon look sophisticated. Also it's far too long. This film is over two hours with plenty of slow, boring sequences (mostly ones dealing with the plot). I looked at my watch quite a bit. Still-kids probably won't mind. There's no swearing, nudity or sex and the violence is all comic book level. The acting is terrible (except for Matthew Fox) but you can't blame the actors--they have nothing to work with.

The kids will love it but probably not adults. I give it a 6 but that's just for the visuals. Adults will probably be bored silly. I'm an adult and I couldn't wait for this to get over.

Gaudy style overwhelms without the excitement of real stunts

[SnoopyStyle · 5/10 · 22 March 2014]

Speed Racer (Emile Hirsch) grew up idolizing his older brother Rex (Scott Porter). When they barely survive a bomb, Rex runs away to race for somebody other than Mom (Susan Sarandon) and Pops (John Goodman). Now Speed Racer is a grown up and a brilliant racer with his childhood girlfriend Trixie (Christina Ricci).

Nobody could ever call the Wachowski Brothers bland. They are certainly very bold with their style and this is no exception. However the gaudy colors, and cartoonish style doesn't make the racing that exciting. It's all flash and fury signifying nothing. I rather have a few real stunt car driving. The style overwhelms everything.

As for the story, who could really pay enough attention to keep up? The visual overload distracts the audience and confuses everything. Any possible tension is drained away by the ridiculousness of everything.

I Don't Know What Haters Were Expecting But It Did Exactly What It Set Out To Do

[moinsyyed · 10/10 · 3 May 2008]

and that would be, entertain.

I can't describe how many times I thought 'whoah!' it's one of those moments that could only ever happen in cartoons or 'whoa!' that was anime level crazy! This film set out to create a literal live action adaptation of a lovable & cheesy retro cartoon anime. That's exactly what it did.

Let's start with the PG rating, this was appropriate not because this film is 'aimed' at kids (which it wasn't clearly, as box office disconnect showed) but because it's a 'family' film for all ages based on a cartoon that most of the older generation watched when they were kids, the source material barely even bordered a 12A and yet the film managed to in fact surpass it's source material in maturity.

Fans of anime will seriously lap this up despite what the recent comments have said. Not only has every care been taken to preserve elements of the source material but it also has those cool retro and also modern anime moments. Good and bad guys with crazy cartoon anime hairstyles, crazy over-the-top kung fu, elaborate motion line effects just like in mangas, crazy death defying races, cheesy as hell dialogue which fits perfectly in context! Performances were quite impressive given it's a predominantly 'kids' PG film and that they were filming against green screen.

I also commend the Wachowski's use of such a strong colour palette.They didn't tone it down or diverge from the theme and each scene had a contextual wash of colour.Serious or more intimate moments had darker shadows while remaining colourfully vibrant. They were bold and not shy about what this film was going to look like.

To the haters again i say ,'what exactly where you expecting? The Matrix with cars?, people getting there throats slit?, symbolic commentary on capitalism,corruption, religion or the new world order? Go into this movie expecting high adrenaline scenes and all campy fun that only a 60's anime adaptation can provide, but don't just to go and watch it just to 'see what the fuss is about' until you actually understand what the source material was like. That way the movie will exceed your expectations.

I don't have complete praise for this movie however, in that towards the end of the film they got a little overboard with the editing and i was really let down by the final antagonist type drivers. Speed seemed to have a harder time in the casa cristo race in the film where the other drivers were far more menacing. It seemed like 'Cannonball Taylor', 'Gray Ghost' and especially the bad ass, white haired yakuza driver (for musha motors by the way) were just a flash gone by and Speed just beat them without any problems at all. Let's hope they make more of a presence in any semblance of an extended/directors cut

Skip the first hour

[hitchcockkelly · 6/10 · 25 January 2023]

I'm giving this six stars with one caveat. If you must rent this and you know the basic background of the characters, start with scene 14 because that's when the plot begins. Speed is approached by Racer X and Inspector Detector to help bring down a corrupt race fixer by helping an informant win a race. After that, there is some good, plot-driven action and some nice emotional scenes between Speed, his father and mother, his girlfriend, and Racer X. The 13 scenes preceding it are boring and useless. The cuts back and forth between past and present are confusing. Rex comes off heroic while Speed is whiny. Skipping the first 57 minutes will also spare your eyeballs for the frenetic second half. Watching this film is like standing in a pinball machine being played with 100 gumballs. It could cause an epileptic fit in a sloth. The races are ludicrously staged, but you have to suspend a lot of disbelief to enjoy a film like this. In short, if you want to enjoy some flashy escapism, the last hour and fifteen minutes aren't so bad.

