Speed Racer (2008, Wachowski's)

My fear about the Wachowski's inability to deliver a meaningful film that could carry its superficial weight on its own shoulders was confirmed on viewing 'Speed Racer'. It is an ingratiating, annoying film that feels big yet empty. Visually, it is corner to corner eye-candy, literally. The colours jump out and scream their obviousness in all their psychedelic glory. Backgrounds change and form patterns while the foreground remain the same. All this trickery extends to every scene in the film till you realize that this is all that the film is about. There is a story in there about a kid (Emile Hirsch as Speed Racer himself), themes of family values, greedy sports agents hell bent on exploitation, evil, cheating sportsmen, but they all take a backseat to what is undoubtedly the primary purpose; creating yet another virtual world very different from our own.

Based on the Japanese cartoon that found fame not just in its native country, but worldwide, the film may be true in look and feel of the series – of this I cannot be a judge. As an experience, it is distinctly “Wachowskian” – the races last for many long minutes, the dialogues are ponderous and heavy. All of this is a retread of mistakes committed with “Revolutions”, the last film in the Matrix trilogy. For them to have made a mistake once is acceptable, but to repeat it is a travesty. It goes a long way against the expectations that they set for themselves with their debut, the masterful crime noir “Bound” or the innovation of the very first “Matrix”. Some of that innovation is no doubt on display in “Speed Racer” as well. The way the cars ricocheted, oscillated and bounced off each other on the fast tracks like pinball’s did have a certain gleeful joy about them. But the premise seemed in dire need of loosening up. It was uptight and joyless – as if the duo were still making the Matrix films but with a different setting.

If all of this sounds overtly discouraging, it is because as filmmakers, the Wachowski’s do know how to deliver the goods. Even “Speed Racer”, for all its failings, is fun when it needs to be – there is a scene that seems to play out inside a room but we later learn is the inside of a trailer speeding on the highway. The races are kinetic, but seem to be interrupted much too often by silly commentary. While watching the film, I was hopeful at the start and expected a breezy, perhaps campy, fun ride. But if the excessive running time seemed to drain me, nothing could prepare me for the maddening scenes with Sprittle, Speed’s kid brother, and his pet chimp. To make segments of a film enjoyable for children is one thing, but to pander the material for the benefit of the lowest common denominator for some quick, cheap laughs is something else entirely. The film could have been harmless and enjoyable, like a glossier Spy Kids; what I experienced was very little of either.

Rating: 2/5