First Speed Racer Review Hits! Edit: RT at 35% now!

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Wait, this is based on the racing dudes in the GEICO commercial, which is based on an old cartoon, which in turn was adapted from a Japanese cartoon?

*head explodes*
 
I think this the best a live-action adaptation of Speed Racer can be. I mean, the source material is about a boy named "Speed Racer" with his uber-powerful car Mach 5 (which can jump, glide, swim, and launch a homing robot bird), races around the world, often with his girlfriend, younger brother and his pet monkey.

It was like a live-action adaptation was DESTINED to be bad, but at least Wachowskis did it with style, and even leaves a good impression to some (including me).

I doubt we'll ever see a movie like this again, though.
 
Fucking loved every single frame of it - pure, unbridled joy. To use the old cliche, it really brings out the kid in you. That its bombing is a fucking shame. You've never seen a movie like this before, and aside from being a great family movie period, its worth seeing for the visuals alone (especially when digitally projected). And this is coming from a guy who doesnt like cartoons/anime, hated the Wachowskis last two films, and thought Speed Racer looked retarded initially.

Probably my favorite thing Ive seen in this young year thusfar. I havent had such a fun time at a movie in ages.
 
I happen to like bright colors and fun movies that don't take themselves too seriously, so I liked it a lot.
 
Wow, very enjoyable. Just go in expecting some over the top action scenes. But it doesnt take itself too seriously. The resolution for racer x was a bad way to handle the character, but the only general problem with the movie was the gratuitous swearing. Did we really need fat kid flipping the exec off? I was the only adult seeing the movie without tots in tow. The wachowskis may not like the distinction but speed racer is branded as a family film, and the "bet your ass" es and old black guy yelling "holy ****" (albeit bleeped) felt forced and out of place. Still a good movie with many touching moments that feel genuine. I really want to invest in blu ray now.
 
SHOTEH FOCK OP said:
I could have swore this thread had more posts.
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Oh this only had one page a minute ago. Weird. Carry on. :P

I would like to add that I saw it on Saturday, and enjoyed it a lot. The song that plays during the credits is just icing on the cake and now I want the soundtrack!
 
Ah, the database seems to be working now. Yeah, how is Iron Man getting so much love while this gets so much hate? Speed Racer is made of awesome. Ill definately pay to see this again in theatres.
 
Man I love how crazy this movie is, lolz. Where else would you get a scene with a boy and a monkey driving some sort of whacked out go-cart in some sort of Crayola world, set to the solo of Freebird? SR has gone a long ways to putting the W brothers back in my good books.
 
Solo said:
Fucking loved every single frame of it - pure, unbridled joy. To use the old cliche, it really brings out the kid in you. That its bombing is a fucking shame. You've never seen a movie like this before, and aside from being a great family movie period, its worth seeing for the visuals alone (especially when digitally projected). And this is coming from a guy who doesnt like cartoons/anime, hated the Wachowskis last two films, and thought Speed Racer looked retarded initially.

Probably my favorite thing Ive seen in this young year thusfar. I havent had such a fun time at a movie in ages.
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Completely agree with everything in this post. I went into the theatre just a few hours ago totally not expecting to like it much at all, and it blew me away. Now I wanna see it again with a packed house, but the (very sad) fact that it's bombing makes that seem unlikely :(
 
I'm glad to see some fellow GAF cinema junkies are digging this movie. I'm thinking about seeing it again this weekend since nothing is coming out this week (sorry Narnia).
 
I'm going to buy two copies on bluray and give one to a cynical Gaffer to convert them.

seems everyone has forgotten what 'fun' means.
 
This moving being described as an acid trip and the presence of Roger Allam sold me on going to see it, and now having done so, I wasn't disappointed on either count.

Oh, and...


RAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN!!!!!!!!! :D
 
Nah, the script just wasn't chronological. If you could keep up with the floating timeframe it was actually on the simplistic side.
 
Ford Prefect said:
Completely agree with everything in this post. I went into the theatre just a few hours ago totally not expecting to like it much at all, and it blew me away. Now I wanna see it again with a packed house, but the (very sad) fact that it's bombing makes that seem unlikely :(
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Yet another film we agree on! Rock on, brother!

I too plan to see this in theatres at least once more before it gets unceremoniously dumped when Narnia/Hulk hit. I think this might have been my first film Ive seen digitally projected, and boy was it ever impressive. Cant wait until digital projection is the standard in ever theatre for every movie.
 
