Review: Speed Racer - Directed by the Wachowski Brothers
Rated PG for brief violence and language

For any boy that has grown up since the 1970s, Speed Racer is likely on your list of kick ass cartoons. The way it combined action/adventure spy stories with automobile racing was so outlandish that you couldn't help but be entertained by it. In this same way, the Wachowski's highly ambitious live action adaptation is undeniably cool.

True to its source, Speed Racer follows the exploits of the titular hero as he makes a name for himself in the high-stakes world of professional automobile racing. After refusing a sponsorship offer from a greedy businessman (played brilliantly by Roger Allam), Speed finds himself the target of a variety of seedy racers--ultimately driving him to ally himself with the mysterious Racer X in order to unravel a devious plot.

I have fond memories staying up late to watch Speed Racer reruns. But even with my nostalgia glasses on, the Speed Racer movie caught me completely off guard with its light heart and bold style. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that the film surpasses the original show in such a way that it makes it now seem almost unwatchably bland.

Speed Racer is unquestionably the most ambitious, risky, and unique movie the Wachowski brothers have attempted. It's avant-garde filmmaking in a genre accustomed to the status quo. With a plasticy, almost wax-like finish to the actors and sets, the brothers have created an intermediary dimension that lies somewhere between live action and animation--a dimension free from the constraints of physics, gravity, and how audiences expect a children's movie should be.

The opening sequence, for example, is an almost impossibly complex montage of jaw-dropping racing scenes and flashbacks to Speed's childhood. The editing and storyboarding required for such a sequence is so beyond anything else in the genre.

As made evident by the Matrix trilogy, the Wachowskis are admirers of Japanese animation and culture. With Speed Racer, they take this fascination to an entirely new level. At several times throughout the film, the last remaining threads of reality give way to a hyper-kinetic backdrop of flashing colors and shapes that any anime fan will recognize as a genre trademark.

Suffice it to say, Speed Racer is a visual assault that will be borderline unnerving for traditional or closed minded viewers.

Suitable for all ages, Speed Racer's campy plot combines thrilling adventure and a heartwarming look at family values. With its 135 minute runtime, it probably could have taken a few more passes through the editing process, but the brain-meltingly beautiful finale is well worth your time.

For fans of the cartoon or not, do yourself a favor and experience Speed Racer on the big screen. It's not something you will soon forget.

Rating: 4 / 5 (8/10, 80%)