A bad misfire

[seawalker · 4/10 · 14 May 2008]

At the weekend I took my Nephew to see "Speed Racer". My Nephew is 12 years old. Midway through the film I leaned over to him and whispered, "What do you think?" and this is what he said to me.

"It's rubbish, man!"

My Nephew was right as well. "Speed Racer" is very rubbish.

I will admit that "Speed Racer" looks absolutely fabulous. It shows us a big, bright, day glow universe. A multi-coloured extrapolation of how somebody living in the 1950's would think that a car racing obsessed future would look like. Breathtaking production design.

However... Other than the great visuals, "Speed Racer" is possibly the emptiest, shallowest, dullest movie experience I have had in a cinema, since my misfortune in shelling out a couple of quid to see "The Matrix" sequels. Very long and very boring. (Sorry guys, but a 2 hours and 15 minutes running time for a film aimed ostensibly at small children is way too much). "Speed Racer" is all glittering surface without a decent script underpinning it.

Sigh... I know it's dull, but let's repeat the mantra once again, shall we?

Special effects alone do not a good movie make.

Personally I felt sorry for the cast in getting involved in such a clunker. Emile Hirsch had good notices in "Into The Wild" (I missed that one), and I thought he was funny in "The Girl Next Door", but here he is a personality vacuum and wears one expression of mild bemusement throughout the entire movie. Fine performers like Christina Ricci, John Goodman and Susan Sarandon are totally wasted. Lastly, the less said about Paulie Litt as Speed's irritating younger brother the better, and let's not mention the comedy chimp at all. Life is too short. (Whoops! Just did.)

A bad misfire, then, but in recent times I have learnt to expect nothing much from the Wachowski's. "The Matrix" had it's moments (the first DVD I ever had, fact fans), but the best movie they were ever involved in was the lesbian film noir "Bound" and that was released way back in 1996. I would love the Wachowski's to do something as good again, but I doubt that they will. They have discovered the paintbox of digital special effects and, as long as those films continue to make money, I doubt they will ever want to close the lid on the paintbox.

Go Speed Racer

[jon.h.ochiai · 9/10 · 21 April 2008]

Watching Speed Racer convincingly win a spectacular race nearly besting his brother Rex's course record is the mysteriously charismatic Racer X (handsome brooding Matthew Fox). Racer X's beautiful companion tells him, "He's going to be great." With restrained pride Racer X says, "No, he's going to be the best…" "Speed Racer" was my favorite cartoon growing up as a kid. Speed Racer was the brave hero. But the truly cool hero was Racer X. Racer X was the shadowy masked racer, who was Speed's rival and amazing equal. However, Racer X seemed more Speed's protector than arch-rival. There is more to the Speed and Racer X dynamic and mythology that will go unsaid, although fans of this cult classic already know.

My bud Lauren invited me to a screening of the Wachowski Brothers' live action adaptation "Speed Racer". I gladly accepted, and told Lauren of the "Speed Racer" mythos. As both writers and directors, the Wachowski Brothers brilliantly bring to life the world of "Speed Racer". "Speed Racer" has a visually distinctive style all its own. The vibrant colors and breathtaking CGI racing sequences enthrall with velocity and emotion. There is even homage to a scene from the animated series as Speed's Mach 5 careens over a mountain road during a treacherous cross continent race, and plunges to almost certain doom. But no worries here. Set in what looks like the near future, "Speed Racer" is visual spectacle and precision-- surprisingly ground in its story of love and family. Emile Hirsch plays the intense Speed Racer, son of Pops and Mom Racer (John Goodman and Susan Sarandon). Speed's passion is being the best auto racer, and destined for greatness. In a touching scene of a mother's pride Mom confesses to Speed, "I am so impossibly proud of you…"

Speed lives in the shadow of his late brother Rex Racer. Growing up, Rex was Speed's hero, and the greatest racer there ever was. However, after a vehement disagreement Pops disowns Rex. Rex gains fame and infamy on the racing circuit until his tragic death in the cross continent race—The Crucible. The Racer family grieved the loss of the elder son. Does Speed race to honor Rex or does he race for himself?

Now years later, Speed is offered a lucrative contract to race for Mr. Royalton (pompous Nicholas Elia) and his Royalton Industries. Speed rejects the offer choosing to remain with Pops Racer (Goodman) and the family business. Consequently, Royalton vows to destroy Speed. The determined Inspector Detector (solid Nicholas Elia) and Racer X enroll Speed to help them expose Royalton's international racing conspiracy. Against Pops' wishes Speed enters The Crucible along with teammates: Taejo Togokhan (Rain) and the mysterious Racer X. Speed is well aware that The Crucible claimed the life of his brother Rex. However, there is something hauntingly familiar about Racer X. For Speed: Is this merely coincidence?

