Speed Racer is Rewardingly Weird, State-of-the-Art CGI Slapstick - io9 Comments

Speed Racer is Rewardingly Weird, State-of-the-Art CGI Slapstick

gunnk — Thu, 15 May 2008 06:24:17 PDT

@Cantonkid: I feel EXACTLY the same way!

I approached the movie with high hopes and a sense of dread that it would be awful. Speed Racer is just too precious a part of my childhood.

The movie ROCKED. It's true to its roots -- I laughed out loud when Pops spins a ninja over his head so fast that throwing stars get slung out!

They even managed to nail the retro-future look and feel of the Speed Racer world. What a great world!

A lot of people aren't going to get this movie. That's too bad. Remember when you were playing Hot Wheels as a kid: jumping junk and making crash sound-effects? Well if there is any part of that kid still alive in you, you should love this film.

I may have to buy myself a Blu-Ray player for this.

gunnk

Speed Racer is Rewardingly Weird, State-of-the-Art CGI Slapstick

Furiursa — Mon, 12 May 2008 22:47:12 PDT

Saw it TWICE this weekend. If you get the chance to see it in IMAX, go that route (the detail is AMAZING!)

Yes there are talky bits here and there, yes people chew the scenery a LOT in the movie, but that's what MAKES it Speed Racer! It held true to just about every aspect that made the show as much ridiculous over the top fun as it was back in my youth. From Pops being an ex-wrestling champ, to Spritle and Chim-Chim stowing away in the Mach 5, they remain both faithful to the source AND pushed the boundaries of what Speed Racer was all about... And OMG the fight scenes (both in and out of the cars)... Yes my retinas may be scarred for life now, but you know DAMN well it's going to be used to sell BluRay players when it comes out on BluRay... It makes Ultraviolet look pale and lifeless by comparison.

And for anyone who complains about those pesky laws of physics... remember the original cartoon had a robotic bird with a 1960's FILM CAMERA ON ITS BACK THAT WAS LARGER THAN IT WAS... and IT FLEW :D

And to those of you who feel Speed Racer was crap... well I can't fault you for having an opinion, despite how ridiculous that opinion is (sorry, but Speed Racer was a PHENOMENAL hit in the states, despite it's primitive animation), but it led to one of my all time favorite animations - GATCHAMAN (aka Battle of the Planets), a show SO PHENOMENALLY awesome that they could butcher it with 'kid friendly' cuts and a cheap R2D2 ripoff and the show STILL managed to be awesome (to kids back then).

So fuck the naysayers, GO SPEED RACER, GO!
Maha Go Go
Maha Go Go
Maha Go Go Goooooooooooooooooooooo!

Furiursa

Speed Racer is Rewardingly Weird, State-of-the-Art CGI Slapstick

Stafford — Sun, 11 May 2008 15:13:50 PDT

@Dillenger69: Yep just saw it today. I never liked the cartoon, the bulk of anime bores the hell out of me. This movie is A+ fantastic. Had me hook line and sinker the whole time. Plus, seeing it in a packed theater full of kids going absolutely nuts only added to it. The drive home from the theater was just plain bizarre though. I really spent the whole time wanting to try out a few of the things I just learned.

Stafford

Speed Racer is Rewardingly Weird, State-of-the-Art CGI Slapstick

Dillenger69 — Sat, 10 May 2008 17:39:20 PDT

Having now seen it ... it rocked.

It made me feel like that little kid watching Speed Racer on TV again.

If you prefer "Cinema", "Films", or get your movie advice from The New Yorker ... don't go.

Dillenger69

Speed Racer is Rewardingly Weird, State-of-the-Art CGI Slapstick

jbq — Sat, 10 May 2008 07:24:13 PDT

@WellsJohnson: Yeah, possibly the best blockbuster summer in memory. And the best part is, I spend most of my workday outside, so I don't have to be feelin' bad about being inside a dark movie theatre. Moahahahaha! Not so psyched about Wall-E and Hancock (Michael Bluth and Charlize-ness notwithstanding), but the rest of them? Bring it on.

