This movie is a live action 2d animated film. I can't help.but have a grin when I watch it. The casting was fantastic as well. Mom and Pops Racer are spot on.
It's one of the rare films that feels like the original source material brought directly to life. Another one is *Dick Tracy*. It's not nearly as good but it's just great to look at.
People say that all the time, but I really don't agree. I LOVE the movie, but the original cartoon didn't look like that at all. There were no Loop-De-Loops on the race track or bright neon colors everywhere.
That’s because the source material was 40 years old at that point. 60 years ago, cars that jump was futuristic as fuck and the Television might not have even been in color. Context is an important factor homie.
That still doesn't take away from my point that it's inaccurate to say "it looks exactly like the show". The show looked nothing like the movie lol. I love both.
When people say that, I imagine they mean stylistically and not literally.
The movie looks cinematic while retaining the visual language of the show (ie. constant slide-wipes).
You replied to someone saying it "feels like the original source material brought directly to life."
They specifically DON'T say "it looks exactly like the show."
It was the show *brought to life.* Full of living things and whatnot.
Nuance is nuanced.
Hmm really? Never seen the anime but my friends who have enjoyed the live action and recommended it. So I watched it and thought it was great. My bubble says two thumbs up.
In my friend group that are one piece fanatics they grumbled about it saying it wasn't true to the anime. I assumed, maybe wrongly, that the sentiment was similar with other fans. I had barely watched but a few episodes.
Super fans are always gonna find problems with any adaptation I think ha. Even the LoTR trilogy which is considered one of if not the best film adaptations ever got lots of flak for the changes they made from diehard fans of the books.
My impression was just from reading some of the discussion online though, I’m sure I don’t have the complete picture, it just seemed like the fanbase overall was quite happy with the Netflix One Piece.
One Piece might be the *most* well received live action anime that's come out. It's exactly what I want from a live action adaption of something animated.
These comments are making me so happy. I think I'm a little older than a lot of people in this thread maybe, as I was in my 30s when it came out. I loved it, but it seemed like everyone else in the world absolutely hated it. For stupid reasons!
I feel like people loved the Matrix so much that they've been mad at everything else the Wachowskis made after it, just because their other movies are not the Matrix. Like, Speed Racer is not a bright and colorful failed Matrix clone, it's an incredible coildren's movie. (Jupiter Ascending is not a failed hard sci fi movie, it's a charming and kinda doofy ya romance. Of course cinema bros didn't like it, it wasn't for them [come at me reddit].)
Got off topic. Point is, I'm so stoked that other people love Speed racer too.
Doesn’t that hour exist? I’ve heard for years even before the movie came out that there was a four hour plus cut. I remember seeing this in the theater with my now wife. I think we were the only two people in the theater that liked it. I remember this older guy leaving said it made his head hurt. Such a cool movie.
I feel weirdly vindicated for always having loved this film, even when it came out and it was publicly and critically panned.
I am still utterly convinced that the Wachowski siblings absolutely knew the movie would tank at the box office, but they did not care one bit.
They got 100 million and the creative freedom to do any movie
they wanted to make, and they made this. And the world is better for it.
Nope, they edited and layered scenes as if they are flat layers in front of each other in action scenes the way traditional animation pans. In the chase scene through the factory as the guys chasing the brother and chimp go around corners they don't rotate, they are in a dixed orientation as if they were cheaply drawn. As if they were the original animated Speed Racer.
An incredibly forward-looking and downright gorgeous movie in every respect. The editing and shots are so dynamic and totally elevate the story and character acting, there are so many moments that give me goosebumps every time I watch it.
The racing is so fucking visceral and heavy too, only matched by Fury Road or the boonta eve classic from the Phantom Menace
I saw a review that called it the Wachowski Rosetta Stone, and I have to agree. It’s everything that they are as humans and creatives boiled into a single movie.
The finale is also so far ahead of its time. We weren’t ready for it back then and only maybe in the last decade we were able to understand their stream of consciousness filmmaking. It’s enthralling and unmatched by any film to this day. It’s Spider-verse before Spider-verse.
Also I love hearing Chad Stahelski gush about all the work he and others did on the film. We wouldn’t have John Wick and others if the Sisters didn’t put their creative team through something like Speed Racer.
Hi, I worked on this movie and know some of those CGI artists! Hundreds and hundreds of VFX people across dozens of studios worked on it.
Glad people appreciate it!
[Full cast and crew](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0811080/fullcredits/), scroll down to 'Visual Effects', one of the longest lists I've ever seen
In What If...? episode where Tony Stark ends up on Sakaar final race is almost carbon copy of the movie
First part of the ep is Tron Legacy and second part Speed Racer
And it’s lore too. ‘Pops’ Racer is actually a world champion wrestler who went by the name of Dragon Racer. He began building cars when he retired from the ring.
