Speed Racer

Good for a new movie.

Love this movie and so happy I could get it on Blu-Ray! Great quality dvd and amazing movie! Thank you!

(Spoilers!)First of all, like many others have said in this review section, it is a great (if not, THE best) movie adaptation of an anime. Everything the Wachowskis put into the film fits perfectly with the plot. The setting, the lighting, the cars, etc. They took their resources from the original 60's anime and made it into something much bigger and different, but it works and fits phenomenally. The fact that the original anime is based off 50's racing and in the film it's totally different, more advanced, more technology, but it fits with the character of Speed Racer!Each character in the film all have their own unique qualities and personalities that fit much better and well with who they're based off. The balance between the importance of love and family and racing is great, unlike In other films where it starts out as something and ends in being all 'Family fixes everything' kind of deal. Family is always a key factor in this film but it doesn't put the main focus on it but narrows it out in the film just enough to know that the connection between Speed and his family is real, and is precious and important to him, along with his passion for racing. Speed has a burning passion for racing, and I quote: "Racing is in our blood." The film shows that the Racer family doesn't see racing as just some sport to win money in, to them (I quote again) "It's like a religion. " It's what ties and bonds the Racer family together.The graphics and lighting in the film really set you in the world that everyone is in. It's bright, it's colorful, like an anime! The lighting during the races make the scenes more interesting and intense, especially in the last scene. The ending scene always brings me to tears.The only fault I have with this film is in the final race. In the last few minutes, there are so many flashing lights I could hardly tell what I was looking at. I had to rewatch and look closely to know. I would recommend in a potential sequel to tone down rapid and flashing lights. Overall, everything in this film is perfect. The plot, acting, lighting, everything fits perfectly together and the Wachowskis did an excellent job on it. It's a real shame that this movie got so much backlash and bad reviews when it came out. It's a real masterpiece if you look closely. There's so much emotion and passion within this film, you get so connected to the characters and feel their emotions the more you watch.If there were to potentially a sequel, I would recommend promoting it as much as you can to tell everyone that there IS a great movie coming and that it IS a great film. You have to get the word out that something good is coming and you'll build up excitement and anticipation, and next thing you know you have a box office hit.Overall, Speed Racer is an outstanding film, and I recommend you watch it.

It's flippin Speed Racer, what can I say?