jbq

Speed Racer is Rewardingly Weird, State-of-the-Art CGI Slapstick

WellsJohnson — Sat, 10 May 2008 02:04:28 PDT

It was good. It was fun. It was a damn summer movie. Next week, Prince Caspian. After that, Indiana Jones. And then Wall-E, Hellboy, Dark Knight, Hancock, Hulk, Pineapple Express, Tropic Thunder, etc. etc. etc. This is gonna be a good summer, so enjoy it while we can. And those bitchn' and complaining about how bad Speed Racer is, lighten up. Have some fun. Don't be so critical and cynical and grumpy. FYI, it's not as cool as you think to be drinkin' the hate-o-rade all the damn time... There are lots of other real world things to save that for. Jus' sayins. :-D

WellsJohnson

Speed Racer is Rewardingly Weird, State-of-the-Art CGI Slapstick

Cantonkid — Fri, 09 May 2008 23:35:29 PDT

I grew up watching Speed Racer toons every morning while waiting for the bus to elementary school. I enjoyed it then because of the characters and narrative which were quite different from the US toons at the time.

That being said I had high expectations and was almost certain I was going to be dissapointed.

I wasn't.

I enjoyed what they did with the film and felt that I liked it for all of the reasons Roger Ebert hated it. I felt it was a fairly honest homage to the original. I don't go to watch a film based on a cartoon looking to find Shakespeare, nor was I expecting the Matrix. People who are, will likely dissapointed.

Cantonkid

Speed Racer is Rewardingly Weird, State-of-the-Art CGI Slapstick

bonniegrrl — Fri, 09 May 2008 16:39:33 PDT

BTW, Xeni Jardin at BoingBoing TV chats with John Gaeta, the Academy Award-winning Visual Effects supervisor of "The Matrix" trilogy -- about his new film, "Speed Racer" too!

In the interview Gaeta reveals "some of the art, anime, and pop culture elements that combine to form Speed Racer's poptimistic photo-anime feel. The live action Speed Racer is saturated in a candy-colored palette so rich, audiences may just leave the theater with a contact sugar high."

And if you plan on seeing Speed Racer -- do yourself a favor and see it at a digital cinema or IMAX theater.

Check out both videos for some great behind the scenes clips!

[bonniegrrl.livejournal.com]

bonniegrrl

Speed Racer is Rewardingly Weird, State-of-the-Art CGI Slapstick

phoenix — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:09:12 PDT

@TheAstronot: Seriously! Screw the naysayers, and screw it if this movie tanks at the box office. I'm planning on seeing it, and it's going to be so awesome, I'll probably go blind.

phoenix

Speed Racer is Rewardingly Weird, State-of-the-Art CGI Slapstick

TheAstronot — Fri, 09 May 2008 14:53:06 PDT

Wow there are some very hardcore grumps here. I had friends that went to see movies they knew they wouldn't like and after a few times I stopped seeing movies with them because they would ruin the whole awesomeness of everything. I'm OK with your opinions but don't hate for the sake of hating it's annoying and immature.

In conclusion,

I love cars, I loved the original Speed Racer anime, I enjoy the Wachowski brothers movies and I can't fucking WAIT to see Speed Racer in the theater.

TheAstronot

Speed Racer is Rewardingly Weird, State-of-the-Art CGI Slapstick

Skunky — Fri, 09 May 2008 13:49:32 PDT

So how long before someone splices together a Speed vs Takumi vs The Stig video?

This must be done.

Skunky

Speed Racer is Rewardingly Weird, State-of-the-Art CGI Slapstick

urukhaifive — Fri, 09 May 2008 11:39:29 PDT

@codydog: So wait... real animation died in 1967? So... basically like what... Looney Toons? And... that's about it. Even the original Scooby-Doo was after Speed Racer.

urukhaifive

Speed Racer is Rewardingly Weird, State-of-the-Art CGI Slapstick

Miranda Kali — Fri, 09 May 2008 11:36:19 PDT

@allyzay:
Holy macaroni! I never thought I'd see those words put together like that!
...precious...Vince....Vaughn..
Wow. I didn't think it could be done.

Miranda Kali

Speed Racer is Rewardingly Weird, State-of-the-Art CGI Slapstick

Annalee Newitz — Fri, 09 May 2008 11:36:09 PDT

@Choire: Dude I am totes a fag. Do not impugn my faggery! I just didn't notice that Racer X's costume was any weirder than the snake guy and the vikings and the shiny-faced twins and Trixie.

