These days, fans of anime enter every American film adaptation with little to no hope, packed with cynicism after countless awful entries. The very best of the genre remains the colorful, action-packed, utterly uncynical Wachowskis epicSpeed Racer.The Speed Racer franchise, known in its native Japan asMach GoGoGo, began life in 1966 as a manga by one of the most important figures in the art form, Tatsuo Yoshida. Yoshida foundedTatsunoko Productions, the groundbreakinganime studio which defined the medium from the sixties to the mid-nineties. The anime adaptation ofSpeed Racergained enormous popularity after being brought to America.
Speed Raceris the tale of a young man living his dream of becoming a racecar driver. The titular Speed competesin increasingly dangerous raceswith colorful competition to prove himself and bring glory to his family auto shop. Speed races with the help of his parents and the memory of his older brother, who tragically died on the track. The young racer exhibits incredible feats of skill, driving his powerful Mach 5 with a wide variety of tricks and gadgets.
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Speed also races alongside his girlfriend Trixie, his mysterious rival Racer X and his rookie ally Taejo Togokahn. Speed must contend with corrupt businessman E. P. Arnold Royalton, who offers him fame and riches at the cost of his integrity. Against countless brutal enemies, constantly heightening chaos, and the rising aggression of corporate dominance, Speed Racer must stay true to himself and find his own path down the racetrack.
Speed Racer’s Struggles
This film comes from an unlikely source, the ever-controversial Wachowski sisters. The Wachowskis are among the most influential filmmakers of their generation, but have also been involved in a number of heavily panned features. If there is a single most common criticism of their work, it’s that they value style over substance.The Matrixseries iswidely beloved, but detractors accuse it of being pretentious or hacky, covering up its shoddy writing with its clever effects.Speed Racerwas not immune from that criticism, but like much of their work, a willing viewer will find more under the hood of this film.
Upon initial release,Speed Racerdid not find success, for a number of reasons. One fairly obvious downfall was release date; this film hit cinemas exactly seven days after the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s grand entrance inthe form ofIron Man.It would be hard to think of a worse moment to release a cartoony action film than one week after the triumphant herald of the biggest empire in cinema history. On top of that,Speed Racerenjoyed staggeringly mixed reviews; some heaping praise on the film’s visuals or atmosphere while others derided its story and humor. The prevailing opinion of the time was negative, but the thirteen years since its release has brought a massive cult following to this troubled project.
What The Movie Gets Right
WhatSpeed Raceraccomplishes is exactly what most anime adaptations fail to achieve. The film perfectly captures the spirit of its source material, while selling what made the franchise matter to people for all those years. Aside fromSpeed Racer,most American anime adaptationsare either perfunctory or dreadful. Robert Rodriguez’sAlita: Battle Angelis fun but largely unnecessary, and Adam Wingard’sDeath Notesullies its source’s good name.Speed Racerjustifies its own existence and doesn’t ruin its source. It’s more than just references, it’s in the theming, the way they frame the action, the dreamlike visual design, and the devil-may-care commitment to unbridled emotion.
This film is sincere on a level that demands an open heart. Even its comedy, which has a tendency to fall flat, is absolutely going for it at every opportunity. Emile Hirsch portrays the title role with the vibe of a PG take onRyan Gosling inDrive.Impassioned inner monologues about the spirit of the Mach-5 clash with mid-disaster commentary to create a fascinating character. The great John Goodman as Speed’s father Pops is stern, encouraging and conveys real pride in his son. Roger Allam, known as Javert in the official London production ofLes Miserables,brings an impressive level of intimidation to the role of Royalton. Not every actor holds up, but even the lackluster performances are buoyed by a charming script and an inspiring level of heart.
The big draw ofSpeed Raceris, of course, the visually stunning race scenes. The originalSpeed Racercodified the racing anime genre, laying the path for dynamic standouts likeRedline,and the 2008 film seeks to raise the bar once again. The cinematography somehow manages to keep scene geography readable while constantly shifting elements and while every aspect of the imagery is moving at breakneck speed. The film uses visual tricks ahead of its time, occasionally inventing techniques credited to films released years later. From using the falling snow to create the series trademark speed lines to interpreting memories into dreamlike visions, this film is catharsis from beginning to end.
Speed Racerisn’t perfect, but neither was thegroundbreaking series that inspired it, but both defined the way anime is perceived in the west. Fans willing to open their heart and experience an impassioned ride can findSpeed Raceron HBO Max today.
