SPEED RACER

SPEED RACER: Boasting a color scheme full of illegal reds, blue and purples, I’m not sure if Speed Racer should be viewed by anyone under 21. It’s certainly the closest I’ve come to a psychedelic experience since licking that sticker someone passed around at the Floyd concert. But I’m not sure the Wachowski Brothers know who they made the film for either. Like George Lucas’ misguided Star Wars prequels, Speed Racer extends its running time with pointless corporate politics that have no place in a kids’ film. Meanwhile, professional brooder Emile Hirsh is woefully miscast as Speed; he’s like the downer who spoils everyone good trip, man. But for every dramatic beat the Brothers get wrong (and critics were quick to point out a lot of them), there are quite a few they knock out of the park. Visually it’s like driving through Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory at 100mph; all blurred colors and flashing lights sure to cause seizures in the faint of heart. The racing sequences won’t win any points for realism, but once the ground rules have been established (or lack thereof) the “Car-Fu” action becomes an adrenalized grab-bag of Newton’s law-breaking tricks. The Wachowskis retain just enough of the original cartoon’s nostalgic appeal to appease whatever fans are still out there, while making sure today’s generation of energy-drinking toddlers are still entertained. Warner’s Blu-ray presentation is a perfect copy of the theatrical experience...which is to say, it’s quite a rush! The 3-disc set includes several kid-friendly featurettes, a bonus digital copy of the film and a playable DVD game called the Speed Racer Crucible Challenge.