SPEED RACER

US, 2008, 135 minutes, Colour.
Emile Hirsch, John Goodman, Susan Sarandon, Roger Allam, Matthew Fox, Christina Ricci, Kick Gurry, Hiroyuki Sanada, Benno Fuhrmann.
Directed by The Wachowski Brothers.

With the developments in technology for film-making and the creative inventiveness for storytelling which means that beginning, middle and end do not necessarily have to appear in that order, it seems that many young viewers (and critics) are so fascinated by the form of a film that the way a film looks and the clever way a film is constructed becomes as important as or more important than the plot and the values dramatised.

This is true of Speed Racer. It is an extraordinary cinematic creation in its style. Based on a Japanese comic and animated television series, the Wachowski Brothers bring the skills they showed for The Matrix series and create a world of human beings with touches of realism in a setting of bright colour, videogame settings and shapes, adrenalin action that are intended to grip the audience and keep them there for over two hours. And, in entertainment terms, that will happen for many audiences.

However, much of it was a dead loss for this reviewer. While there was some fascination with the creativity and the imaginative use of comic book landscapes and styles as well as reasonable performances from Emile Hirsch as the young racer with an innate genius for cars and John Goodman and Susan Sarandon as his parents (and a pantomime-style villain in British stage actor, Roger Allam), the theme was not all that interesting and the thundering action and emotion was in the ‘sound and fury’ vein of much ado.

1. The original graphic comic? Japanese? The visuals transferred to moving actions? The story, characters? Cars, racing, business, intrigue?

2. The Wachowskis and their career? Action films, special effects? a different kind matrix? The style of animation, backgrounds, realism, surrealism? The live action with the animation? The effect of the touch of psychedelic? Credible?

3. Speed, Rex, the different ages, little boy, at school, and admiring his brother drive, going to special places? Intercut with Speed as an adult? His driving, with his parents, his achievements, memories of his brother, his little brother, the monkey, Sparky, the household?

4. Rex, walking away, the reasons, his father, and anger, harsh words? Speed upset?

5. The picture of the parents, the father and his designing cars and engines, mother and her support? Their being an independent company? The mischief
of the little boy and his monkey?

6. The visit of Royalton, unctuous style, entry, the pancakes, friendly, the offer, Speed to think about it, the tour of the elaborate factory, amazement, the father’s reaction, the corporation, expectations? Speed and the gift of the velvet suit?

7. The Japanese racer, the other drivers, his sister? Wanting to win and vindicate himself? Speed helping, dangerous and difficult race, dangers along the way, we? His triumph? The irony of the betrayal, with his father, deal with Royalton and the price of the shares?

8. The inspector, his assistant, the mask? Audiences suspecting that it was Rex? Speed and his enquiries, asking, the man to take off his mask? The fact that he was Rex and accepting the fact that he had deceived his family and hurt them? The flashbacks and his funeral and facial surgery?

9. The inspector, his work, corruption in the race world, fixed races? Information statistics? Trying to persuade the Racer family to collaborate?

10. Trixie, friends with Speed at school and their friendship, love, her support, part of the family, racing and driving? The helicopters and the guidance?

11. The dangerous race, Rex’s death, the father not wanting Speed to race? Royalton’s alarm?

12. The aftermath of the race, the triumph? The sister and her giving Speed the ticket to enter the championship? The family working day and night? Sparky and his help Speed’s gratitude?

13. Royalton, his being upset, officials’ insistence on obeying the rules? Royalton and his wanting Speed dead, fixing the weapon on his car? Speed and his tactics, exposing the sabotage, Royalton excluded?

14. The race, the detail, Speed and the car, his contemplation, able to work out how to start the question again? The thrill of the race, the support? Is it?

15. The Inspector and Rex, congratulating Speed?

16. The background of corruption industry? The portrait of the other drivers?

17. The role of the commentators throughout, their personalities, observations, commentary?