Slotted in the live action anime film category, Speed Racer had generated more than a fair amount of interest even before its release. It therefore came as no surprise to me that it was showing to packed theaters.
The Racer family first tastes sorrow with the death of the elder son, Rex, while participating in the grandest of all races – the Casa Cristo. Pops (played by John Goodman) and Mom (Susan Sarandon) are naturally protective about their second son, Speed Racer (Emile Hirsche) racing the family Mach 5 to the doomed race. Throw in a darned younger brother, Spritle (Paulie Litt) and an exasperating family chimpanzee, Chim-Chim, and you have the entire happy family. And oh! You have the luscious Christina Ricci, playing Speed’s girlfriend, Trixie.
Though why on heaven’s she agreed to sporting the hideous bangs and pixie cut is something I totally failed to understand.
Moving forth with the plot, there is trouble in paradise. Speed is determined to throw all cautions to the wind, and participate. The owner of Royalton Industries, played by a balding Roger Allam, makes a money-spinning deal with Speed, who turns it down, inviting his fury against him. The 2 hour 15 mins flick also has a race-fixing angle thrown in, a Japanese brother-sister duo keen on rescuing their family business, and Speed’s rival, Racer X (Matthew Fox), who bears an uncanny resemblance to Speed’s deceased brother, Rex Racer.
And now coming to the special effects.
Mind-blowing to say the least. I’m not really a gaming aficionado, but I must say I was impressed by the sheer magnetism of the super-flashy cars that seemed to defy all forces of gravity and physics.
Though there were more than a share of scenes that seemed to be laughing upright at logic, I couldn’t help but be overwhelmed by the sheer magnificence of it all. The cars hurtle, dash, plunge, and teeter, reel, swerve, careen – they look born to rule.
The slapstick humor is a little out of place in this otherwise lithe movie, but what the heck, all’s fair when there are so many flashy beauties on wheels involved. Vroooooooom!
The kiss between the two protagonists just at the end of the movie is the sorts that makes you go Awwww.
I should know.
"Cos I did...
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