Speed Racer (2008) Review

Speed Racer (2008)

Speed Racer follows Speed Racer, who, after refusing a buyout of his father’s company, learns that races are fixed to boost profits, prompting Speed to enter the same cross-country race that killed his brother in order to beat the executives at their own game. 

Since it’s lackluster box office release back in 2008, Speed Racer has rightfully garnered quite the following in the years since, for just how ahead of its time the film was, as it would be the Wachowski’s first follow-up venture following the breakout success of The Matrix just a few years prior. In what I can best describe as a mixture of the live action Cat in the Hat movie meets Fast and Furious, this adaptation of the famous anime may genuinely be one of the most faithful big screen translations ever, for better or worse.

On the track, Speed Racer delivers on every conceivable level. There are so many “whoah!” moments, where you’re just left in amazement as the film somehow translates things only thought possible with animation right to the real world. For 2008, the special effects here are ungodly, pushing the boundaries of anything thought possible at the time in terms of physics, as the Wachowski’s beautifullycombine art and effects, giving each scene a contextual wash of color. 

As you’ll see however, it’s biggest strength, also happens to be it’s biggest weakness. For scenes outside of the track, the film boasts this weird, early 2000s, bubblegum CGI aesthetic that, when paired with it’s dopey script and serious overacting, make for an all too childish and comical outing that inevitably brings the rest of the finished product down a notch. 

We get a fair cast, starring Jeong Ji-hoon, Kick Gurry, Paul Litowski, Susan Sarandon, Roger Allam, John Goodman, Matthew Fox, Christina Ricci, and Emile Hirsch. Hirsch wonderfully captures all the wonder and conflict of a young hero emerging into his own, even nailing the determined grit Speed takes on when his back is against the wall, though it’s gotta be a little bit easier with Matthew Fox in your corner. 

Speed Racer, directed by the Wachowski Sisters, is a film that, in every respect, was so far ahead of it’s time in terms of special effects and it’s translation from anime to live action, and while it stumbles outside of the track, the racing is what makes this film so damn fun. 

6.9/10