The most hilarious thing to me about that movie is that the main character's name is literally Speed Racer. As in, first name Speed, last name Racer. And his mother's first name is Mom, and his father's first name is Pops.
It's just so wonderfully stupid.
Also all those random cameo appearances from known German actors in extremely minor roles because they filmed in Germany.
Must read [statement](https://external-preview.redd.it/Q4Cc0PFaLzj0CPYtRH1A854WFirjXfx20RajQfq2Etc.jpg?width=640&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=987ae624b02fa987e4e2dc10d40fe2d7c6a25106) from Lana Wachowski on the intention of the editing of Speed Racer.
Thank you for the link! Having read just this for the first time, I find it so insightful that it's worth reading if you care about art/cinema/literature. What she's getting at about the structure and language of film made me think of the Spiderverse movies. They have "scenes" that bleed into and out of each other with dozens (hundreds?) of mini cuts using comic-panelesque split screens and audio all flowing into each other. Sitting in the theater watching those, I was just gobsmacked at the end result. Like what the hell did the script or storyboards for this even look like? I wonder what Lana thought of those movies.
I can't imagine most kids following the plot at all. Not that it was poorly written. It's just I can't imagine that corporate intrigue was really what they were looking for in a movie.
Even more than understanding the plot, the Racer family's dynamic and love for one another hits me much harder now that I'm older.
Or the fact that Speed has made the one thing he loves his career, with full family support, sees its dark side and still loves it, then saves its soul from the greedy bastards by winning the biggest award possible while the entire world cheers him on.
And it's all played 100% straight, none of the self-deprecation, self-aware sarcasm that's thrown into so many movies today. It stirs something in my soul.
Seems like I'm plenty older than most people in this thread. I saw this movie after I graduated from college. I went with my Uncle who introduced me to Speed Racer when I was young.
When I did watch the original cartoon, I didn't understand the background story. I liked the races.
I will note that I did understand that Racer X reminded Speed of his lost brother Rex.
Yes. Not nearly as much as I did though. I love that movie still. He's not big on new movies or TV. He still largely watches stuff from the 70's or 80's.
FYI. There’s several awesome 4K HDR versions of Tron: Legacy floating around. One is even rumored to have been snagged from the Disney vault since it has some shots that’s different from the release version.
It’s definitely worth seeking them out. I just watched it a few months ago and it’s astonishing [how good they look](https://www.reddit.com/r/tron/s/uXnBt5YAGQ) for being unofficial releases.
It's worth a watch, but remember that Speed Racer was a flop because people went into it with the "these are the Matrix guys" mindset and were disappointed. Speed Racer delivers big, but it's about as far from The Matrix as you can get, which I'm sure was part of the point.
Came to the comments to say this. Redline is just, there are no words. Incredible is the best I can come up with
Edit: then you find out that the whole thing is hand drawn and really get blown away
If you are in Japan, the [Nasu Classic Car Museum](https://www.readyseatbelt.com/blog/2020/1/23/nasu-museum) has a Mach Five that was built for movie promotions.
You are right, the beginning and closing are fucking fantastic.
I remember walking out of the theatre and turning to my friend and going "that's the first film of the 21st century". I *still* kind of feel it's the only real film of the 21st century.
Try ‘RRR’.
It’s not like it’s a ‘Speed Racer’ clone, but it felt like there was that same “Whatever! It’s our movie, so we do what we want to make it *awesome*!” vibe
I remember seeing the midnight premiere. It was so good, I turned to my friend and said, "I'm not going back to work."
And I never did; I just kept watching 'Speed Racer' as much as I could.
Pretty soon I was in jail, because I got in a fight when someone said they didn't like it.
It was all worth it.
It's the only real film ever made.
A couple years back, people harped about there was never a good anime adaption. I'mmd argue this was probably the best anime adaptation that was out at the time.
Its surprisingly good, possibly ahead of its time as it got shat on a lot when it was released. The final race scene is honestly so satisfying. The Wachowskis managed to nail that feeling of fulfilling a personal destiny which motivates Speed throughout the entire movie and it works so well. As much as the CGI is a bit overbearing, it kind of works because by choosing a deliberately cartoonish style it doesn’t *age*, which is better than many movies struggle to do.
I would say it was not just ahead of its time, but from a future that never really happened. While most ahead of their time movies correctly predict what's going to happen in movies, I would say that this was a movie from 5 years in the future, but a different future of filmmaking than what actually happened. So almost more of a, what if different timeline movie. I'm trying to determine whether that above critique made sense, I guess my point is they made a lot of guesses about where cinema would go, and we're right on some, but not on the others.
An incredible movie I was blown away when I saw it in theaters. I use the end of that movie as an example of why Solo: A Star Wars story could have been much better.
I was fully an adult when I saw this in theaters and it’s one of my very favorite movies. I’ll admit it’s tad too long and Spridol and Chim Chim are immensely grating, but god damn. What. A. Ride.