Annalee Newitz

Speed Racer is Rewardingly Weird, State-of-the-Art CGI Slapstick

allyzay — Fri, 09 May 2008 11:15:44 PDT

omg all you "lol u old" ppl! how old do you guys think the wachowskis are? i am under 30 (though according to choire i am almost too old to be trixie) and an enormous speed racer cartoon fan and i would rather rip my own eyeballs out than go see this abortion! so whatever!

i'm still smarting over the godawful wachowskis wrestling this project away from my precious vince vaughn.

allyzay

Speed Racer is Rewardingly Weird, State-of-the-Art CGI Slapstick

jbq — Fri, 09 May 2008 09:45:10 PDT

@Annalee Newitz:

...

Ninjas and vikings and crazy snake ladies?

This must be my new favourite film, and I haven't even seen it yet.

jbq

Speed Racer is Rewardingly Weird, State-of-the-Art CGI Slapstick

moff — Fri, 09 May 2008 08:58:35 PDT

@Miranda Kali: Fair enough.

moff

Speed Racer is Rewardingly Weird, State-of-the-Art CGI Slapstick

Tiwa — Fri, 09 May 2008 08:54:50 PDT

@codydog: Gerald McBoing-Boing marked the death of real animation. And Adult Swim put the nail in the coffin.

Tiwa

Speed Racer is Rewardingly Weird, State-of-the-Art CGI Slapstick

Miranda Kali — Fri, 09 May 2008 08:53:23 PDT

@moff:
Normally, I can deal with the complete lack of realism in my cartoons about supernatural beings with amazing powers, who fight for some god-knows-why reason.
BUT, MY GOD, MAN! THERE'S JUST NOT ENOUGH HAIR-JELL IN THE WORLD!!
I mean, come on..even with omnipotent powers...hair just shouldn't do that!

Miranda Kali

Speed Racer is Rewardingly Weird, State-of-the-Art CGI Slapstick

moff — Fri, 09 May 2008 08:34:14 PDT

@Miranda Kali: WHAT'S YOUR BEEF WITH DRAGON BALL Z, KALI???

@Choire: Heh. You're old.

moff

Speed Racer is Rewardingly Weird, State-of-the-Art CGI Slapstick

Choire — Fri, 09 May 2008 08:16:07 PDT

@Annalee Newitz: You didn't notice the ill costumes because you're not a fag. :) And everyone else: ZOMG YES I AM THE OLDS 4 REAL. *rolls eyes*

Choire

Speed Racer is Rewardingly Weird, State-of-the-Art CGI Slapstick

Miranda Kali — Fri, 09 May 2008 07:33:34 PDT

@Miranda Kali:
...all though admittedly, we also have Poke'mon and Dragon Ball Z to blame S.R. for...
Win some, lose some...

Miranda Kali

Speed Racer is Rewardingly Weird, State-of-the-Art CGI Slapstick

Miranda Kali — Fri, 09 May 2008 07:31:01 PDT

@codydog:
The death of real animation? Are you crazy?
The style may have been a bit rough, and yes, they cut a lot of corners. I can understand that it may not be to everyones liking, but to say the it was "the death of real animation"...If anything, the original Speed Racer ushered in a whole new art form. Along with Astro Boy and Kimba, anime was born. Staples like Akira, Ghost in the Shell, and Aeon Flux all find their roots in Speed.

Miranda Kali

Speed Racer is Rewardingly Weird, State-of-the-Art CGI Slapstick

extracrispy — Fri, 09 May 2008 07:19:38 PDT

@codydog: I'm planning to snort several lines of Adderall before I see it.

extracrispy

Speed Racer is Rewardingly Weird, State-of-the-Art CGI Slapstick

monkity — Fri, 09 May 2008 07:11:41 PDT

@JustChill: Oh what a relief, if those of us who were over 30 when Matrix came out and loved it don't have to put up with another Wachowski project!

