SPEED RACER sputters to the Finish

Every once and awhile a director takes a chance and dabbles outside the conventional practices of movie making. They re-invented the action genre and use of CGI in THE MATRIX, and cartoons mixed with live action genre in WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT? They pushed the limits of creativity and every movie thereafter evolved into something new and fresh.

SPEED RACER has this kind of feel. Meshing 3D animation, CGI, and live action in a seamless montage that is way ahead of it's time. The movie felt like a video game from green light to checkered flag. And that's exactly it's flaw.

SPEED RACER has a passable plot sugar-coated with so much action and bright flashing lights and explosions that you don't really mind. There's just enough plot to get you to the next race.
The race scenes are best viewed on the Big Screen or IMAX as I fear they won't translate as well on DVD or Blue Ray unless you have a system that is worthy of the spectacular colourful racing world of the future.

Based on the Japanime series of the same name that opened up mainstream North America to Robotech, Akira, and, eventually, Pokemon, SPEED RACER may be a pre-cursor to the future of high octane action flicks.

One guarantee is that there's no other movie quite like it and feels like watching the birth of something special and grand on the horizon in the movie making world. Too bad the story wasn't better.

9 Mach Five's out of 10 (for action)
5 Matt Fox sitings out of 10 (for plot)
7 karate-chopping monkeys out of 10 (overall)