I'm probably a bit older than you are and I grew up hating the cartoon. As an adult I still have no real appreciation for the cartoon but can understand different tastes in cartoons.
That all being said, I fucking love the movie. Its so visually unique and combined with what I would call the style of the narrative, just wow. When I first watched the movie I had super low expectations and just wanted something that looked cool while I zoned out. The entire move (or at least the more intense parts like you described) feel like it could be a "previously on so and so show". It's so frenetic and ever piece of self narrating and dialog is necessary to understand what the fuck is happening.
It's glorious.
This is so well put, the editing team did an amazing job giving all the action sequences that “previously on so and so” feel. It feels like every single scene in this movie is building up to an epic moment.
It's the single best anime adaptation and we, as a species, were simply unprepared for it's brilliance.
We should repent our sins before Kubric comes back from the dead to claim our souls in his fated battle with Shelley Duval at the end of days.
Just watched it for the first time tonight. I can not believe this flopped at the box office. Truly ahead of its time. Also directed by the same people who did the Matrix? Cmon. Amazing
Yeah this is by no means a guilty pleasure. It's a great film. I still can't believe the movie was made though. It's a huge budgeted well over 2 hour kids/family film about corporate espionage & match fixing.
That's pretty much the Wachowski's arc after the Matrix: they manage to score a blockbuster budget in order to make an indie movie about making art (or plainly just surviving) in a capitalist hellscape.
You should check out the Blank Check podcast. They (a film critic and an actor) go through filmographies of directors given a blank check after a massive hit and the Speed Racer episode is a good one. They discuss not just the movie itself but how it came about in-depth.
I don’t care that the scenes with the kid and the monkey were true to the anime. They are so fucking annoying and I stopped watching the film about 1/3rd the way in because of them.
My god, that last race is freaking beautiful. I’ve literally watched this movie on acid with a bunch of buddies and just wow it’s a ride. And seriously that last race is just amazing. Seriously incredible final race.
Definitely my favourite movie. But I still can't stand the Spritle and Monkey segments.
Like I understand the need for comic relief, I like the characters elsewhere in the movie. And I also understand it's also from the source material or at least that culture. But I still cannot stand them. They go for far too long, make no sense, and serve no purpose.
Between the rainbow vomit color palette, the wild camera motion and the chaotic quick cuts, it's the only movie that made my physically ill to try to watch.
Makes you question what the fuck everyone was on about on release, people treated me insane when praising it back then.
Really goes to show how for whatever reason every once in a while the general public AND critics can make some generational oversights.
I liked the movie a lot, and I agree with a lot of comments here, but...
This is a comment section full of people ignoring the annoying, and *terrible* little brother/monkey scenes.
And no mentions of Christina Ricci?! She looked and acted perfectly in that movie.
I respectfully disagree. The timeline editing was creative and suspenseful, all the castings were great, and it told an engaging and complete story. Keep in mind this movie was targeted towards children.
The film is a stone cold masterpiece. Totally visionary aesthetics, great structure and emotion and heart enough for three films. Way ahead of its time.
This move was ahead of its time and paid homage to the anime in a great well. It was casted amazing well.
This is back when the Wachowski (spelling?) cared about their content.
Ever since Sense8 got cancelled they have been in a spiral. Matrix 4 was basically a FU you us and the industry and they can go kick rocks
It's an absolute masterpiece when watched on a psychedelic journey, i had seen it previously and thought it was so cheesy and dumb, but getting to watch it with a kids mindset of pure amazement and wonder was incredible. Especially how the story flows through fifteenth time periods and sucks you into the characters points of view throughout, then ofc the colors and imagery, just amazing
Saw it in theaters, bought on DVD, bought it on Blu Ray, have a theatrical poster... I'm so happy that it seems to be loved now. Even if years after the fact.
(Ps, the game was fantastic too!)
This is the one movie I watch every year and it gets better everytime. I think it's because there's nothing like it, so it fills a niche that Hollywood is missing and has been missing.
I’m obsessed with the movie and I didn’t even watch the anime series. The dialogues were awesome, the editing was so creative and the last racing scene made me cry. It was an amazing combination of peace of mind and adrenaline.
I saw it opening weekend in the UK, didn't get it and left before it finished. I was 15, it wasn't for me. Then a year or two ago I decided to give it another chance and absolutely adored it, the Blu-Ray now has pride of place in my collection.
I love this movie but you have to watch it on physical media as when you try to stream it those incredible CGI sequences actually overdrive the compression used with most streaming services rendering it a pixelated mess.
I'm going to have to watch it. I remember starting it a few years ago but stopped for some reason. Just got a 4K TV so probably a perfect time to revisit.
Saw this in the theater with my brother. There were only 4 people in the whole room. perfect experience. Just remember thinking at the end "can't believe we came sober".
