"Speed Racer" (2008)

Synopsis:
Based upon the classic Japanese cartoon series, "Speed Racer" tells the story of Speed, a race car driver who is inspired by his older brother Rex and is in love with a girl named Trixie. Speed seeks to compete in the cross-coutry race "The Crucible". With a little help from his parents, Mom and Pops, his younger brother Spritle, Spritle's ape friend Chim-Chim and Trixie, Speed sets out to conquer "The Crucible" and win the championship.

Review:
I enjoyed this film a lot more than I thought I would. The characters are very likeable. Especially Spritle and Chim-Chim. Spritle and Chim-Chim were are very fun characters. There wasn't a single scene with those two characters where I did not have a good time. The acting is pretty impressive. Especially John Goodman as Pops. I think all the actors and actresses played their roles respectively. The visuals are very neat and stylistic. I don't just mean the CGI effects but also the design and the sets. There is not a single shot that doesn't look cool or beautiful.

Is "Speed Racer" a perfect film? Well, not exactly.
 
The storyline is just your basic average race car sports film. Protagonist has a desire to be a race car driver, then falls in love, then wants to compete in a big race. Also, the movie is a bit silly in some places.

However, the likeable characters, intense action scenes and neat visuals more than make up for it's flaws and cliche plot.

Although it's a PG rated family film, I would look out because it has some pretty violent sequences and some bad language.

This seems to be a movie that you either like or dislike. Personally, I think it's everything a live-action movie based on a Japanese cartoon should be. If you're looking for something that is Oscar material, then you are looking in the wrong place. But if you admire the work of the Wachowski Siblings and would check out anything they would create or are looking for a something action packed and stylistic with likeable characters, then I highly recommend that you check out "Speed Racer".

In the end I'll say "Speed Racer", while not much to the storyline, is a fun and stylish visual treat as well as the most impressive live action film adaptation of a Japanese Anime series.


Max Scale:
8/10