This movie has it's flaws. I loved Speed Racer when I was little and our entire family saw it in theaters. I was still a kid and I loved it. It still does hold up well even though it has hiccups. Some of the editing and acting is flat, the backgrounds get uncomfortably bright, and the transitions are awkward. But, I have not seen any movie like it. I enjoy the racing scenes, and the action is pretty nice. Spritle and Chim-Chim are entertaining comic reliefs. The movie is light hearten. But, the camera work is not the best. The effects are hit and miss. It is going for it's own style, and it does work most of the time. One thing is for sure, this is my favorite trip movie.

First things first . . . I began watching Speed Racer when I was 8, and for a kid from a family of amateur races, it was a religion for me. This film had to overcome the memories of my childhood and, to my surprise, it did.The filmmakers took every cheesy bit from the series and recreated it in the film. They created a story that would have fit right into the series. They stocked it with cartoon-like villains which were EXACTLY what the film needed. And, most importantly, the cast of the film was almost flawless.Not a huge fan of John Goodman, but he was the absolute embodiment of Pops. Susan Sarandon, Paulie Litt and Kick Gurry were perfect, and Matthew Fox was a surprise as Racer X. Christina Ricci (with the support of a wonderful Ariel Winter) . . . was . . . Trixie! Trixie was my first crush as a kid, and I was in love all over again.Sadly, the only minor flaw was Hirsch as Speed. He was good, I'd almost say very good . . . but . . . he was missing something that the other cast members provided. He somehow failed to display the emotion of the original character. Sigh.This film was made for the fans of the series. Outstanding!

I understand the desire to bring something to the screen for family enjoyment, but the Wachowski's missed the mark with this confusing, cringe worthy light show. If viewed with your family, I could see how some entertainment could be had, but this film is in no way worth repeating. Apart from the non stop migraine inducing effects, a plot is bordering on non existent, paired with one of the most uncreative ending twists I've seen in a film in a long time. Mindless fun is clearly what they were going for, but the confusion outlasts the aggravating imagery by a long shot. While The Matrix was innovative in the effects department, Speed Racer is overly bright and flashy. In conclusion, this once dynamic set of siblings should make their thought process a part in the making of their next film.

It may have died a commercial death, but "Speed Racer" is a thoroughly entertaining movie, and it was a highlight in a very rocky Summer movie season. This movie does a bang-up job with the racing scenes, which are invigorating, but it also keeps things moving during the quieter scenes (thanks mostly to its inventive visual style and family-centric story). I don't normally get into the rapid-fire insert shots of clutch-and-shift (I'm looking at you Fast and Furious movies), but it fits in with the rhythm of the scenes. Or it may be because this is a live-action cartoon. But either way, the action in this movie works.This is a great family movie with a winning cast (damn can Christina Ricci pull off that anime wig), candy-colored palette and supercharged driving. The races are nail-biting and have you cheering in all the right places. The good guys win, the bad guys get theirs and it's a lot of fun.8/10