Speed Racer (2008)

Featured Audience Ratings

• John M

  
  high speed over the top action with lots of crazy CGI gave this live action film a great feel for the old cartoon. Fun but not great.

• Directors C

  
  It's got such a fantastic ensemble cast that goes to waste because of an over dose of special effects and action sequences. The film goes from one scene to another in such a short length of time. My advice? Slow down.

• Phil H

  
  Jesus christ, let my eyes recover first haha this is really all thats bad with modern films today, imagination wise its very good and im sure the cartoon was very good (for kids), I never saw it, but it should have stayed a cartoon. This really is very poor stuff. Its totally cgi and… More
  Jesus christ, let my eyes recover first haha this is really all thats bad with modern films today, imagination wise its very good and im sure the cartoon was very good (for kids), I never saw it, but it should have stayed a cartoon. This really is very poor stuff. Its totally cgi and looks awful. Its very clearly fake looking and like all cgi effects, kinda has a plastic quality about it. Its sort of like a combo of a modern day tron with matchbox hotwheels cars on a neon epileptic fit enducing scaletrix set in space, and you probably would benefit better if you were high as well lol! Its totally crazy and moves so fast at times you cant really follow the action. There seems to be alot of dueling in mid air using super racing cars with all manner of crap coming out of them, James Bonds auto's move over hahahahahaha. Acting is pretty dire, cast shouldnt be doing this, Christina Ricci, for shame. Oh and the name of the film is the name of the main lead which is kinda idiotic, kids may like it, but adults will get a headache.

• Alexander D

  
  Bad

• Conner R

  
  The Wachowski's have presented us with the most intentionally bat-shit crazy movie ever made. This glorious two-hour adaption of the kooky cartoon looks and feels as though it spawned from the mind of a mentally ill ex-Nascar driver. Everything is obviously intentional here,… More
  The Wachowski's have presented us with the most intentionally bat-shit crazy movie ever made. This glorious two-hour adaption of the kooky cartoon looks and feels as though it spawned from the mind of a mentally ill ex-Nascar driver. Everything is obviously intentional here, you'd have to be dumber than a bag of rocks to think Speed Racer is at any point trying to be 100% serious. However, the fact that it is so over-stylized and colorful beyond belief is only part of the madness. The performances here are just so over-exaggerated, but done perfectly. If these weren't great actors, the movie might actually come off as corny and dumb rather than extremely self aware and cool. Emile Hirsch is the ultimate representation of Speed; he knows when to pull in the emotional breaks and also be overly serious and intense. Matthew Fox as Racer X is also one of the stand outs; mainly because he's so incredibly intense in every single scene. Most adaptations of kid's TV shows try to make the material more accessible and more normal, but this is totally fine with having every bizarre element present. From humanized chimps, narrative breaks, stereotyped characters and CGI/Green Screen galore, you never quite know where the insanity will end. You're either going to enjoy Speed Racer and understand what is trying to be done or you will be totally lost from the beginning. Anyone who's actually seen a Speed Racer cartoon knows exactly what they're getting into and this is just one extravaganza of craziness. It also has one of the most nutty ending sequences ever created; Chimp driving.

• Drake T

  
  The Wachowski's were overly ambitious with Speed Racer, stylistically it's either ahead of it's time or completely misses the mark depending on who's watching. The approach is reminiscent of Tim Burton's Edward Scizzorhands but has a hard time retaining… More
  The Wachowski's were overly ambitious with Speed Racer, stylistically it's either ahead of it's time or completely misses the mark depending on who's watching. The approach is reminiscent of Tim Burton's Edward Scizzorhands but has a hard time retaining it's magic and innocence simply because its story revolves around adrenaline pumping automobile racing and not whimsical romance. It's all rather unfortunate, under all the visual aesthetic makeup there's an actual story with heart, emotion and credible themes. The problem is that we're constantly pulled back by gag humor that's obviously targeted at 12 year olds and visuals that are inspired from a cartoon that's also made for 12 year olds. This back and forth game of silly childish qualities and mature storytelling mixed with non-stop special effects just never seems to click coherently together. The easy way to go was make the entire film realistic and gritty or completely geared towards children. Obviously the Wachowski brothers had bigger plans and fell short for the masses.It's not so much style over substance, just... style that doesn't mix with a particular substance. Yet. Also, laughing at people who say this movie was intended for kids. The story's hell of a lot more complex and involving than Spy Kids.