I saw this in theaters on its first run and didn't quite know what to make of it, but we were in agreement on a few things: (1) we REALLY liked it, and (2) it was probably the best live-action adaptation of a cartoon/animated series EVER, and (3) it *totally* captures the spirit of the original 1967-68 series -- and the latter has both the advantages and disadvantages of the source, lol!Seriously, give this movie a shot -- or a second shot, if you wrote it off the first time you saw it. Although this movie may best appeal to those of us who remember and liked (or loved) the original cartoon series, if you watch with an open mind, you'll find it a rewarding movie viewing experience. And if you must view it with little kids, they'll probably love it, too.At this point, many live-action movies have adapted comic books and graphic novels (300; Sin City; the numerous DC and Marvel adaptations); and some have adapted cartoons, but badly. Speed Racer manages to stay true to the spirit and of the original Speed Racer cartoon show, and the visual possibilities of comic books/manga and cartoons, while using up-to-date big budget film-making technology and special effects to bring it into the 21st century -- yet still honoring the source.This movie can be appropriately viewed by both young and old*. Except for like 2 swear words, this could easily be rated G; there is no sex whatsoever, the violence is bloodless and cartoon-ish, and even the race car crashes are appropriately futuristically safe courtesy of the Kwik Save bubbles that save the drivers (unlike, say, my memories of 1970s F1 car races *shudder*).But underneath all the flashy special effects and CGI, the heart of the Wachowskis' Speed Racer is about brotherhood, coming of age, leaving home, separation from parents/family of origin, loss, the love/warmth/support of family, and the eternal battle of naive idealism and passion against cynicism and corruption.The thread of loss is stronger than one might think because Goodman, Sarandon, Hirsch, and Elia/Fox play their roles earnestly. The core plot, outlandish as it seems on paper, is done dramatically (but not melodramatically) and taken seriously. That's how Speed Racer really hits you in the heart -- because, from the very beginning, Speed is competing with the memories of his race-car driver brother who left home in disgrace.But the movie is also very uplifting and (perhaps naively) optimistic about family love, about doing the right thing even when you don't know what to do, about the ability of just one person (not to mention a team) to make a difference and helping good triumph over evil -- and those are some of this movie's many charms.If that sounds too ridiculous and lofty, most of the action consists of fantasy race car driving sequences that are like Top Gun, Death Race 2000, Mad Max (both of them), Formula 1, demolition derby, street racing, and stunt car driving were combined with bright neon LEDs and a neo-noir aesthetic to create a cyberpunk-scifi future style of car racing. The driving sequences are exhilarating -- it's like you ARE a (futuristic) Matchbox car on a i(futuristic) track, and it comes off every bit as awesome as you would think. (Plus the Wachowski's throw several psychedelic hints in with the visuals just to let you know the soft spot they have for their stoner fans -- but you don't have to be high to appreciate it, because it is AMAZING as it is.)This is NOT one of those remakes that knowingly satirizes and makes fun of its source. This version, and everyone in it, takes its (silly) source material as seriously as the source took itself. Ironically, that seriousness which everyone embraces gives Speed Racer a likeable (if somewhat kooky) charm you don't expect. As with superhero movies, it helps when movies like these take themselves seriously, no matter how absurd plot, characters, &/or setting may seem -- if they don't take themselves seriously, you have trouble suspending disbelief.Campy, satirical, nudge-nudge-wink-wink adaptations have their place -- but Speed Racer is not one of them, and I am so glad the Wachowski's didn't go that route. I'm also glad that all the actors were able/willing to commit and take the roles seriously -- that can't have been easy, given how much was clearly filmed in front of green screens.Though I bought the DVD, this movie *begs* to be seen on a big screen in a theater. Even the biggest home theater TV can not do it justice; the action and special FX are simply too big for small screens.Speed Racer is really like a live-action cartoon. To judge it any other way is to misjudge, misunderstand, and underestimate it. Although it is a live action film, too much of it is CGI/special FX to be compared to live action films. And although it is not a cartoon, the composition of scenes and camera angles (such as deep focus shots with part of someone's face in one section of the frame, and the scene behind them taking up the rest of the frame) is much more of a cartoon/animation and comic-book-like aesthetic than it is live-action.If you liked (or *loved*) the original series, you will probably like this movie. Among the good points: The principal players in this movie were *really* well cast. Of *course* John Goodman is Pops! Of *course* Trixie is played by Christina Ricci! Susan Sarandon is perfect as Mrs. Racer, though she doesn't get to do much (but that's pretty faithful to the series too). The Wachowski's remind us that, yeah, Trixie *did* fly helicopters and planes in the original series, and in her way, she was like an anime version of Mrs. Peel (Diana Rigg) on the British TV show The Avengers.Emile Hirsch I was iffy about, until I saw the movie. Though his hair is obviously dyed black, he really does capture the look of Speed and the innocence and earnestness of the character. His disillusionment and yearning really come through.And Matthew Fox as Racer X -- well, aside from his vaguely threatening and intentionally enigmatic demeanor (not to mention the mask and the head-to-toe leather...), in a short but powerful montage of Racer X's history at the end of the film, Fox will break your heart without saying a word.Roger Allam and Ben Miles return from the Wachowskis' V for Vendetta and Allam is every bit as villainous as before. The secondary and foreign casting and bit players are outstanding -- and diverse. The Wachowski's could have gone typical Hollywood and cast all white actors with a token person of color here and there, but they really didn't here. I mean, Shaft/Richard Roundtree as Ben Burns? That's inspired. Cosma Shiva Hagen (yes, Nina Hagen's daughter) as a non-evil Royalton minion Gennie is lovely (though she almost has no lines). I'm not familiar with Rain's music, but he's great as Taejo Togokahn, as is Nan Yu as Taejo's sister Haruko.I absolutely love Nayo Wallace as Minx; she's badass because she's a brainiac. Benno Fuhrmann is a convincing and serious Inspector Detector. Hiroyuki Sanada and Togo Igawa are good as Mr. Musha and Mr. Togokahn, though, like Susan Sarandon, they don't get much to do. Although, who knows -- with lesser caliber actors and lesser commitment from them, this movie might not be as good as it is.The costuming, props, CGI, and set designs, in addition to the actors' commitment to even the small roles, really add to the hyperreal live action cartoon aspects. All the villainous race car drivers and their fixers play their roles with gusto. They are creepy, hilarious, and threatening by turns. John Benfield is fantastic as Cruncher Block and Waldemar Kobus is hilarious as one of his henchmen (I don't know the other henchman actor's name, but he's equally good).Christian Oliver is alternately wonderfully sleazy and whiningly petulant as Snake Oiler. The Hydra drivers are hilarious, and The Flying Foxes (don't know the actresses' names) are scary-sexy and malicious. The Thorazine drivers are throwback-freaky and the actors play them to the hilt. Julie T Wallace is memorable as Cruncher Block's semi-truck driver, trying desperately to save their truck (wherein they're beating Taejo for refusing to lose races like he's been paid to) from Racer X's car mounted machine guns and insane driving. She's styled and costumed so much like one of Alex's droogs from Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange, that I wasn't sure if she was transgender. I had to look her up (after multiple viewings) to figure out whether she was an actor or actress.The bad points: just as the original cartoon was over-the-top slapstick silly and Spritle and Chim-chim were similarly annoying, they're here in all their obnoxiousness. If you didn't like Spritle and Chim-chim in the 67-68 cartoon, you won't like them any better here (although they do give young kids the most obvious characters to relate to). But the way they're portrayed is, again, utterly faithful to the cartoon series.The Wachowski's have, as usual, slavishly paid attention to every detail in this film -- and it really shows. If you pay close attention (or watch it multiple times), Speed inherits Rex's bedroom, down to the wall-paper/paint job and race car driver posters (but of course he would, hero-worshiping his brother as he does). They thoughtfully embellish their love of the cartoon with a fully fleshed out but faithful world that is unlike anything I've ever seen -- it isn't live action, it isn't cartoon. It doesn't look like Sin City, it doesn't look like Waking Life -- it is its own thing, and it works perfectly to bring Speed Racer to life in a feature film.*(However, for adults of a certain bent -- and like the Matrix flicks -- there are some fetishistic aspects to the costume design that may jump out at you.)

