Speed Racer 2008
7/10
"A young driver, Speed Racer, aspires to be champion of the racing world with the help of his family and his high-tech Mach 5 automobile."
Some excellent casting with Matthew Fox as Racer X, John Goodman as Pops, Roger Allam as E.P. Arnold Royalton; not so much with Christina Ricci as Trixie & Emile Hirsch as Speed Racer.
Thought Speed Racer & the Wachowski Bros (the Matrix) was a perfect match. After all, the 1966 Speed Racer animated cartoon originated the (animated) camera spin around the character (seen at end of TV intro).
I was a fan of the animated cartoon (have never seen any cartoon like it, & never anything close post 1980s). I thought it'd make a good live action film once SFX caught up.
Unfortunately, the Wachs choose a neon-lights & toy video-game race track environment for much of the racing, which I thought looked horrible -- both in looks & an unrealistic physics feel. During production, I wish they would have reviewed the overall look, acknowledged it's defects, & started over without the neon. I think a more realistic look & physics would have looked better, just as it did in the cartoon.
Despite the look, Speed Racer does capture the authentic feel of the Racer family's fight for pure honest sport, art, goodness & justice. It incorporates the brother theme into the fight against injustice & evil. The film is effectively fun & entertaining.
Speed Racer makes a homage to a number of the TV episode themes, including a disappointingly tonned-down Mammoth Car. I think making a full-sized Mammoth Car the central focal point for the film's climax (including the original Mammoth Car musical theme) would have been extremely effective. The Mammoth Car being an excellent symbol of the corporate corruption, excess & power.
Also, I think the film played too loose on Speed Racer's intense sense of justice & immediate action, which really propelled the TV series. I would have liked to see the intense, dangerous & wildly creative racing events play a dominate role in the film, much in the way the film Road Warrior did so successfully. I think the film missed on attention to key focal points. Would love to see them try it again, going with a Mammoth Car sequel.