• Brad W

  
  I dont think they know what they want, is it a kid movie or a teen race movie?

• Michael E

  
  fantastic animation but some of the effects are headache inducing but the racing scenes are great to look at

• Lewis C

  
  "It doesn't matter if racing never changes. What matters is if we let racing change us." I thought Speed Racer was a pretty good adaptation of the manga and anime. Visually, it was astounding. In HD, the colors are incredibly bright and vivid, and the constant special… More
  "It doesn't matter if racing never changes. What matters is if we let racing change us." I thought Speed Racer was a pretty good adaptation of the manga and anime. Visually, it was astounding. In HD, the colors are incredibly bright and vivid, and the constant special effects really helped to bring the world to life. I imagine people who watched Tron for the first time back in the 80's might have had a similar reaction to what I had watching this. All the various camera techniques used to make it look similar to the comic books worked well, and I just really liked the style of the whole thing. I don't think I've ever used this phrase before, but it really was a feast for the eyes. As for the rest of the movie, I also liked the cast. Emilie Hirsch might not have immediately jumped into my mind as the ideal Speed, but he worked. So did the actors playing the rest of his family and acquaintences (both helpful and adversarial), and Christina Ricci as Trixie. It took a while for Matthew Fox to grow on me as Racer X, but by the end I had to admit that he wasn't a bad choice, either. The story was a combination of some original material and a bunch of new stuff that the Wachowski's came up with, and it made for a fun, if conventional, plot. The races were suitably thrilling, there were several funny scenes (what could have been an annoying role by Paulie Litt as Speed's younger brother, actually ended up being quite humorous), and I had a smile on my face more often than not. That's the recipe for an enjoyable movie, in my opinion. Try it if the source material interest you, or you'd just like to watch a fun movie full of eye candy.

• Bently L

  
  I would've enjoyed it more if it weren't for the terrible CGI.

• KJ P

  
  I hate saying this, but I find myself liking every bit of this movie! Im still trying to figure out why, but I love the style and the heart that goes itno this very odd Hot Wheels like motion picture. Taking the classic kids show and making this almost seemed like an unforgettable… More
  I hate saying this, but I find myself liking every bit of this movie! Im still trying to figure out why, but I love the style and the heart that goes itno this very odd Hot Wheels like motion picture. Taking the classic kids show and making this almost seemed like an unforgettable thing, and that is exactly what happened. But unusually in a good way. I really enjoyed watching speed racer, because it is the most fun I have had with a movie in a long time!

• Richard C

  
  kind of boring in some places. this movie has some really cool effects and colors during the races. i liked it. B

• Jason L

  
  Those who claim to have a 'headache' after watching this movie should also check for gray hairs, a hunchback, and a cane. Seriously, they sound like the elderly. Speed Racer's visual effects are dazzling, colorful and filled with liveliness. The plot and characters… More
  Those who claim to have a 'headache' after watching this movie should also check for gray hairs, a hunchback, and a cane. Seriously, they sound like the elderly. Speed Racer's visual effects are dazzling, colorful and filled with liveliness. The plot and characters pass, and the scenes are filled with action and adventure. One of the best 'Great Race' movies to date.

• Sanjaya &

  
  Well, I must say that this movie wasn't bad as everyone said before... Yes it is too colorful, and the first time I know it I feel a little dizzy... But after what I've seen for about 2 hours, hey it's not that bad!! I know the story not great, but the effects were… More
  Well, I must say that this movie wasn't bad as everyone said before... Yes it is too colorful, and the first time I know it I feel a little dizzy... But after what I've seen for about 2 hours, hey it's not that bad!! I know the story not great, but the effects were truly amazing... And the racing thing, it's stunning... But why this movie flop in the box office run, it because of this movie is too colorful... Looks like The Wachowski Brothers wants to make an experiment on this movie, besides wants faithful to the manga version, but they don't learn from X-Men which is so colorful in the comic version, but they hit a big success when it goes to the movie with all the costumes becomes black... Yet, the world in this movie is too unrealistic, that's another reason why this movie didn't success... Also, the Wachowski brothers trifle the talent that Emile Hirsch have with this movie, and just forget the fact that Susan Sarandon is an Oscar winner, she just looks like nothing but a lovely mother in here, and it doesn't look like an acting... Overall, I have a lot of fun while watching this movie, but if the Wachowski Brothers would made it in more realistic version, and not too colorful like this, I bet this movie wouldn't stakes so many people's money...

