This isn’t about different generations, this is about the look and execution therein of this movie. The Matrix had no awaiting fan base before it was released…and wasn’t an adaption of a pre-existing commercially known property, at least one that Joel Silver and the Wachowski Siblings will admit to.

No…Speed Racer as adapted by the Wachowskis was designed to appeal to little boys under the age of 12 years old…and they, Warner, pulled in that very narrow audience, but just that audience. Teenage boys, girls…Twenty Somethings and older audiences were not interested…as you don’t take your date to see such a immature adaption of said material.

However, unlike the movie, the original Speed Racer, an anime (Japanese cartoon), was violent, people got killed, and there was a James Bond esthetic of international intrigue…where Speed used a machine gun to kill advisaries in one of the episodes. This was a world populated with assassins, sociopaths, and for the first time in animation television, it had a story arc–one that featured a long lost brother who left home because of conflicts with his overbearing father…and a physical confrontation. Faking his own death after a car crash, Rex Racer disappeared, years later re-emerging as Racer X. Now an international agent and assassin, he uses his considerable racing skills to enter car races that have been infultrated by conspirators who threaten the security of the entire free world.

With his brother Speed, often, and accidentally, in the way of the crossfire…and sometimes the focus of it, Racer X acts as Speed’s avenging guardian angel…one whom his younger brother, unaware of their relation, views as a villain and anything but a friend…much to the intentional efforts of Racer X.

The story arc ends with a scene guaranteed to make anyone cry. Reminding one of the Darth Vader/Luke I am your Father scene, 13 years before it occured. The scene unfolds as Speed is hit with the revelation that Racer X is his brother. Unsure he asks/demands the truth…this after a mission where he and his benefactor bring down a conspiracy together. His opinion now changed, he suddenly views Racer X as a maven. Approaching him, Speed, expecting to be embraced, is instead sucker punched by the mysterious Racer X, who never bothers to answer his question.

Later, found by his loved ones, abandoned on the side of a mountainous road, Speed awakens in tears crying out–sobbing, for his brother Rex. The End!!!

That was a movie worth making, but the Wachowskis and Joel Silver dumbed it down for toy sales, and altered the story and some of the characters, Sparkie who was 16 is now a 45 year old Aussie??? Hit with these questionable changes, the movie’s direction greatly limited its audience appeal. A film that should have been more adult…with flatter more real world colors, was turned into a Jason Pollack painting as cyphered through a Skittles commercial and the meaningless Spy Kids films. That was enough to turn-off audiences world wide!!!

No…Speed Racer as adapted by the Wachowskis was designed to appeal to little boys under the agae of 12 years old…and they, Warner, pulled in that very narrow audience. However, the original Speed Racer, at anime (Japanese cartoon) was violence, people got killed, and there was a James Bond esthetic of international intrigue…where Speed used a machine gun to kill advisaries in one of the episodes. This was a world populated with assassins, sociopaths, and for the first time in animation television, it had a story arc–one that featured a long lost brother who left home because of conflicts with his overbearing father. Faking his death after a car crash, Rex Racer disappeared, years later re-emerging as Racer X, now an international agent and assassin who must use his racing skills to enter car races that have been infultrated by conspirators who threaten the security of the entire free world.

With his brother Speed, often, and accidentally, in the way of the crossfire…and sometimes the focus of it, Racer X acts as Speed’s avenging guardian angel…one who his brother, unaware of their relation, views as a villain and anything but a friend. The story arc ends with a scene guaranteed to make anyone cry as Speed is hit with the revelation that Racer X is his brother. Unsure he asks/demands the truth…this after a mission were he and his benefactor bring down a conspiracy together. His opinion now changed, he suddenly views Racer X as a maven. As he approaches him expecting to be embraced, the mysterious Racer X sucker punches him, never answering his question.

Later, found by his loved ones abandoned on the side of a mountainous road, Speed awakens in tears crying out, sobbing, for his brother Rex. The End

That was a movie worth making, but the wachowskis and Joel Silver dumbed it down for toy sales…and thus limited its audience. A film that should have been more adult…with flatter more real world colors, was turned into a Jason Pollack painting as cyphered through a Skittles commercial and the meaningless Spy Kids. That was enough to turn off audiences world wide!!!

Um, Speed Racer is from the late 60’s NOT the 80’s, BIG difference in generations.

ASS.

I feel bad for him but you know the saying, ‘You are as good as your last film’.

The racing scenes — especially the extended one — are simply breathtaking. A wild wild bizarre mind-boggling and very fun trip. College kids experimenting with ’shrooms are gonna make this one a classic on DVD.

If you have kids or young siblings, take ‘em. And if you like to see some nutty but completely original filmmaking go see it for yourself.

Yikes. I’d rather trust the critics.