Recently there has been discourse online about the way movies look nowadays. Maybe you haven’t noticed it, but the colors in movies seem to have become much more dark and muted than they used to be. Perhaps this is a stylistic choice or maybe an artifact of new technology in film making. Either way, if this is something that bothers you, I think I have just the movie for you. “Speed Racer,” which made its debut in 2008 to mixed critical reception, is based on a 1960s anime of the same name. The story follows the titular character Speed Racer, a race car prodigy who must use his talents and bond with his family to overcome the oppressive grip of capitalism over the racing industry.
Putting the plot aside for now, however, the first thing that a viewer will notice about the movie is its colors. This movie is dripping with color. Some scenes would not look out of place in a “LazyTown” episode. It may be a bit much for some viewers, but personally I find it endearing. This movie has a style and it is uncompromising when it comes to its visuals. These visuals are at their best when the characters are racing.
The movie is set in the future, allowing the cars and racers to defy modern understandings of physics. Cars move fast, do lots of unnecessary spinning and jumping, and always have a neon lit after image showing you just how fast they are going. Those who watch anime will be familiar with this style of visual overload. I truly believe “Speed Racer” is the closest we have gotten to a live action anime. More could be said about the visual style and use of seamless transitions throughout the movie, but you can’t really get a feel for it without watching it.
Visuals aren’t everything, however, and something must be said for the story and characters. “Speed Racer’s” Metacritic score sits at a 37 out of 100, with several critics citing the lackluster story and characters as their biggest gripe. I could not disagree more. The movie of course is based on an anime and includes children in its target audience. The characters aren’t going to be written like they’re in a Tarantino film. Despite this, I think they are great at what they do.
Most of the cast fits into familiar archetypes. A race car driver named Speed Racer, a detective named Inspector Detector, and a cheater named Snake Oiler are all major players in this film. This goofy, over the top characterisation is part of the charm. Each character plays their role perfectly and would probably feel out of place with the saturated visuals if they weren’t so ridiculous. The characters aren’t flat either, at least the important ones. Speed starts out naive to how capitalist forces control racing and must learn and overcome his cynicism once he finds out the truth. Speed’s father, Pops, must learn to love and accept Speed’s decision to fight the malevolent forces after he pushed away his first son, Rex, for his decision to do the same thing. One may argue that the villain, corrupt CEO Aronald Royalton, is a bit one note and predictable. I say that he accurately represents the mentality required to run a multinational corporation. His evil monologue is also beautifully done.
Some scenes go over the top with slapstick and the comic relief may get a little old, but over the top is the name of the movie. I find it refreshing sometimes to sit down and watch something truly ridiculous. There are times when whimsy is needed to brighten an otherwise bleak reality. I think “Speed Racer” does just that.