Solo said:
Fucking loved every single frame of it - pure, unbridled joy. To use the old cliche, it really brings out the kid in you. That its bombing is a fucking shame. You've never seen a movie like this before, and aside from being a great family movie period, its worth seeing for the visuals alone (especially when digitally projected). And this is coming from a guy who doesnt like cartoons/anime, hated the Wachowskis last two films, and thought Speed Racer looked retarded initially.

Probably my favorite thing Ive seen in this young year thusfar. I havent had such a fun time at a movie in ages.
Click to expand...

Damn. We usually agree on almost every movie, but I just can't get myself to step inside a theater and watch this. It looks so boring to me, I don't know why. I'm really feeling nothing about it. Maybe it's because I've never been attracted to a single Wachowski film in my life. I liked the second Matrix movie better than the first one (although I've seen it only once, and seen the first one at least 3 times), and I know I'm in the minority for this, but since Revolutions, I never wanted to watch any of it again.

And then there was V for Vendetta, which was pretty bland compared to the novel (I know they didn't direct it, but still, they were behind the project).

I don't know a single thing about Speed Racer, never watched a single episode, and the colors of the trailer are REALLY putting me off.
 
I saw it. Amazing movie. Sure, not an intelligent movie, didn't try to be, but a FUN movie.

All the reviewers who panned it are just cranky older people who grew up in the age before video games, and got scared and confused.
 
I got Micheal Giacchino's OST for the movie, and man it is just awesome, really fantastic. Just listening to the Score puts a smile on my face and makes me want to rewatch the movie a 2nd time.
 
Foreign Jackass said:
Damn. We usually agree on almost every movie, but I just can't get myself to step inside a theater and watch this. It looks so boring to me, I don't know why. I'm really feeling nothing about it. Maybe it's because I've never been attracted to a single Wachowski film in my life. I liked the second Matrix movie better than the first one (although I've seen it only once, and seen the first one at least 3 times), and I know I'm in the minority for this, but since Revolutions, I never wanted to watch any of it again.

And then there was V for Vendetta, which was pretty bland compared to the novel (I know they didn't direct it, but still, they were behind the project).

I don't know a single thing about Speed Racer, never watched a single episode, and the colors of the trailer are REALLY putting me off.
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Its definately a love/hate affair. We often agree, but I could see you just as easily despising SR as loving it.

Its also much more alive and soulful than V even remotely came close to being. Thats why it works for me - despite the obvious camp and cheesiness of it all, it really fels genuine, has heart and feels surprisingly emotional at times.
 
Dead said:
I got Micheal Giacchino's OST for the movie, and man it is just awesome, really fantastic. Just listening to the Score puts a smile on my face and makes me want to rewatch the movie a 2nd time.
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Casa Cristo, Maltese Ice Cave, Grand ol' Prix, and Reboot are my favorites. It's fucking amazing.
 
Giacchino needs at least an Oscar nomination for the score in this film.

However, I also thought the score for Brick should have won the Oscar in '05 when it didn't even get nominated.
 
I like the soundtrack too much. I put it on my iPod as quickly as humanly possible, when I go jogging it's pretty much the only thing I listen to.
 
polyh3dron said:
Giacchino needs at least an Oscar nomination for the score in this film.
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The Academy was too retarded to even given him a nod for The Incredibles, so there isn't a chance in hell he gets one for this.
 
Yeah, between The Incredibles, certain compositions from Lost, and this, MG is quickly moving up the ranks of my favorite composers.
 
Solo said:
Yeah, between The Incredibles, certain compositions from Lost, and this, MG is quickly moving up the ranks of my favorite composers.
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Do not forget Ratatouille's beautiful score, people! DO NOT FORGET!
 
Wow, this movie was actually pretty darn good!

Okay, I will admit I am a pretty big fan of the original TV series. I watched it as a young'un, and I still dig it as an adult. Got the whole DVD collection and everything.

I was pretty put-off when I first heard that they were making a live-action movie. I mean, come on - Hollywood doesn't exactly have a stellar track record when it comes to adapting classic (non-super hero) cartoons for the big screen. The Flintstones, Rocky & Bullwinkle, Dudley Do-Right, Transformers, Inspector Gadget, Underdog, Garfield...every single one of them was a wreaking pile of feces.

But I can safely say that this is the first that gets it right. It felt just like the cartoon to me. They got the characterizations dead-on. And the action scenes were ridiculously stylized and amazing.

I guess that's the determining factor as to whether or not you'll enjoy this film. If you're over the age of 12 and can tolerate that kind of camp, then you'll enjoy it. If not - then stay clear.

I can't say I enjoyed it more than Iron Man...but it's right up there. SR's climax was definitely better, though.
 
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