Share bonamigi's profile
bonamigi
bonamigi's stats
- Review count1
- Helpfulness votes0
- First reviewMay 11, 2008
- Last reviewMay 11, 2008
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating3
bonamigi's Reviews
Overall rating
3
/
5
Stunning anime brought to life, but flawed
PostedMay 11, 2008
bonamigi
from Long Island, NY
First and foremost, "Speed Racer" is a movie targeted for old-school "Speed Racer" fans and also to gain a new, young fan base in today's children. On those levels, it works brilliantly. However, if you are not in one of those two groups, the movie will just not work for you. I was a big "Speed Racer" fan as a kid and it took at least half the film for me to start to "get it". (It should be noted that I have not seen a single episode in a good 30 years!) The first thing that hits you (almost assaults you, in fact) is that this movie is as much about it's "look" as it is to any semblance of a story. It uses a palette of bright, primary colors that is so overwhelming that it is almost off-putting. This truly is a live-action anime cartoon, a bold choice which is pulled off perfectly. One of the main issues with this movie is that it is overly long. The first half, in which all of the plot lines are set up, could have used some streamlining and editing to tighten up the story-telling. The major villain in the film uses stock price manipulation as his motivation and this whole concept is way over the head of the target audience. Once the film "kicks in" in the second half, it is nearly brilliant and certainly fun to watch. I will also note that the kids in the audience all cheered at the right times and laughed at all the right moments...loudly, so the movie is a success on many levels. However, the plodding, confusing first half (constant jumping back and forth between flashbacks and current time) was really difficult to get through. There were times when I felt like it was going nowhere and wanted to just bail. The second half is redeeming on many levels, but the first half will definitely affect my grade. The plotline is classic: Speed Racer (Emile Hirsch) is an idealistic young man who just loves being behind the wheel and racing. He learns that the world he yearns to be a part of is wrought with corruption and everything he thought he knew is wrong. With the help of the mysterious "Racer X" (Matthew Fox), he seeks to make a difference and prove that an independent racer can persevere in the corporate-controlled fixed world of racing. Of course, the iconic part of "Speed Racer" is the car, Mach 5, which is presented here in all of its stunning beauty. Overall, the filmmakers (The Wachowski Borthers of "The Matrix" fame) did a brilliant job of literally bringing an anime hit to life. The plodding first half makes it fall just short of a rousing success.
Grade: C
Grade: C
Yes, I recommend this movie.
Share:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.