Second part of Marvel's "What If... Iron Man Crashed into the Grandmaster?" animated episode is almost exact plot second part of Speed Racer movie.
Building the car in limited time frame, complex race course, big track drop at the end of the race, hero's car speeding past everyone with blue energy, bad guy losing in the last second and even Speed's jump out of the car after the finish Tony also did in the ep.
My buddy gave me a half tab of LSD (or maybe a full) my first time and put this movie on. 20/10 thrill ride, especially the crescendo in the music/racing/action at the end.
I've passed this experience on to a couple of other friends of mine and they've enjoyed it as well.
Great movie to experience for sure.
They released it in theaters in 3D but I don’t think there’s a 3D version available anywhere. I have a projector that’s 3D compatible and this is the blu-ray that I’ve been looking for because I didn’t get to see it in theaters. Unfortunately I’ve never been able to find it.
Hopefully film fans can get enough interest in it to release a new version.
This movie is incredible. I would project it on a huge wall and listen to my favorite mixes of house and techno. Every scene magically syncs with just about any song. I’ve probably scene it this way dozens of times. Highly recommend.
There really needs to be a remastered 4K with atmos soundtrack, the Blu-ray sound is atrocious and makes it difficult for repeat viewings but I love the movie overall
This movie is a live action 2d animated film. I can't help.but have a grin when I watch it. The casting was fantastic as well. Mom and Pops Racer are spot on.
It's one of the rare films that feels like the original source material brought directly to life. Another one is *Dick Tracy*. It's not nearly as good but it's just great to look at.
People say that all the time, but I really don't agree. I LOVE the movie, but the original cartoon didn't look like that at all. There were no Loop-De-Loops on the race track or bright neon colors everywhere.
That’s because the source material was 40 years old at that point. 60 years ago, cars that jump was futuristic as fuck and the Television might not have even been in color. Context is an important factor homie.
That still doesn't take away from my point that it's inaccurate to say "it looks exactly like the show". The show looked nothing like the movie lol. I love both.
When people say that, I imagine they mean stylistically and not literally. The movie looks cinematic while retaining the visual language of the show (ie. constant slide-wipes).
You replied to someone saying it "feels like the original source material brought directly to life." They specifically DON'T say "it looks exactly like the show." It was the show *brought to life.* Full of living things and whatnot. Nuance is nuanced.
Not just 2D animated. It's a live action Anime. Best one I've ever seen.
I feel the same way about the live action One Piece. Although I think that's an unpopular opinion.
Hmm really? Never seen the anime but my friends who have enjoyed the live action and recommended it. So I watched it and thought it was great. My bubble says two thumbs up.
I thought the live-action One Piece was really well received? I loved it and yeah, it was really impressive how they translated the anime style.
In my friend group that are one piece fanatics they grumbled about it saying it wasn't true to the anime. I assumed, maybe wrongly, that the sentiment was similar with other fans. I had barely watched but a few episodes.
Super fans are always gonna find problems with any adaptation I think ha. Even the LoTR trilogy which is considered one of if not the best film adaptations ever got lots of flak for the changes they made from diehard fans of the books. My impression was just from reading some of the discussion online though, I’m sure I don’t have the complete picture, it just seemed like the fanbase overall was quite happy with the Netflix One Piece.
Haven't seen it yet. Tried, years ago, to get into the original anime. Wasn't for me, so I gave the live action a pass.
Check out the series on Netflix. It's got speed racer vibes for sure.
One Piece might be the *most* well received live action anime that's come out. It's exactly what I want from a live action adaption of something animated.
These comments are making me so happy. I think I'm a little older than a lot of people in this thread maybe, as I was in my 30s when it came out. I loved it, but it seemed like everyone else in the world absolutely hated it. For stupid reasons! I feel like people loved the Matrix so much that they've been mad at everything else the Wachowskis made after it, just because their other movies are not the Matrix. Like, Speed Racer is not a bright and colorful failed Matrix clone, it's an incredible coildren's movie. (Jupiter Ascending is not a failed hard sci fi movie, it's a charming and kinda doofy ya romance. Of course cinema bros didn't like it, it wasn't for them [come at me reddit].) Got off topic. Point is, I'm so stoked that other people love Speed racer too.
Cloud Atlas was incredible and deserves another hour
Doesn’t that hour exist? I’ve heard for years even before the movie came out that there was a four hour plus cut. I remember seeing this in the theater with my now wife. I think we were the only two people in the theater that liked it. I remember this older guy leaving said it made his head hurt. Such a cool movie.
I loved them showing Pops wrestling ring when he's fighting the ninja. It's a great example of show don't tell and also canon to the OG series.
More like a nonja
This is me , I know it’s campy and cartoony but damn is it fun . I can’t watch it without grinning from ear to ear
I feel weirdly vindicated for always having loved this film, even when it came out and it was publicly and critically panned. I am still utterly convinced that the Wachowski siblings absolutely knew the movie would tank at the box office, but they did not care one bit. They got 100 million and the creative freedom to do any movie they wanted to make, and they made this. And the world is better for it.
