Speed Racer
2008 · Directed by Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski
Original language: English
- family
- action
- adventure
- comedy
The story
Speed Racer is a young and brilliant racing driver. When corruption in the racing leagues costs his brother his life, Speed must team up with the police and the mysterious Racer X to bring an end to the corruption and criminal activities.
What it’s like
Hyper-saturated and candy-bright, with almost every frame built from clashing primaries: cherry-red tracks, lime and tangerine skies, sugar-pink cityscapes, and a sheen of digital gloss that makes everything look painted and weightless. Races are shot in dizzying, kinetic bursts of whip pans, split screens and cartoon-style cuts, while quieter family scenes sit in warm, flat kitchen light with the camera holding still. The score is brassy and playful, with bursts of pop and orchestral swell, and the whole thing hums with a cheerful, hyperactive energy. Its vibe is giddy, wide-eyed and sweetly earnest, a sugar rush with a grieving heart underneath. It suits a Saturday afternoon, a silly comfort watch, or a family movie night where nobody needs to be quiet. Pacing is relentless in the race sequences and looser between them, and the emotional arc follows a boy who loses his brother and learns to keep faith with his family and his own sense of right. Intensity is mild: there are crashes and fights with cartoonish, bloodless impact, and some tense moments, but no real gore and no sexual content. It is for people who want a loud, colourful, big-hearted adventure that doesn't take itself too seriously.
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