But wait... what if some of us have kids? Will we have to cringe through it after all? Aarrrgh!

monkity

Speed Racer is Rewardingly Weird, State-of-the-Art CGI Slapstick

codydog — Fri, 09 May 2008 07:00:22 PDT

@Choire: I may be an old fart too, but i refuse to get it. The cartoon was awful, marked the death of real animation, and a filthy trick to play on innocent little kids.

Seen two trailers for the movie, and my eyes still hurt. Not only am i too old for this craplevel, i'm not on dope any more, and suspect that what ever dope it takes to like stuff like this, i didn't like back when i was a full time doper.

Which started, FYI, about the time Speed Racer started polluting the airwaves, not that i am positing a definite connection there, you understand.

as for the Wbros or Wsibs, they can make a good movie, but they need discipline. Throwing the kitchen sink at the screen is a tactic, but not the best tactic, perhaps.

codydog

Speed Racer is Rewardingly Weird, State-of-the-Art CGI Slapstick

Miranda Kali — Fri, 09 May 2008 05:59:04 PDT

@Jeff-Minor:
Most of the reviews I've read simply refer to them as "the Wachowskis".
I could be wrong on this, but from what I understand, Larry has made no move to publicly confirm or deny anything.
If Larry wants people to know that a new name and pronoun are in order, that's Larry's business.
It is, by all means, important to respect someones gender, but it's equally important to respect their privacy.
I think people are just going with what's been historically accurate, until we hear different from the W's.

Miranda Kali

Speed Racer is Rewardingly Weird, State-of-the-Art CGI Slapstick

moff — Fri, 09 May 2008 05:50:28 PDT

@Choire: Great. Now I'm conflicted. Thanks, Sicha. AAAAAGGGGHHHHH.

@TruPhan: Check it out -- Speed and Tony Stark:

moff

Speed Racer is Rewardingly Weird, State-of-the-Art CGI Slapstick

Jeff-Minor — Fri, 09 May 2008 05:24:33 PDT

I liked Matrix Revolutions. I think I might be impressed and overly stimulated by all the lights in Speed Racer; the road itself seems so busy with color. Also, I've been reading reviews that keep referring to the Wachowski brothers. Aren't they a brother and sister now? I think it's polite to use the right pronoun with regard to someone's gender.

Jeff-Minor

Speed Racer is Rewardingly Weird, State-of-the-Art CGI Slapstick

Balius — Fri, 09 May 2008 04:55:44 PDT

@Annalee Newitz: Turns out it was one of the actors comparing "car-fu" to "bullet-time".

Balius

Speed Racer is Rewardingly Weird, State-of-the-Art CGI Slapstick

tetracycloide — Fri, 09 May 2008 04:37:02 PDT

@Pinkhamster: it's almost like it's some kind of industry where people toil for money...

tetracycloide

Speed Racer is Rewardingly Weird, State-of-the-Art CGI Slapstick

C-J — Fri, 09 May 2008 00:48:36 PDT

Segway Race!

C-J

Speed Racer is Rewardingly Weird, State-of-the-Art CGI Slapstick

Pinkhamster — Fri, 09 May 2008 00:14:51 PDT

I have zero respect for the Wachowskis after they agreed to step in at the studio's behest and re-edit and shoot new action scenes for Oliver Hirschbiegel's film "The Invasion." I wonder how they'd like it if someone had been hired to step in and fix their lousy Matrix sequels by chopping them up and shooting new scenes. Sure, they might have actually been worth watching in that case, but it's a totally scab move for supposed artists to pull on a peer.

Pinkhamster

Speed Racer is Rewardingly Weird, State-of-the-Art CGI Slapstick

bitgod — Fri, 09 May 2008 00:02:59 PDT

ARRGH, we've got a damn Imax theater in Sacramento, and it's not going to play Speed Racer. Oh well, guess I hit someplace else.

bitgod

Speed Racer is Rewardingly Weird, State-of-the-Art CGI Slapstick

Channing — Thu, 08 May 2008 23:09:48 PDT

@JosephFinn:
Serious?