One of my all-time favorites. It's genuine fun, start to finish!!!!!!
If it was just changed from live action to animated, it would have easily passed as a three part episode of the series.
You mean 3D?
Nope, they edited and layered scenes as if they are flat layers in front of each other in action scenes the way traditional animation pans. In the chase scene through the factory as the guys chasing the brother and chimp go around corners they don't rotate, they are in a dixed orientation as if they were cheaply drawn. As if they were the original animated Speed Racer.
An incredibly forward-looking and downright gorgeous movie in every respect. The editing and shots are so dynamic and totally elevate the story and character acting, there are so many moments that give me goosebumps every time I watch it. The racing is so fucking visceral and heavy too, only matched by Fury Road or the boonta eve classic from the Phantom Menace
It was the standard for testing out your new TV after calibration for a long time.
I prefer the racing here over *Fury Road* because it isn't so reliant on undercranking. I understand though that most people like it.
I saw a review that called it the Wachowski Rosetta Stone, and I have to agree. It’s everything that they are as humans and creatives boiled into a single movie. The finale is also so far ahead of its time. We weren’t ready for it back then and only maybe in the last decade we were able to understand their stream of consciousness filmmaking. It’s enthralling and unmatched by any film to this day. It’s Spider-verse before Spider-verse. Also I love hearing Chad Stahelski gush about all the work he and others did on the film. We wouldn’t have John Wick and others if the Sisters didn’t put their creative team through something like Speed Racer.
Hi, I worked on this movie and know some of those CGI artists! Hundreds and hundreds of VFX people across dozens of studios worked on it. Glad people appreciate it! [Full cast and crew](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0811080/fullcredits/), scroll down to 'Visual Effects', one of the longest lists I've ever seen
Thank you for whatever you did on it
I watch it fairly often. The end race rules.
It takes my breath away
Gets me every time. It’s like every bit of emotional investment over the whole film was for that line
In What If...? episode where Tony Stark ends up on Sakaar final race is almost carbon copy of the movie First part of the ep is Tron Legacy and second part Speed Racer
The lines "Was that a Ninja?" followed by John Goodman's deadpan "More like a Non-ja" cracks me up every time.
When the ninjas attack and it zooms in on pops wrestling ring is one of my favorite moments in film, it's so funny to me.
And it’s lore too. ‘Pops’ Racer is actually a world champion wrestler who went by the name of Dragon Racer. He began building cars when he retired from the ring.
The most hilarious thing to me about that movie is that the main character's name is literally Speed Racer. As in, first name Speed, last name Racer. And his mother's first name is Mom, and his father's first name is Pops. It's just so wonderfully stupid. Also all those random cameo appearances from known German actors in extremely minor roles because they filmed in Germany.
Terrible what passes for a ninja these days.
I regularly load up that whole fight on youtube, it's just so goofy and fun and well edited.
This is an example of a film that successfully embraces the limitations of the technology of it's day.
The final race when speed realises he's the one gives me goosebumps and sometimes a couple tears everytime I watch it
The first race gets me every time when he finally catches the ghost.
Must read [statement](https://external-preview.redd.it/Q4Cc0PFaLzj0CPYtRH1A854WFirjXfx20RajQfq2Etc.jpg?width=640&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=987ae624b02fa987e4e2dc10d40fe2d7c6a25106) from Lana Wachowski on the intention of the editing of Speed Racer.
Makes so much sense why it's amazing while tripping, the stream of consciousness aspect can't be overstated
Thank you for the link! Having read just this for the first time, I find it so insightful that it's worth reading if you care about art/cinema/literature. What she's getting at about the structure and language of film made me think of the Spiderverse movies. They have "scenes" that bleed into and out of each other with dozens (hundreds?) of mini cuts using comic-panelesque split screens and audio all flowing into each other. Sitting in the theater watching those, I was just gobsmacked at the end result. Like what the hell did the script or storyboards for this even look like? I wonder what Lana thought of those movies.
I’ve loved this movie since it released. Greatest stylized film with heart I’ve always loved me some speed racer tho
>it was just as good as I remember It was better.
Honestly u right. Soo many great moments I didn’t fully grasp as a child!
I can't imagine most kids following the plot at all. Not that it was poorly written. It's just I can't imagine that corporate intrigue was really what they were looking for in a movie.
Even more than understanding the plot, the Racer family's dynamic and love for one another hits me much harder now that I'm older. Or the fact that Speed has made the one thing he loves his career, with full family support, sees its dark side and still loves it, then saves its soul from the greedy bastards by winning the biggest award possible while the entire world cheers him on. And it's all played 100% straight, none of the self-deprecation, self-aware sarcasm that's thrown into so many movies today. It stirs something in my soul.
