Seen on: May 10, 2008

The players: Director: Wachowskis, Writer: Wachowskis, Cast: Emile Hirsch, Christina Ricci, Matthew Fox, Susan Sarandon, John Goodman

Facts of interest: Based on the animated series of the same title.

The plot: Speed Racer (Hirsch) takes on ruthless moguls who manipulate races and bribe drivers. 

Our thoughts: GO! While “Speed Racer” is not exactly a treat for Wachowski fans, it’s not a total waste of time either. The film is mediocre at best, offering cinemagoers plenty of relentless eye candy without any subtle storytelling. Sure, big summer blockbusters don’t always require solid screenwriting to entertain, but when the film’s innovation fades away after the first 10 minutes, a captivating story is indeed highly recommended to keep the party going.

Much like his late brother Rex, Speed Racer (Emile Hirsch) worships automobile racing. It’s the one thing he was born to do, and he has a serious shot at becoming the next best driver. But when Speed refuses a lucrative offer from powerful industrialist Royalton (Roger Allam), he discovers a shocking secret that will change his life forever. Fed up with watching ruthless moguls manipulating races and bribing drivers, Speed teams up with the mysterious Racer X (Matthew Fox) to reshape the world of racing and bring down those who are a severe threat to the sport.

The big problem with “Speed Racer” is that people risk growing tired of the film’s glorious look a little too early, which can be a serious issue with a running time of 135 minutes. Watching Speed crushing his competition in his Mach 5 is great fun the first and maybe second time, but having to watch the same thing over and over again eventually gets a little too monotonous. Luckily enough, the Wachowskis have a great sense for speedy direction, which keeps their film afloat until the end.

Most of the action obviously goes down during the wild races, but as soon as the drivers quit the tracks, the plot slows down and the story starts losing interest. Fellow critics have called “Speed Racer” an ideal flick for children, but the long pauses in between the action and the cheesy dialogue will hardly impress young cinemagoers. The kiddos will likely have a blast watching Speed’s younger brother Spritle and his chimpanzee causing mayhem wherever they go, but everyone else should be fairly annoyed by these two characters.  
 
Saving “Speed Racer” from disaster is the great cast led by Emile Hirsch, who manages to inject a least a little emotion into his lead character. Working in front of a green screen for most of the time is certainly not as easy as it seems, but Hirsch and his supporting cast deliver overall refreshing performances. Christina Ricci proves she’s still got what it takes to star in big blockbusters, and John Goodman and Susan Sarandon make a great team as Speed’s parents. Other notable actors include Matthew Fox as Racer X, and Roger Allem, who delivers a really authentic performance as the film’s nasty villain.  

Freaky quote: “Every one of us has to find a reason to do this. You don't climb into a T-180 to be a driver. You do it because you're driven.” – Matthew Fox

The final word: Andy and Larry Wachowski certainly created a visual extravaganza with “Speed Racer,” but it seems they spent far too much time working on the film’s colorful look instead of devoting more effort to the script. Honestly, there’s not much else to say about this film. Besides the racing, there’s nothing remotely interesting to watch out for. Those expecting no more than high-speed, funky editing and great colors will cheer Speed until he reaches the finish line, but those expecting to see an action-packed flick with a solid script will leave the theater unimpressed.