The Go Speed Racer Post

Speed Racer is like a messed up steak dinner. Its so overcooked, funny colors and cheesy* that you’d expect to throw it back in the chef’s face. But truth be told it’s the most enjoyable film I have seen all year. I find it hard to believe that I could feel emotionally attached to anything to do with a race where a guy go-go-gadgeted over a neon buzz saw and an ‘evil’ racer gets catapulted into a giant toilet (while encased in an ejector bubble no less) but that is exactly the case with Speed Racer. The whole thing is so ridiculously overblown and outlandish that it becomes more genuine a movie because of it. Nothing looks or feels real; the acting, the costumes, the effects, the environments… but it all fits together so perfectly. This is what summer movies are all about. It hands down beats Ironman in every category (besides the Downey-Factor; in which the score is in Ironman’s favor).

By taking a source material as ridiculous as Speed Racer and making it even more ridiculous the Wachowski’s have ended up with a really charming and genuine film, despite it’s over exaggerated presentation. The film is legitimately moving at times, action packed and nail biting at others, and absolutely hilarious when it wants to be. The transitions, the effects, the cars and the editing are all brilliant and really makes the anime-style extremely well realized. The movie is simply stunning and should be at the top of your Christmas list if you like getting high-def awesomeness to justify your oversized flat panel purchases. Plus Christina Ricci is hot!? Who knew? Bonus.

The pacing takes a little time getting used to, and the odd direction style and line delivery seem bizarre for the first few minutes, but once you make the switch over to Speed Racer’s unique logic, it all clicks. I find that films these days try to explain everything too much and become faulty because of their apparent need to justify a brand in a movie setting. Speed Racer takes the opposite approach and takes a cartoon and makes a movie out of it verbatim. I enjoyed it as much as I did watching the ridiculous shows I loved as a kid. If it works, why bother trying to reinvent it? I honestly cant think of anything I’d change about this film. It does what it needs to do perfectly, exceeded my expectations tenfold and delivers a satisfying, emotional and endearing story out of what could have ended up being MarioKart-on-acid: the movie. Oh and the springboard-race-car sound effect is in the running for most awesome thing ever. Look out transformer noise…its coming for you.

It is for all these reasons that I wish to start (or join if there is one) a Go See Speed Racer Campaign. By ‘campaign’ I really mean: I think you should just go see it, and force anyone around you to do the same after you thoroughly enjoy it and are as heartbroken as I am that Ironman will ensure that hardly anyone will notice this gem.
*Steaks should never be served with cheese.