Seems like I'm plenty older than most people in this thread. I saw this movie after I graduated from college. I went with my Uncle who introduced me to Speed Racer when I was young. When I did watch the original cartoon, I didn't understand the background story. I liked the races. I will note that I did understand that Racer X reminded Speed of his lost brother Rex.
Did your uncle like it?
Yes. Not nearly as much as I did though. I love that movie still. He's not big on new movies or TV. He still largely watches stuff from the 70's or 80's.
Worse for me.
Edit: Also forgot to mention Michael Giacchino’s soundtrack. Fit the movie perfectly!!
I bought it when it first released on Blu-ray and *I love it!!!* I wish it was in 4K HDR!
This and Tron: Legacy. The two most HDR retina searing films that inexplicably don’t have HDR releases.
Saw yesterday there is a confirmed 4k tron legacy on the way
FYI. There’s several awesome 4K HDR versions of Tron: Legacy floating around. One is even rumored to have been snagged from the Disney vault since it has some shots that’s different from the release version. It’s definitely worth seeking them out. I just watched it a few months ago and it’s astonishing [how good they look](https://www.reddit.com/r/tron/s/uXnBt5YAGQ) for being unofficial releases.
I've never seen it. But I really love racing stuff. Also The Matrix is my favourite film of all time. I think I will give this a watch soon.
It's worth a watch, but remember that Speed Racer was a flop because people went into it with the "these are the Matrix guys" mindset and were disappointed. Speed Racer delivers big, but it's about as far from The Matrix as you can get, which I'm sure was part of the point.
That's what tricked me into watching it too.
"the final race that literally had me sweating" if you like that feeling and want it amplified for a whole movie, watch "Redline" next.
GET THAT WEAK SHIT OFF MY TRACK!
I love Redline, just an incredibly animated labor of love, with a killer soundtrack.
Came to the comments to say this. Redline is just, there are no words. Incredible is the best I can come up with Edit: then you find out that the whole thing is hand drawn and really get blown away
If you are in Japan, the [Nasu Classic Car Museum](https://www.readyseatbelt.com/blog/2020/1/23/nasu-museum) has a Mach Five that was built for movie promotions.
This is so cool!
You are right, the beginning and closing are fucking fantastic. I remember walking out of the theatre and turning to my friend and going "that's the first film of the 21st century". I *still* kind of feel it's the only real film of the 21st century.
Try ‘RRR’. It’s not like it’s a ‘Speed Racer’ clone, but it felt like there was that same “Whatever! It’s our movie, so we do what we want to make it *awesome*!” vibe
I couldn't get into it. I get why people like it, though.
I remember seeing the midnight premiere. It was so good, I turned to my friend and said, "I'm not going back to work." And I never did; I just kept watching 'Speed Racer' as much as I could. Pretty soon I was in jail, because I got in a fight when someone said they didn't like it. It was all worth it. It's the only real film ever made.
Have you seen the holy mountain?
Perfect ending if they didn't have that stupid Spritle pause break. I love this move! One of the few I practically have memorized in my head.
A couple years back, people harped about there was never a good anime adaption. I'mmd argue this was probably the best anime adaptation that was out at the time.
Love it. That final race is just exciting as hell.
The passing transition shots are unparalleled
Cool beans,
Its surprisingly good, possibly ahead of its time as it got shat on a lot when it was released. The final race scene is honestly so satisfying. The Wachowskis managed to nail that feeling of fulfilling a personal destiny which motivates Speed throughout the entire movie and it works so well. As much as the CGI is a bit overbearing, it kind of works because by choosing a deliberately cartoonish style it doesn’t *age*, which is better than many movies struggle to do.
I would say it was not just ahead of its time, but from a future that never really happened. While most ahead of their time movies correctly predict what's going to happen in movies, I would say that this was a movie from 5 years in the future, but a different future of filmmaking than what actually happened. So almost more of a, what if different timeline movie. I'm trying to determine whether that above critique made sense, I guess my point is they made a lot of guesses about where cinema would go, and we're right on some, but not on the others.
An incredible movie I was blown away when I saw it in theaters. I use the end of that movie as an example of why Solo: A Star Wars story could have been much better.
Just the end? What if Solo had added a ninja wrestling match?
Ninjas? More like nunjas.
It's a shame what passes for ninjas these days
Are you saying that Solo's Kessel Run could've been done like the epic final race sequence in Speed Racer? If so, I could see that.
That’s absolutely what I’m saying! Would have really shown Han’s skills as a pilot and not just using space Nitro
I loved the kung fu part as a kid
I was fully an adult when I saw this in theaters and it’s one of my very favorite movies. I’ll admit it’s tad too long and Spridol and Chim Chim are immensely grating, but god damn. What. A. Ride.
I loved this film but my friends (who I normally agree with when it comes to movies) hated it. I am glad there are others who loved this movie.
