Review: Speed Racer

Speed Racer

OPENING DATE: 05/09/2008

STUDIO: Warner Bros.

TRAILER: Trailer

ACCOMPLICES: Official Site

The Charge
He’s a demon on wheels.

Opening Statement
One week after Iron Man’s box office blitz, a more familiar pop culture icon makes its move to the big screen, courtesy of the enigmatic and ever elusive Wachowski Brothers (The Matrix trilogy). Facing brutal early press, will movie lovers who came out in droves for Tony Stark show Speed some the same love?

Facts of the Case
The Racer family has grease in their blood. Pops (John Goodman) has been building cars since he was old enough to hold a wrench and he’s passed that passion along to his boys Rex (Scott Porter), Speed (Emile Hirsch), and Spritle (Paulie Litt). Rex has brought the family fame and acclaim as one of the finest drivers on the World Racing League (WRL) circuit; and along with it, the unbridled adoration of his younger brother Speed, who eats, sleeps, and breathes racing. When tragedy strikes Rex, on an overseas, cross-country road rally, the family is shattered and racing takes a back seat to their grief. But the roar of the engine is never far out of earshot, and a late night classic race on TV reminds Pops and Speed that this family needs to get back to doing what it does best.

Years pass and Speed is now in the spotlight, cautious of matching but never exceeding his brother’s accomplishments. But when an insidious corporate sponsor comes calling, history begins to repeat itself, and refusal to become a cog in a higher stakes game may destroy the Racer family forever.

The Evidence
Despite its many flaws, I enjoyed Speed Racer more than most. It’s brash, bold, and unapologetically inventive. Larry and Andy have taken the 300 green screen experiment to a new level, succeeding more often than not; but when it wipes out, all the flash and sizzle in the world can’t mask the pain. The primary color scheme of its anime predecessor is evident from the first frame, coming at you in full force. The only thing I can compare it to is what Warren Beatty tried to do with Dick Tracy but on acid. About a third of the way in, the convention starts to grate on the eyes, but the brain adjusts and it becomes part of the landscape.

The greatest accolade I can hand Speed Racer is that the Wachowski boys have captured the essence of what made the series so memorable. The plot is fairly formulaic, offering few if any surprises, but its heart is pure as evidenced by the quiet character moments. We care about about Speed, from his early obsession with racing, to fighting off every attempt to take advantage of his talents or eliminate him as a competitive threat. This is due in large part to the work of Emile Hirsch who makes the conflicted Speed his own with several introspective monologues, followed closely by the always-authentic Susan Saradon as Mrs. Racer. But the performance kudos fall off dramatically from there.

John Goodman continues his recent track record of being more cartoon than human. This may have worked to his advantage, had he tapped into his anime counterpart’s bombastic, high blood pressure explosiveness. But John never gets there and the result is brutally obvious. Sparky, the Racer family’s trusted geeky mechanic is played here by Aussie Kick Gurry, and while functional, doesn’t really add much to the proceedings. Christina Ricci is completely wasted as Trixie, Speed’s ladylove. Her fragile, fear riddled predecessor is nowhere to be found, replaced by a confident, modern woman whose racing abilities rival those of her boyfriend. That’s a switch. The other waste is Matthew Fox as Racer X. What should have been a meaty role was reduced to a very one dimensional — look at me I’m brooding and mysterious — disappointment. For as exceptional a job as he’s turning in on Lost, there’s little here that endears this classic character to the audience.

My fear was that the greatest agony would come from Spritle and Chim Chim, two of my favorite characters from the series. Surprisingly, that wasn’t the case, as their antics were more smile inducing than cringe worthy. The honor of most torturous performance belongs to Roger Allam as the film’s villain, industrialist snake Arnold Royalton. Talk about over acting, any more screen time and his SAG card would need to be revoked. Royalton and his cardstock goons were lifted directly from any number of gangster movies over the past 70 years, presenting no real threat to our heroes, as evidenced by any number of the ridiculous fight sequences. Larry and Andy did their best to recapture the anime/manga visual battle style, but it never quite works. The result is far too reminiscent of Kill Bill fused with the live-action Flintstones, and there’s John Goodman front and center. You’ll see exactly what I mean when you reach the Ninja attack. Awful is the only word that comes to mind.

The film’s only tension comes from the mind blowing race sequences, whose design, pacing, and execution are the centerpiece of Speed Racer. Just be forewarned: For as inventive and enticing as they are, each falls prey to the Michael Bay Transformers trap – there’s more coming at you than your brain can possibly comprehend. You’ll often lose sight of where you are, what car you’re following, and what direction is up. People prone to epileptic seizures best close their eyes or suffer the consequences.

The Rebuttal Witnesses
There are a handful of little surprises within Speed Racer, such as Peter Fernandez, the voice of Speed for the classic series, as one of the film’s many race commentators; Shaft himself, Richard Roundtree, as WRL racing legend Ben Burns; and fans of the British comedy Coupling will instantly recognize Ben Miles playing opposite Roundtree as the Grand Prix commentary team. Just a few things to keep an eye out for.

Closing Statement
Speed Racer is a film more people will see on DVD than in the theatre; and if you care to wait, its Blu-ray release is sure to be an impressive feast for the senses. For those going to the theatre, be forewarned – it’s long, it’s loud, and the little ones will get bored as soon as Royalton enters the picture. That’s where what begins as an intriguing film jumps the track. Larry and Andy Wachowski are to be congratulated for once again pushing the envelope of blockbuster filming, but to do so with a one-cylinder story engine doesn’t get Speed Racer anywhere close to the winner’s circle.

The Verdict
Hung Jury.

2008 Summer Movie Scoreboard:
Paramount – 1
Warner Bros. – 0

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