Speed Racer

Despite my aversion to Japanese animated series, despite the silly humor that abounds, despite the heaps of clichés and despite the silly characters of the little brother and his tame chimpanzee... I actually had fun with this. Not groundbreaking or memorable, but thanks to the stunning visuals, imaginative racing scenes and Giacchino's music, it's pretty much sound from start to finish. Three and a bit. (31/12/2012)

I hereby accuse the Wachowskis of illicit visual exhibitionism and wasting their enormous storytelling talents on a subject so predictable and bound by the conventions of the cheapest family pathos. On the other hand, it is very rare (if not impossible) to see a film that captivates and engrosses the viewer with its original visuals and absolutely ingenious spatio-temporal construction, so much that you want to remain a part of the "cheap and stupid" and, above all, incredibly rich fictional world that is presented at a tremendous pace and on a voluminous plot. The first 15 minutes represent one of the most beautiful narrative stretches in the history of cinema, while the rest of the film never ceases to surprise with an avalanche of revolutionary filmmaking ideas and bold decisions that, as we can see, have no chance of bridging the model habits of a significant part of the viewing public. But that's okay, great films have always stirred controversy and greatness is relative, and Speed Racer – a bold experiment with its own stylistic elements, an infinitely energetic tide with fade in effects at the level of shots, genres, narrative approaches and the cinematic underworld of the Wachowskis as such – is undoubtedly a tremendous film, deserving of detailed analysis to defend its rejected systemic modes and rules. Maybe some day, further screenings are unavoidable. (01/11/2016)

So colorful... Oh yeah, this movie just blew me away. It raised the bar. I just loved it ;-) I waited, I went through it, and it paid off. I put it on at the exact moment I needed it the most. At the moment when it could consume me. Maybe if I'd let it in just a moment later or earlier, it wouldn't have gotten full marks. Clever as can be. :-D It's got juice. (18/10/2008)

The races: a perfect spectacle, your eyes are amazed, your adrenaline rises, and you're subconsciously gripping the steering wheel and stepping on the pedal. The dialogue, comic relief, and everything else: disappointment, and often unexpected suffering. The parents make an effort, the brother rolls his eyes, and Trixie, a lovely sexy figure, winks her eyes and helps the main hero. And meanwhile, I'm praying for someone to step on that pedal again. It is truly a very uneven mixture, you climb into Speed's cockpit and you still don't get under his skin for even a bit throughout the two hours. And at that moment, any possible enthusiasm for the film as a whole ends for me. A visual orgy on zero background. This is supposedly how films are supposed to look in the future. I think (and I strongly hope) not. P.S.: Big plus for the mysterious Matthew Fox, who can create a deep character out of anything. (31/05/2008)

Brilliant! It’s a pity that the visionary visuals and direction of the Wachowskis is ruined by excessive childishness. I would throw the characters of the little brother and the chimp out of a skyscraper window, then I would scrape them from the street, bring them back up and throw them out again. But whatever, Speed Racer is an extraordinary and unique film and I can accept a couple of defects for all that beauty. (30/06/2011)