Speed Racer-A High-Octane Blockbuster that’s Aged Far Better Than I Remember
In an era of IP-Blockbusters that feel safe and made by committee, Speed Racer ages far better with each viewing due to how unabashedly unique it feels. No film released before or after it looks or feels like Speed Racer. The way scenes and dialogue blend like a moving live-action manga rather than using standard shot-reverse-shot filmmaking. The way the Wachowskis use greenscreen to create a live-action world that feels utterly detached from reality. The way the film makes the racing feel like souped-up Mario Kart, taking the movement and speed to the absolute extreme. The way the film so confidently shifts tones from extreme melodrama to complete sincerity to over-the-top and cartoonish comedy and back again.
That shift in tone, in particular, stood out to me on this viewing, as it all feels grounded by the film's well-realized family dynamic. The dynamic between the Racer Family stands as the heart of the film, giving you a group of characters that are so incredibly charming and likable that you can't help but root for them. They are also at the heart of the film's thematic throughline, as Racer, with the help of his family, strives for greatness while overcoming the adversity of the capitalistic greed around him. Its story may be on the nose, but the film's combination of complete sincerity and over-the-top cheese moves me more and more with each viewing. That combination of tones makes the film age far better than I remember. The dialogue within Speed Racer's script, which shifts so confidently between complete sincerity and over-the-top cheesiness, feels incredibly refreshing in an era where every blockbuster feels overly self-aware and self-confident about its tone.
If there's one area where the film still struggles for me, it's the pacing. The film spends much time on the Casa Cristo race in the second act. As cinematic a set piece as it is, it goes on for too long, making the Grand Prix race in the third act feel slightly less climatic at the start. However, this issue is somewhat alleviated by how the Grand Prix builds throughout the third act, culminating in the incredibly satisfying final moments.
More than I ever expected, Speed Racer got so much better on this new viewing. It's a high-octane, fast-paced blockbuster with a unique cinematic language and aesthetic. With well-handled tonal shifts and an incredibly likable family dynamic at its core, it's a film that gets better and better with each viewing and a film that I'm happy to have been wrong about for so long.
Now Available to Rent or Buy on Prime Video, Apple TV, and more in the U.S.