Channing

Speed Racer is Rewardingly Weird, State-of-the-Art CGI Slapstick

TheFemGeek — Thu, 08 May 2008 22:26:34 PDT

My doubts didn't come so much from the Wachowskis directing the film as much as it came from who was going to star in it and if the writing was going to be more like George of the Jungle as opposed to The Matrix. I chose to give the brothers the benefit of the doubt. I got a chance to see an early screening and I have to say that this film had my attention throughout. So much I wasn't even thinking about the old cartoon. The Matrix had my attention because it was new, but there were moments when I was anticipating answers. This had my attention because it was fun and I guess I just allowed myself to enjoy it. That may have been because I came in expecting the cartoon and instead got a pretty cool movie.

TheFemGeek

Speed Racer is Rewardingly Weird, State-of-the-Art CGI Slapstick

Annalee Newitz — Thu, 08 May 2008 21:55:35 PDT

@Balius: Hmm, well since the directors didn't do any promotion or talk to the press about the movie, I'm not sure when they would have "promoted car fu." However, anyone who dislikes the idea of car fu should indeed give this movie a miss.

Those who hear the term car fu and say FUCK YEAH are the intended audience.

Annalee Newitz

Speed Racer is Rewardingly Weird, State-of-the-Art CGI Slapstick

Annalee Newitz — Thu, 08 May 2008 21:53:08 PDT

@Choire: I didn't feel like the racing scenes were broken up at all. I loved the weird fighting interludes in the races -- I thought they were zany and bizarre. And I loved the ninjas and vikings and crazy snake ladies.

I honestly never even noticed Racer X's costume. All the costumes were completely ridiculous and that seemed to be the point.

The movie is intended to be an incredibly silly comedy, so it's hard to see what the problem is with critics laughing at it. I mean, even the "serious" parts were insanely over-the-top camp. I felt like this movie was an homage to being a geeky kid who loves pop culture, and it succeeded on that level.

Annalee Newitz

Speed Racer is Rewardingly Weird, State-of-the-Art CGI Slapstick

Dillenger69 — Thu, 08 May 2008 21:48:29 PDT

It's showing on IMAX up here in Seattle.
I plan to take both the kids.

Dillenger69

Speed Racer is Rewardingly Weird, State-of-the-Art CGI Slapstick

Balius — Thu, 08 May 2008 21:23:28 PDT

Any movie for which the directors promote "car-fu" drops off my list of things to see. Sorry.

Balius

Speed Racer is Rewardingly Weird, State-of-the-Art CGI Slapstick

JustChill — Thu, 08 May 2008 21:19:33 PDT

@Choire: Dude, how old are you (I'm guessing older than thirty)? Obviously someone like you shouldn't be watching this movie. Keep in mind Wachowskis didn't make this movie for you. I agree with the Plague, you really don't get it.

JustChill

Speed Racer is Rewardingly Weird, State-of-the-Art CGI Slapstick

Plague — Thu, 08 May 2008 20:55:59 PDT

@Choire:
Hey. Why don't you go just kill the Easter Bunny now as well.
Talk about NOT GETTING IT.

Plague

Speed Racer is Rewardingly Weird, State-of-the-Art CGI Slapstick

Choire — Thu, 08 May 2008 20:33:55 PDT

Reaallly??? Generally I admire your taste but here we part way. This was one of the worst movies I have ever seen. Critics were having a hard time scribbling in their notebooks because they were LAUGHING AT IT. Yeah there's some amazing visual stuff, and I gotta give them some credit. They did do some very cool stuff. But my biggest beef is not the lousy script or the schlocky, hammy over-acting (except by Susan Sarandon! Who is kind of great in it!) but the way they constantly interrupt the action and race scenes. It's so bloody irritating. It's like they had to stitch them together after the fact, but didn't want to blow an extra $40 mil or something on the CGI. The insane, repeated use of the announcers in the races is so disruptive to the mood—sucks all the air right out of scenes that are otherwise incredibly cool-looking. Also there is just ONE funny joke in the movie (delivered by Christina Ricci, and also she is 28 years old, which is too old for that role).

AND they couldn't even get Racer X's costume fitted properly! It's like he's wearing some pleather bean-bags cobbled together! It gathers and wrinkles where it shouldn't and it does HORRIBLE things to his ass. It doesn't help that Matthew Fox has decided to interpret the character FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE either. Jesus. Um okay done now, sorry.

Choire