Director: The Wachowski Brothers. Screenplay: The Wachowski Brothers, based on the Animated series 'Speed Racer' by Tatsuo Yoshida. Stars: Emile Hirsch, Christina Ricci, John Goodman, Susan Sarandon, Matthew Fox. Released: May 9, 2008.
Summary
The Wachowski brothers, who created the Matrix films, have turned to adapting the 1960s Japanese anime series Speed Racer into a live-action, family-friendly feature film.
Comments
The Wachowskis and their partners, including demolitions expert Joel Silver, seem to have been aiming to capture and exaggerate the cartoon's frenetic visual style, enough to make Charlie's Angels look like Driving Miss Daisy. During the futuristic auto racing scenes the star, Emile Hirsch (Into the Wild) is submerged in CGI; Christina Ricci, as love interest Trixie, seems to be rooting him on from a different movie. John Goodman and Susan Sarandon play the parents; Matthew Fox is Speed's rival, Racer X. Fans of Korean pop (and Steve Colbert) take note: Rain has a cameo role.