Looking back at when it was first released, you could see an overwhelming amount of people criticizing Speed Racer as the "style over substance" sort. However, I believe that while, yes, the visuals are highly stylized, they are absolutely stunning and accentuate the themes of the flick and the clear love of racing the team behind this movie had. The races themselves, while they are fictional in every way shape and form, are visceral, and has this pure energy that makes you shift in your seat from excitement. When the action slows down, we often get a real look into these characters and why racing is so integral to their lives, and when they feel like their up against a brick wall, you're right there with them.In terms of the visuals themselves, yes, you could say that some of the techniques and CGI used date this movie to a degree. However, the fact that they went in more of the "anime with realistic accents" aesthetic instead of a completely realistic look really helps it out in that department. I do agree that the visuals can be a bit much occasionally, but to their credit, it is beautifully done, and I'm glad that they had the confidence to hold nothing back in the name of true art. Art is subjective, and I do understand why people aren't a fan of this style, but I believe this is absolutely the attitude to take when adapting an anime for the big screen. Well done.

This movie came out when I was a kid and I loved it.

Buena peli para disfrutar de carreras magicas!

Excelente calidad! Muy padre presentación aunque solo debo confesar que el audio queda un poco a deber, viene más bajo que lo normal pero me gustó volver a tener la emoción de las carreras. En cuanto a la peli 5 estrellas sin duda, mucha acción

Ottimo prezzo, pagato 2,70€ (usato). Il prodotto con ASIN B001CEE1U8 ha come audio italiano, inglese e islandese, sottotitoli quelli indicati ovvero inglese e italiano, non arabo

こういう映画が観たかった。映画館で見たときはほんとに美しくてうっとりした。唯一無二の名作。