By Michael Gutierrez This move started badly. It was bad for a good 45 minutes. After that, things started to turned around. The humor became funny, rather than just stupid. The actors seemed to hit their stride and the racing got really good. However, it could have been a whole lot better!
There is no doubt that the Wachowski Brothers are immensely talented. "The Matrix" is a classic, one of the finest films ever made. They reached the pinnacle with that movie and have been going down hill every since. The Matrix sequels were a step down, but not as bad as my fellow critics have said. I liked "The Matrix Revolutions" and "Matrix Reloaded" improves with multiple viewings.
"The Brothers" (as the Wachowski's are now known) seem to have forgotten the reason for their earlier success. All great films engage the intellect and the emotions. The Brothers hit the sweet spot with "The Matrix". They've missed the mark a bit on all other films ever since.
"Speed Racer" suffers significantly in comparison to "IRON MAN" which got it RIGHT! (See my earlier review). It's not the fault of the cast, they carry the day as best they could. I especially like Emile Hirsch, who was outstanding in "Into the Wild" (see my earlier review). Everyone here does the best they can with the material, but there is no denying that the story is weak.
However, the movie looks terrific. The racing is the highlight of the film. Cut this 2 hour and 15 minute movie by at least 45 minutes and it's a solid recommendation. In any case, it's definitely worth a look in IMAX!
GO SPEED RACER GO!