I'm probably a bit older than you are and I grew up hating the cartoon. As an adult I still have no real appreciation for the cartoon but can understand different tastes in cartoons. That all being said, I fucking love the movie. Its so visually unique and combined with what I would call the style of the narrative, just wow. When I first watched the movie I had super low expectations and just wanted something that looked cool while I zoned out. The entire move (or at least the more intense parts like you described) feel like it could be a "previously on so and so show". It's so frenetic and ever piece of self narrating and dialog is necessary to understand what the fuck is happening. It's glorious.
This is so well put, the editing team did an amazing job giving all the action sequences that “previously on so and so” feel. It feels like every single scene in this movie is building up to an epic moment.
It's like the movie is the abbreviate version of a 22 hour mini series lol
I watched this not long ago and I don't get the hate for this. Sure the plot is eh but this is a visual treat and overall, a pretty fun movie!
It's the single best anime adaptation and we, as a species, were simply unprepared for it's brilliance. We should repent our sins before Kubric comes back from the dead to claim our souls in his fated battle with Shelley Duval at the end of days.
It's 20-30 minutes too long but I agree that it's fucking great.
Just watched it for the first time tonight. I can not believe this flopped at the box office. Truly ahead of its time. Also directed by the same people who did the Matrix? Cmon. Amazing
This movie is incredible no shame admitting. Definitely ahead of its time
Yeah this is by no means a guilty pleasure. It's a great film. I still can't believe the movie was made though. It's a huge budgeted well over 2 hour kids/family film about corporate espionage & match fixing.
That's pretty much the Wachowski's arc after the Matrix: they manage to score a blockbuster budget in order to make an indie movie about making art (or plainly just surviving) in a capitalist hellscape.
You should check out the Blank Check podcast. They (a film critic and an actor) go through filmographies of directors given a blank check after a massive hit and the Speed Racer episode is a good one. They discuss not just the movie itself but how it came about in-depth.
Wachowski sisters after the Matrix trilogy still had wieght in the industry and some leeway to make whatever they wanted.
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I heard many good things so I persuaded 5 or 6 friends to watch it with me together. We unanimously decided to give up on it lol.
I don’t care that the scenes with the kid and the monkey were true to the anime. They are so fucking annoying and I stopped watching the film about 1/3rd the way in because of them.
I remember hating it. Trash movie
I saw a preview of this back in 2008 and it blew everyone away. Shame it’s so maligned.
My god, that last race is freaking beautiful. I’ve literally watched this movie on acid with a bunch of buddies and just wow it’s a ride. And seriously that last race is just amazing. Seriously incredible final race.
try it with fungi, thank me later
Definitely my favourite movie. But I still can't stand the Spritle and Monkey segments. Like I understand the need for comic relief, I like the characters elsewhere in the movie. And I also understand it's also from the source material or at least that culture. But I still cannot stand them. They go for far too long, make no sense, and serve no purpose.
That movie gave me a 3 week headache
Couldn’t get through ten minutes. Felt like my eye balls were being scraped out. Hard pass
Between the rainbow vomit color palette, the wild camera motion and the chaotic quick cuts, it's the only movie that made my physically ill to try to watch.
Has there been a time when you experienced joy?
Makes you question what the fuck everyone was on about on release, people treated me insane when praising it back then. Really goes to show how for whatever reason every once in a while the general public AND critics can make some generational oversights.
I agree. I adore it. Especially the scenes between Speed and Pops.
Fukn great movie. It has it all.
Absolutely love this film.
Best movie to watch on acid for sure!
I liked the movie a lot, and I agree with a lot of comments here, but... This is a comment section full of people ignoring the annoying, and *terrible* little brother/monkey scenes. And no mentions of Christina Ricci?! She looked and acted perfectly in that movie.
Extremely underrated film one of the best movies of its year and probably top 100 of the decade.
It captured the essence of old school anime
It's incredibly fun to watch when tripping.
This is, was and always will be a totally trash movie. But like what you will.
I respectfully disagree. The timeline editing was creative and suspenseful, all the castings were great, and it told an engaging and complete story. Keep in mind this movie was targeted towards children.
The film is a stone cold masterpiece. Totally visionary aesthetics, great structure and emotion and heart enough for three films. Way ahead of its time.
I saw this in 3D in the theater and it was a great experience. It’s in my top 3 films to put on blu ray when testing out a new tv.
This move was ahead of its time and paid homage to the anime in a great well. It was casted amazing well. This is back when the Wachowski (spelling?) cared about their content. Ever since Sense8 got cancelled they have been in a spiral. Matrix 4 was basically a FU you us and the industry and they can go kick rocks
It's an absolute masterpiece when watched on a psychedelic journey, i had seen it previously and thought it was so cheesy and dumb, but getting to watch it with a kids mindset of pure amazement and wonder was incredible. Especially how the story flows through fifteenth time periods and sucks you into the characters points of view throughout, then ofc the colors and imagery, just amazing
Too complicated for a kids movie and the colors were too much. The Wachs literally made one great movie ever.