The Wachowski Brothers' narrative moves at a nearly blinding pace. Cleary, they have a reverence for the original cartoon. They even provide slick martial arts action, which "Speed Racer" had way back when. Racer X (Fox) powerfully dispatches ninja attackers. And Rain as Taejo displays amazing martial arts grace and style. The performances throughout "Speed Racer" are strong. Emile Hirsch captures the wonder and conflict of a young hero emerging into his own. Christina Ricci as Speed's girlfriend Trixie is smart and spirited. John Goodman and Susan Sarandon are incredible. Pops and Mom Racer may have been intended as caricatures; however, Goodman and Sarandon breathe humanity and a parent's love in their roles. They subtly reflect their pride in Speed, and painful regret for Rex. Matthew Fox is powerful and commanding as Racer X. Fox brings a nobility and grace to this mysterious hero, who embodies a Zen-like spirit to racing.

"Speed Racer" is spectacular fun with a surprisingly compelling story. Amidst the flashy eye candy and masterful CGI, "Speed Racer" is about the power of love, family, and the inherent greatness in all people. Take a chance on "Speed Racer".

Agreeable And Visually Dazzling Comic Book Yarn Of Hotshot Young Racecar Driver

[ShootingShark · 6/10 · 1 September 2009]

Speed Racer is a hotshot young driver with a superfast car, the Mach 5. When he wins an important race, he is courted by industrial giant Royalton to drive for them. Should he sign this lucrative big business contract, or remain in his small independent family team ?

I like this film a lot since a) it's about racing cars, b) it's stuffed full of amazing visual effects (by John Gaeta and Dan Glass), and c) it has an incredible design style, and I'm a big fan of all of these things. It goes for an ambitious look that blurs the differences between live action and animation, and it succeeds fantastically well as the ultra bright colours leap off the screen at you. Other movies have tried this before (Dick Tracy, The Flintstones, much of Ralph Bakshi's stuff) but due to the sheer volume of CGI work and digital film shooting this surpasses those technically, and because it feels much more like a kids' cartoon it also scores over contemporary flicks like Sin City or 300. The style does have good points and bad points however; the cars squeal around the tracks, spinning, jumping and hurtling by, and the camera rushes everywhere, zooming between drivers as they talk rather than cutting around them, but the action is frequently so fast that it's impossible to figure out what exactly just happened. The story is also confusing at times, particularly in the first half-hour, where flashbacks are cut both against and directly into the narrative. I guess my main complaint is that the movie could be a bit more focused - it's quite clearly for kids (it has a funny extended scene where a boy and a chimp go on a chocolate-fuelled crime spree), but kids really need a simple, clear story and too often the movie bogs down into complexity and heavy scenes. The cast play it well, old-fashioned good guys and bad guys style. The design elements are just fantastic, with almost every scene featuring amazing backgrounds, vibrant red-blue-yellow-green colours, and wild looking cars and racetracks. Based closely on a sixties Japanese cartoon series, Mahha GoGoGo, by Tatsuo Yoshida, with much of the look and feel from the original show. Produced by Joel Silver, and shot at the famous Studio Babelsberg in Potsdam, this is a boundary-pushing, eye-popping, action-packed, fun flick. Go, Speed Racer, go !

Seems to be folded...great movie making, but there isn't much for the average movie goer...at least if they care that there is no meat beneath the grafixtravaganza

[FiendishDramaturgy · 3/10 · 14 May 2008]

While any connoisseur of film will undoubtedly enjoy this eye candy smörgåsbord, the story telling (while creative and fresh) is lost amidst the vacant, spoon-fed, slack-jawed, no-brainery perpetrated upon the audience. The production style and camera work, digital effects, and ... well, eye candy is something to be beheld, however, there is something missing in the overall quality of the combined elements of the work. I can't say what that something is at the moment, but if it occurs to me, I'll be sure to edit this "comment." Some will say that this is the cutting edge of filmography, of filming style, of camera and production quality, and I'm afraid they may be right. But as a fan of cinema on the whole, I cannot say that I subscribe to the actual worth of these techniques, much less their necessity in the business.

Oh yes, sure, the performances were A-list and the screenplay was A-quality, but this film is not about those elements of the process, as much as it is about the process itself. Does it entertain? The kids will like it. But it's just too wrapped around commerce for my tastes.

It rates a 3.4/10 from...

the Fiend :.