Matrix creators Larry and Andy Wachowski’s racing film has amazement aplenty for eyes and ears. But the pure exhilaration is impeded by cartoon morality.

The Racer family lives and breathes the automobile sport to such a degree that one of is sons goes by the name of Speed. Speed Racer spends his childhood admiring the racing exploits of his older brother Rex Racer (Scott Porter), until one day Rex dies in a horrible accident shortly after turning his back on his family. Struggling with the hurt and shame of the loss, Speed (Emile Hirsch) grows up to be a formidable racing driver himself. But his surge to the top comes to an abrupt halt when the owner (Roger Allam) of a mega-racecar-factory makes him a sponsorship offer that would force Speed to forsake his family ideals.

Nine years after revolutionalizing cinema with The Matrix (here’s discounting the film’s poor sequels that followed in 2003), director-brothers Larry and Andy Wachowski return to the big screen with their adaptation of Tatsuo Yoshida’s 1960s anime Mach GoGoGo (the title was changed to Speed Racer in the English import version). Computer-trickery in cineland has finally reached a degree that allows filmmakers a similar dynamic freedom to that of cartoonmakers, and the Wachowski’s interpretation of Speed Racer would clearly not have been possible without making full use and pushing the boundaries of today’s technical standards.

Trailers and promotional images for Speed Racer offered glimpses at the movie’s colourful (in the most literal sense of the word) look in what is, in retrospect, a truthful representation of the finished film. Potential moviegoers may have found themselves put off (rather than attracted) by this child-like rainbow-palette (I certainly did), but the concession can be made that the Wachowski’s singular visual code works far better over the full two-hours that the film runs for.

Immersing yourself into the Wachowski’s multi-coloured world is easier when watching the full movie, because it’s not just the aesthetic that’s so completely and purposely over-stylized but also every other aspect of Speed Racer. The assortment of characters surrounding Speed are cardboards without much purpose (which is a shame considering the acting talent in the supporting cast that includes the likes of Susan Sarandon, John Goodman, Christina Ricci and Matthew Fox). When they do engage in the plot in between the racing sequences the narrative is annoyingly infused with lessons of cartoon morality operating on the intellectual level of a six-year old. This situation is further compounded by the fact these intermissions really drag down the movie’s pace and excitement, which is its one big strong point.

Speed Racer opens with an intense racing scene (intercut with various sequences from Speed’s past in a dazzling technique which sees the montage of scenes not happening after eachother, but almost on top of eachother) and ends with an intense racing scene, in between which many more intense racing scenes take place. There’s hardly any build-up of suspense from one to the next, as every single racing sequence is just about as exhilarating as it can get. The breakneck dynamic of the races is edge-of-the-seat material and a feast for eyes and ears. It’s the pure pleasure of experiencing virtuosity in velocity.

Speed Racer works ideally as a family film (boys especially will love it) thanks to its straight-forward tone and its emphasis on family values over corporate sell-outs. Cinephiles should be able to get something out of the pure and honest exhilarance of the perfectly achieved racing scenes which allow for many of the movie’s shortcomings to be generously overlooked.

Posted by Tai in Movies, Reviews, Speed Racer • Add to del.icio.us Add to Digg