Something That Surprised Me About Speed Racer

There was profanity in it. I did not expect that. And the kid flipped somebody off. Also did not expect that.

Yeah, I bought Speed Racer last weekend, watched it last night, am watching it again right now. I'd never be described as a Speed Racer fan, but I read plenty of positive reviews from my fellow bloggers, and Ken (the biggest Speed Racer fan I know) at the comic store freaking loved it, so what the hey, right?

OK, the movie is a bit long. They probably could have cut a few of the flashbacks, or some of Royalton's evil monologuing. Really, just shorten his speeches to "I am an evil businessman! You understand nothing of the world! Your racing power is no match for the power of my stock portfolio! Mwa-ha-ha! *cue dark clouds, thunder, lightning in the background*" I'm not sure what to make of the movie's serious anti-corporate message, considering the movie probably had a lot of merchandising, Happy Meal toys, stuff like that. So it's like Total Recall*, maybe.

I have to give the Wachowskis credit. They went and created this whole world, and they stuck to it. Everything is bright, shiny, flashy, impressive, not really practical or feasible, but so what? I think what makes it work for me is that everything in the world of Speed Racer is accepted as normal by its inhabitants. When Speed is attacked by Racecar Vikings with beehive catapults, and I'm laughing at the sheer absurdity of it, Speed isn't laughing or looking at us and acknowledging it seems ridiculous. It's not absurd, or even really unusual to him; it's just another day at the race track. When Pops receives a "ticking" package in a flashback, nobody, even little Speed, acts surprised. That's how the world works, for better or worse. I think that helps lend the setting some solidity to me, somehow**, so even when I'm laughing at the absurdity of something, the fact the characters treat it as normal helps me accept it.

I love that the "fixers" look like rejects from the Dick Tracy movie, and that they cruise around in a giant rig with a missile launcher in the front, and an office in the back, painted bright lime green. It's horrifically gaudy, but why would criminals have any taste, right? I love all the different announcers, screaming in their different languages***. I don't know what any of them were saying, but it helps sell this being the biggest sport in the world. I like that Speed has moments where he loses hope, or sight of why he's doing what he's doing, but he doesn't stay dark and cynical. Something helps him regain his hope, which is proper for this movie. Speed swearing Dark Vengeance against Royalton wouldn't really work, you know?

The camera editing wasn't as helpful as I'd like. Maybe it's watching it on a 20-inch TV, instead of a big movie screen, but there were times where everything was so shiny I couldn't tell what the hell was going on. The camera was too close, or not holding on a shot long enough (the second viewing helped with that some). it was not however, worse than the camera editing in the Bourne movies, as I saw one person write. I base this on the fact that Speed Racer didn't make me nauseous to the point I was forced to look away from the screen like when I saw the 2nd Bourne movie****. Maybe that was the point, quick, punchy shots, lots of visual stimulation, but not really asking you to pause and reflect on a shot, because that would take time away from the racing.

I like the interaction amongst the family. I like that Pops can have that friendly, "kindly big guy" tone one moment, and that hard edged "You freaking mobsters pull guns on my kids?!" voice the next. he's like a bear in the zoo. Cute and cuddly as long you play nice, but he'll rip your head off if you mess with his family. I like Christina Ricci as Trixie, and yes, part of it is because I find her attractive. That eyebrow-raising thing really works for me, perhaps because I too like to raise my eyebrows at things*****. Plus, she's sweet or sassy as the situation requires, the bickering with Speed during the race being particularly amusing (Racer X's 'Children, focus' line helps too).

I did let out an audible groan the first time I saw that, yes, they have a chimpanzee. It's not that I thought they wouldn't have Chim-Chim (I feel slightly ill typing that), I was just not eager to see him. I don't find chimps, or monkeys, or any of those other primates funny or cute or whatever. I got over it though, at least to where there was no more groaning. I think the characters (even people who were part of the Racer family) being so calm about a chimp cosntantly being around helped, because it didn't draw attention to him. If everyone had been reacting to the fact a chimpanzee was driving a car through a factory while the kid next to him has a sugar overload, it probably would have irritated me more. Anyway, the chimp and the irritating child (Spritle? Really? They went from Rex, to Speed, to Spritle? If I'm that kid, I'm changing that name quick as I can when I grow up. Hercules Q. Rockefeller is still available, right?) did not derail my enjoyment of the movie, and yes, I did enjoy the movie quite a bit.

* Have we ever come to a conclusion whether all the product placement in Total Recall, which was pretty seriously anti-corporation, was a joke, saying "see, even in a movie about how corporations are bad, they peddle their wares", or just the movie makers talking out of both sides of their mouth?

** When I mentioned the structures in the film aren't practical, it reminded me of Batman & Robin, with all those ludicrous statues holding up freeways, but there I think the characters (or at least the director) were winking at us, like they were in on the joke, which made it harder for me to get into it. Plus, I don't like bright, flashy, and kind of silly in my Batman movie.

*** Except for the skinny one in the Howard Cosell jacket from the start of the movie. For someone with so few lines, he completely rubbed me the wrong way with all his sanctimony. It was like Mike Lupica had somehow taken over the guy's mind.

**** Ultimatum? Or was it Supremacy? Don't bother answering, I don't really care, and there's always IMDB if I suddenly do care. And now that I realzied I care, at least enough to make sure you, my audience don't feel the need to tell me, I checked and it was Supremacy. So that settles that.

***** In fact, I'm raising my right eyebrow even as I type this. I can't decide whether it makes me look mildly inqusitive, or imperious. Probably inquisitive. I'm not really intimidating enough to pull of imperious.