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Released by: Warner Brothers
Released on: 9/16/08
Director: The Wachowski Brothers
Cast: Emile Hirsch, Christina Ricci, John Goodman, Susan Sarandon, Matthew Fox, Benno Furman, Hiroyuki Sanda, Richard Roundtree
Year: 2008
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The Movie:
Based on the classic anime/manga series from the sixties, The Wachowski Brothers' Speed Racer is eye-candy, plain and simple. The script attempts to add some depth to what is a fairly shallow premise in the first place but really, it doesn't work. That said, the hyper-stylized world that's been created for this film is so colorful and at times genuinely pretty that it's hard not to appreciate the picture as a somewhat successful exercise in style over substance.
The film tells the story of a young man named Speed Racer (Emile Hirsch) who has always loved racing. His parents, Pops (John Goodman) and Mom (Susan Sarandon), make a good living building custom race cars though the memory of his brother, the late Rex Racer (Scott Porter) who was killed in an accident on the track still stings for the family, especially because before he decided to compete in the Casa Cristo race that would take his life, Pops warned him and warned him again not to do it.
Speed's career is on the upswing, however. He's fast becoming one of the best in the business and his skills behind the wheel of his car, The Mach 5, bring him to the attention of Mr. Royalton (Roger Allam), a billionaire industrialist who wants to sign Speed to an exclusive contract. Speed declines the offer and soon finds out that Royalton and his cronies are fixing many of the races. Royalton wants Speed to race for him and him alone, and soon Speed's very life is in danger. Speed decides to enlist the aid of his girlfriend Trixie (Christina Ricci) and his former foe Racer X (Matthew Fox) to stop Royalton from ruining the sport by entering the Casa Cristo race and exposing Royalton for the crook that he is.
One thing you have to give The Wachowski Brothers credit for is for sticking to the film's roots. This movie absolutely feels like the old cartoons and comics come to life - they managed to perfectly nail the look of the cars, the costumes, and the characters and the candy colored visuals do a good job of pulling us into that world. The film is well cast even if the performances aren't of the most dramatic or demanding variety and everyone on camera really does look the part.
The main problem with the picture is that it's about twenty to thirty minutes longer than it needs to be. Considering how shallow this picture is, did it really have to be two hours and fifteen minutes long? There's very little story here in the first place and while it's all well and good to throw in a bunch of extended racing scenes - that is really the very point of the Speed Racer concept in the first place, isn't it? - you do have to wonder if the Wachowski's should have maybe worked with a more stringent editor this time around. Adding the history of the sinister corporate interests might have seemed like it added depth on paper but in reality it fleshes out very little and instead feels less like story development and more like padding. This is a problem throughout the film - the background info doesn't help or add much, it just extends the running time.
That said, as a simple comic book story about a good natured race car driver taking on the bad guys, the movie is enjoyable enough. It's far from a classic but it's quite striking in the visuals department. It definitely could have and should have been a better picture but as it stands it makes for a reasonably entertaining popcorn picture geared towards a younger audience that will probably enjoy the heavy CGI laden picture more than a lot of adult viewers will.
Video/Audio/Extras:
The 2.35.1 anamorphic widescreen transfer is bright, bold, colorful and crisp - just as it should be. Say what you will about the merits of the film but it really does look like cinematic candy and Warner's efforts ensure that this remains true on home video. You might notice a couple of mpeg compression artifacts in the darker scenes but aside from that the image is as strong as you'd expect it to be. Nothing looks remotely realistic here, but it isn't supposed to - this is a comic book come to life in that regard.
The English language Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound mix is fantastic. Rears are used to bring the racing scenes to life very effectively and this aggressive mix matches the film perfectly. Dialogue is easy to understand and follow while bass response is nice and punchy. There aren't any problems with hiss or distortion at all and the levels are nicely balanced. Optional Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound mixes are provided in French and Spanish while removable subtitles are included in English, French and Spanish.
The first of the two featurettes included on this release is Spritle In The Big Leagues, a fifteen minute segment where Paulie Litt guides us around the set of the film and shows off some of the physical sets and some of the computer technology that was used to create the virtual world where the film plays out. Also included is Speed Racer: Supercharged!, a fifteen minute look at the history of the World Racing League that shows us some of the race tracks and vehicles used in the film. Neither one of these featurettes really lends much insight into the making of the picture, and on that level the supplements are a bit disappointing.
Aside from that, look for some slick animated menus, chapter selection, and the option to get a digital copy of the film (an additional charge is required to download it) should you decide you want to watch it on your portable device or computer.
The Final Word:
As pure eye candy, Speed Racer is quite fun. It takes a while to get moving and it hits a few bumps along the way but this lengthy exercise in style over substance is enjoyable enough on its own merits. It's not deep, it's not even particularly smart, but it is entertaining enough that it works as a popcorn movie.