Speed Racer Review
Some of you viewers may have had the opportunity to see the most recent anime/manga big screen live-action adaptation: Speed Racer. I was lucky enough to see it with friends, but unlucky with the inclusion of other theater patrons. Had their presence not been a factor in my film-going experience I surely would have shouted obscenities at the screen.
SPOILER WARNING
I don’t want to mislead you. There are some redeeming factors. The races are a sight to see. I would’ve been more pleased had the movie been nothing but clips of races. The maneuverability of the cars and the traditional Speed Racer technological add-ons made the actual racing slightly better than tolerable. Before I saw the movie, I felt like the bright colors and the technologically advanced cars would be unbelievable. Sadly enough it’s the only actually believable aspect of the movie.
The performances were adequate. Speed Racer has a great cast, but they have almost nothing to work with. Almost all of the actors do well within their respective roles, but come across flat because the characters were flat. The most glaring example is Christina Ricci’s character Trixie. There is no exploration of Trixie or her relationship with Speed. This, by no fault of her own, leads to Ricci playing Trixie as if she were a Barbie Doll with a helmet. The only reason I wanted to see the movie was Susan Sarandon and John Goodman. They, along with Matthew Fox, are overall the best performances. Sadly enough, there is little significant screen time for anyone other than Speed, Spritle, and Chim Chim.
The most infuriating thing about Speed Racer is any moment that Spritle and Chim Chim appear on screen. The Wachowskis focus entirely too much on trying to add comedy through the random insertion of Spiddle and Shim Shim into any given scene. Their primary function is to ruin every moment in the movie.
The camera effects take a close second on the infuriating-scale. The Wachowskis did their best to make this a live-action cartoon, and they succeeded much to the chagrin of the audience. In simple scenes in which conversations take place, as well as all the others, you can expect the camera to pan by with interlaced images of people who are standing next to each other. Sound confusing? Good, so is the camera work.
Coming up third on the infuriating-scale is the general feel of the movie. It is almost one big montage. This is partially credited to irritating camera work, and the random penetrations of Spittle and Crim Crim. Also a major reason for the extended montage feel is the excessive use of the montage. Moments benefited by montages are lessened in effect by the thirty montages that precede it. The entire first fifteen to twenty minutes of the movie are a mix of one lap of a race, portions of Speed’s childhood, and his older brother’s downfall; most of which is unnecessary for the story.
As for the story, if you’re familiar with the television show, there are few surprises. It holds true to the good-guy vs. the bad-guy scenario. The bad guy is obviously the corporate muckaty-muck, and the good guys are Speed and his family. No biggie. The problems come from how the story is treated. The Wachowskis take no time to explore character relationships, plot, or theme and just race through the movie, no pun intended. This may be intentional as a stylistic element to reflect an actual race and the rushed feel of the cartoon. Intentional or not, it was a mistake.
The meaning behind the movie trips over itself, hits the studio floor and gets confused from a concussive daze. It’s obvious they wanted that melodramatic moral, which quickly and ultimately becomes apparent as their intention. The only real impressive aspect of the movie is a mistake, because the movie is actually about the corruption of Speed Racer which makes for a problematic execution of the melodramatic moral. Sadly, Speed is the only character to change at all throughout the movie. He grows bitter, and angry. Then, like a mystical band-aid, the plot wraps up and suddenly everything’s ok. Only Speed never actually ascends from the pit of despair.
The Verdict: If you haven’t seen this movie then I suggest waiting for it to come on television. The only people that I suggest see this movie are easily pleased hardcore Speed Racer fanboys, and people who absolutely adored The Matrix 2 and 3. After the problematic final two thirds of the Matrix trilogy you would think Warner Bros. would keep a closer eye on the Wachowski Brothers’ projects. There is cinematic potential in Speed Racer, but that potential remains untapped.
-Vince
Tags: Anime, Cartoons, Chim Chim, Christina Ricci, Emile Hirsch, John Goodman, Manga, Movies, Speed Racer, Spritle, Susan Sarandon, Wachowski Brothers