• Emily A

  
  My thoughts about this film don't so much take the form of a cohesive film review as a series of comments and observations. Here they are: #1) AUGH! My eyes! #2) Matthew Fox can't fucking act. The Wachowski Brothers must have hired him because they couldn't get Keanu… More
  My thoughts about this film don't so much take the form of a cohesive film review as a series of comments and observations. Here they are: #1) AUGH! My eyes! #2) Matthew Fox can't fucking act. The Wachowski Brothers must have hired him because they couldn't get Keanu Reeves. #3) I really like the way they came up with the film conversations between charactacters ion different cars. #4) I really hate the little kid they hired to play Speed's brother. #5) The car races looked really really cool. Take that George Lucas and your silly Pod-Races! #6) Chimps make everything better. #7) You can solve problems by simply driving your car really really quick. #8) I think the colours in this film gave me epilepsy. #9) The montage of thoughts that go through Speed's head at the end of the movie is really really funny. It's comedy gold, really. #10) With all the ample opportunities onscreen, there was no shot of a pedestrian getting hit by a car. I was so disappointed.

• Kalel J

  
  A dazzling array of lights and whirring sounds propels Speed Racer into a heightened level of sensation and immersion. The film is a blistering showcase of eye candy and adrenalised tempo where the cartoon world of high-octane racing crashes into reality - with a unique force. The… More
  A dazzling array of lights and whirring sounds propels Speed Racer into a heightened level of sensation and immersion. The film is a blistering showcase of eye candy and adrenalised tempo where the cartoon world of high-octane racing crashes into reality - with a unique force. The Wachowski brothers have crafted an enjoyable gem that entertains and intrigues. They're filmmaking eye has been sent into overdrive as the experimentations with editing, visual effects, and colour have been used to a rare extent. But it pays off. Speed Racer is a film that pushes its viewers as fast as the roaring wheels of its cars, propelling us into the dizzying lights and splattered colouring that adorns the frame.

• Douglas W C

  
  AWESOME!

• Dean M

  
  This action-packed based upon the 1960s Japanese cartoon series is spectacular with the stunningly colourful, wild romp of a ride from <i>The Matrix</i> creators Larry & Andy Wachowski. The colourful photo-realistic production design owes much to the aforementioned… More
  This action-packed based upon the 1960s Japanese cartoon series is spectacular with the stunningly colourful, wild romp of a ride from <i>The Matrix</i> creators Larry & Andy Wachowski. The colourful photo-realistic production design owes much to the aforementioned Jeff Bridges flick, <i>TRON</i>, and best resembles an anime come to life. I like the Casa Cristo cross-country racing the best which looked familiar to <i>Star Wars - Episode I: The Phantom Menace</i>'s Podrace scenes. And the scene of Spritle & his monkey who racing around in Royalton's company looks bloody ridiculous.

• Ken S

  
  More fun that a catapult full of bees

• Gordon A

  
  Dazzling thrill ride which invents a new hyper-real style and design. A technical marvel , its only weaknesses showing in the corny twee family bonding sections. The reliable Ricci, Sarandon and Goodman hold things together but its really all about the races. The Wachowskis are the… More
  Dazzling thrill ride which invents a new hyper-real style and design. A technical marvel , its only weaknesses showing in the corny twee family bonding sections. The reliable Ricci, Sarandon and Goodman hold things together but its really all about the races. The Wachowskis are the new Lucas - incredibly imaginative and technicallly astute but can't write dialogue or handle emotion.

Read all 20 featured audience ratings