<img title="Image: http://www.myvivvo.com/thumbnail.php?file=speed_racer_poster24_495259532.jpg&amp;size=article_medium" src="http://www.myvivvo.com/thumbnail.php?file=speed_racer_poster24_495259532.jpg&amp;size=article_medium" alt="Speed Racer">
										
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								<span>Speed Racer looks really good. I'll give them that. The story
 wasn't really for me but there was nothing particularly wrong with it 
either.<br><br>It's just a straightforward kid's movie with the best darned effects this side of Space Mountain.<br><br>Now
 for the caveats portion of our review. I've seen a few episodes of 
Speed Racer on Cartoon Network, but I remember about 45 seconds total of
 the show. The monkey stands out. So this puppy might have been laced 
with in-jokes and homages all over the place that the "true" fans will 
love in a big way. If so, I'm happy for them; but that was not my 
experience. The other caveat is that, by and large, PG films are not for
 me. Just the way I'm wired, I suppose.<br><br>The Speed Racer is played
 capably by Emile Hirsch. The film starts with him as a wee lad hanging 
out with his big brother Rex Racer, a professional racer on the WRL 
circuit. The film flashes forward and then back again quite a bit during
 the initial stages (the film is over two hours, by the way). 
Essentially, Speed Racer, along with Pops (John Goodman), Trixie 
(Christina Ricci), Mom (Susan Sarandon), the kid brother, and monkey, 
gets embroiled in a face-off against the corporate powers that be. Three
 major races break up the movie and provide a bit of adult relief from 
the threadbare plot.<br><br>Logically, everything makes sense here. The 
villains are clear and their motivations apparent -- the family and 
Speed are gallant and determined in their efforts to make theirs the 
best racing team on the circuit. Matthew Fox takes a spin as Racer X, 
the man with shadowy intentions and phenomenal driving moves. The whole 
film feels a bit noir in terms of tone, but the blaring effects don't 
allow for much introspection overall. This would be a difficult film to 
hate but not a difficult film to be a bit bored by. Again, and it bears 
repeating as this one carries the Wachowski brothers' (The Matrix, V for
 Vendetta) signature; this is a film for those not looking for anything 
too intellectually challenging.<br><br>I would highly recommend Speed 
Racer for families seeking a visual treat. I'm less than optimistic that
 this will appeal to adults who weren't big fans of the original. It 
doesn't strike me as a date movie either: though Ricci and Hirsch have 
nice chemistry, the PG factor dulls it down a bit. However, I will say 
if your choices are between this and What Happens in Vegas... you 
shouldn't think twice because that film is putrid by comparison. Aw, who
 am I kidding? You should just see Iron Man again. That one has good 
effects and a few laughs.</span>
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