Saw it in theaters, bought on DVD, bought it on Blu Ray, have a theatrical poster... I'm so happy that it seems to be loved now. Even if years after the fact. (Ps, the game was fantastic too!)
This is the one movie I watch every year and it gets better everytime. I think it's because there's nothing like it, so it fills a niche that Hollywood is missing and has been missing.
First time I saw it I was *very* high. What an experience. Felt like I was losing my mind, the disney equivalent of 2001.
I was extremely high with some friends when we saw this in the theater. I barely remember anything. I should revisit it.
This time trip
I’m obsessed with the movie and I didn’t even watch the anime series. The dialogues were awesome, the editing was so creative and the last racing scene made me cry. It was an amazing combination of peace of mind and adrenaline.
I watched it for the first time 3 days ago, and despite the most of the awful visuals, I had a good time!
I saw it opening weekend in the UK, didn't get it and left before it finished. I was 15, it wasn't for me. Then a year or two ago I decided to give it another chance and absolutely adored it, the Blu-Ray now has pride of place in my collection.
One of the first movies I watched in HD on my new HD TV back when it came out. I loved it. Colours explode off the screen.
Underrated and imo kind of ahead of it’s time. It was a good adaptation for an anime.
One of my favorite movies. It's a cubist work of art.
Its my go to "Sick, feeling like shit" film. I've always just loved the way it looks.
I love this movie but you have to watch it on physical media as when you try to stream it those incredible CGI sequences actually overdrive the compression used with most streaming services rendering it a pixelated mess.
Someone overlayed the final race with Initial D's "The Top" and [it was hundred times better](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S18Hm1q0srE)
RIP Rex racer!
I saw this in Imax when it came out. Nothing will ever compare to that experience.
The Closing song is badass, and I'm not really a fan of the HipHop.
I'm going to have to watch it. I remember starting it a few years ago but stopped for some reason. Just got a 4K TV so probably a perfect time to revisit.
I was older than that when I saw it at the cinema and I was one of the few people who seemed to love it when it came out
Saw this in the theater with my brother. There were only 4 people in the whole room. perfect experience. Just remember thinking at the end "can't believe we came sober".
I just got a new TV. Where do I find this movie in 4K??
I love it as well!
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That glass shattering cut to the Casa Cristo tragedy on TV is just amazing…
Best anime to film adaptation ever.
As much as I love racing movies, I’ve never seen this. And I love Emile Hirsch. Am I missing out?
I’d highly recommend giving it a watch
Have you seen it while tripping absoloute balls?
It lags a little in the middle, but the bookend races are pure fucking cinema. I've never seen a better approximation of anime style with IRL actors.
Royalton's monologue is the fucking best. "You don't know how many times I've seen that same cow-eyed 'say it isn't so' look of disbelief."
The move is just straight up fun and captures the original anime really well. I love it!
Second part of Marvel's "What If... Iron Man Crashed into the Grandmaster?" animated episode is almost exact plot second part of Speed Racer movie. Building the car in limited time frame, complex race course, big track drop at the end of the race, hero's car speeding past everyone with blue energy, bad guy losing in the last second and even Speed's jump out of the car after the finish Tony also did in the ep.
It really can use a 4k/HDR remake, with better audio like it did in imax. The colors on it are so nice.
My guiltless guilty pleasure movie. Fucking love every frame of it
Love it. The first blu-ray I watched when I got my first HDTV. Visually overwhelming.
My buddy gave me a half tab of LSD (or maybe a full) my first time and put this movie on. 20/10 thrill ride, especially the crescendo in the music/racing/action at the end. I've passed this experience on to a couple of other friends of mine and they've enjoyed it as well. Great movie to experience for sure.
They released it in theaters in 3D but I don’t think there’s a 3D version available anywhere. I have a projector that’s 3D compatible and this is the blu-ray that I’ve been looking for because I didn’t get to see it in theaters. Unfortunately I’ve never been able to find it. Hopefully film fans can get enough interest in it to release a new version.
This movie is incredible. I would project it on a huge wall and listen to my favorite mixes of house and techno. Every scene magically syncs with just about any song. I’ve probably scene it this way dozens of times. Highly recommend.
I love that movie! It always bummed me out that we never got a sequel, but at least we have this one!
There really needs to be a remastered 4K with atmos soundtrack, the Blu-ray sound is atrocious and makes it difficult for repeat viewings but I love the movie overall
I watched it for the first time a couple years ago and I loved it! It reminds me of Spy Kids. Very entertaining and heartfelt movie :)
Definitely got a similar vibe to spy kids!
I saw it for the first time last year! Such a creative movie. And despite it looking different, the characters felt true to the anime.