The brothers swamp the fragile story and characters with such a deluge of CGI tricks and elaborate action sequences that it proves hard to care about the humans on screen.
Speed Racer (2008)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:199
Fresh:73
Rotten:126
Average Rating:5/10
Consensus: The Wachowski Brothers have overloaded Speed Racer with headache-inducing special effects, and neglected to develop a coherent storyline.
Rated: PG [See Full Rating] for sequences of action, some violence and language.
Runtime: 2 hrs 15 mins
Genre: Action/Adventure
Theatrical Release:09-05-2008
Synopsis: Based on the 1960s Japanese-manga-derived animated TV series of the same name, SPEED RACER follows the adventures of the title character (Emile Hirsch), a young race car driver who sits behind the... Based on the 1960s Japanese-manga-derived animated TV series of the same name, SPEED RACER follows the adventures of the title character (Emile Hirsch), a young race car driver who sits behind the wheel of the lightning-fast Mach 5 vehicle. Aided by his family, which includes Pops Racer (John Goodman) and Mom Racer (Susan Sarandon), and his devoted doe-eyed girlfriend, Trixie (Christina Ricci), Speed racks up victory after victory, but still lives in the shadow of his late older brother, Rex (Scott Porter), who died in a race. When Speed garners the wrath of Royalton Industries, he must team up with the enigmatic Racer X (Matthew Fox) to defeat the ruthless corporation. Written and directed by Larry and Andy Wachowski, the masterminds behind the MATRIX films, SPEED RACER replaces the gritty techno patina of that blockbuster series with a polished, brightly hued virtual reality. Though the eye-popping visuals threaten to eclipse the acting, the fine cast gamely makes the most of their green-screen environment, particularly the likable Hirsch, who won acclaimed for his decidedly different INTO THE WILD role, and LOST's always-noble Fox. Adding to the movie's giddy mood are Paulie Litt and his chimp companion, who provide comic relief as Speed's playful younger brother, Spritle, and Chim Chim, respectively. While definitely a case of style over substance, SPEED RACER is a movie meticulously designed to appeal to families and kids, especially the Spritle-like young ones. [More]
Starring: Emile Hirsch, Susan Sarandon, John Goodman, Christina Ricci
Starring: Emile Hirsch, Susan Sarandon, John Goodman, Christina Ricci, Matthew Fox, Hiroyuki Sanada, Rain, Richard Roundtree, Roger Allam, Benno Furmann, Kick Gurry, Paulie Litt, Nicholas Elia
Director: Larry Wachowski, Andy Wachowski
Director: Larry Wachowski, Andy Wachowski
Screenwriter: Andy Wachowski, Larry Wachowski
Producer: Joel Silver, Grant Hill, Andy Wachowski, Larry Wachowski
Composer: Michael Giacchino
Studio: Warner Bros.
Reviews for Speed Racer
You have to be 12 to like it, and I have to say there is little or nothing here to remind us why we were all quite so excited about The Matrix.
Impressively directed, superbly designed and eye-poppingly colourful, this is an enjoyable action-adventure flick, providing you like things that go vroom.
This whizzy and outrageously colourful family action romp is a visually breathtaking hybrid of animation and live action. The story may feel about as gripping as a videogame, but the film is pure eye candy.
You might admire it as a Warholian blur of pop art, gawp and gasp at its Hot Wheels-for-real dynamism, or get a headache.
The directors have been outrageously successful in creating one of the most trippy, visually astonishing mainstream movies ever made, and have even thrown in some good-old-fashioned story-telling and morality into this kaleidoscopic brew for good measure.
What grounds the spectacle, pushing it beyond a two-hour ejaculation of sensation, is its yearning for innocence
Fellow critics mercilessly denounced this dazzling, visually inventive adaptation; one of the ten best films of 2008
Cut from car to driver to announcer to audience and over and over again, ad nauseam. Such pretty racing scenes, so little to actually see.
A flashy, colorful film that packs a ton o’ fun into its fast-paced frame.
Twelve-year-old boys should be wowed, but for the rest of us, it will depend on your appetite for eye candy.
Even the target audience of 10-year-olds might get jimmy legs sitting for a punishing 135 minutes as the Wachowski brothers projectile-vomit their cotton-candy dreams all over the big screen.
You can feel the kids in the audience tapping their feet, waiting for more action. So, let’s just give the kids what they want: fast-paced excitement, wrapped up in a colorful package.
The arty blockbuster has arrived, and it's as flashy, accessorized and auto-erotic as can be. Which creates a strange sensation indeed, that it's not just the cars that are smoking, but those Wachowski brothers as well, and whatever's in their pipes too.
Maybe it's all flash and little substance, but there's no denying the appeal of that flash....
The Wachowskis blur the definition of "children's film" as much as the original cartoon challenged Western perceptions of "children's television".
And here we have a prime example of why studios should not be funding the creations of The Wachowski Brothers. While visually dazzling, the film's paper thin plot and the cheesiness of its actors are a huge disservice.
The appeal of this frenetically-paced fantasy is probably limited to 10-year-olds, gamers and fanboys.
Latest News for Speed Racer
January 21, 2009:
Razzies Name 2008's Worst Movie Nominees
No awards season would be complete without the Golden Raspberry Awards (AKA The Razzies), awarded each year to the very worst movies to hit Hollywood. This year's winners will... More...
October 06, 2008:
Filme.Acasa: Un blockbuster de arta a sosoit la linia de final. Este sclipitor, accesoriat si auto-erotic. Speed Racer iti face inima sa pulseze de trei ori mai repede. ![]()
More...
September 22, 2008:
The arty blockbuster has arrived, and it's as flashy, accessorized and auto-erotic as can be. Which creates a strange sensation indeed, that it's not just the cars that are smoking, but those Wachowski brothers as well, and whatever's in their pipes too. ![]()
More...
September 15, 2008:
RT on DVD: Speed Racer Zooms to Blu-ray!
Get the pop rocks and Coke ready -- Speed Racer is out this week! We'll tell you what new releases to skip over, when Death Proof and Planet Terror are headed to Blu-ray, and... More...
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