SPEED RACER

Sat, May 10 02:45 AM

Cast: Emile Hirsch, Christina Ricci, Susan Sarandon, John Goodman, Matthew Fox

Director:: Andy and Larry Wachowski

The Wachowski brothers are huge fans of Japanese animation, so it's but natural that the masters of The Matrix bring Speed Racer to the big screen. Inspired from the Japanese anime Mach GoGoGo, the film is a $100-million, video-game imagination of the future of car racing, awash in phosphorescent colours.

For more than two hours, drivers of varying physiognomies vroom past on cars on varying physics across psychedelic tracks and imaginative landscapes which threaten to leave anyone but the hardest of anime fans deaf and blind.

In some ways that's a mercy, for then you can completely give up trying to follow "the action", and digesting lines like "It's not about whether you can change racing, but whether you let racing change you". However, just when Speed Racer looks like it is careening out of control, thoughtfully chosen actors - as much as actors can do in a film where everything else has been manufactured on a computer - keep it on the road. So yes, the cars are impressive, but more is the family that is at the centre of this story: Pops Racer (Goodman), Mom (Sarandon), their son Speed (Hirsch), his girlfriend Trixie (Ricci) and an elder brother who died a tragic death. That's not counting the youngest Racer, Spritle, among the worst brats to come out of Hollywood, with a chimpanzee that apes him to boot.

The story itself is a proven winner: of an underdog vanquishing the big bosses of sports, with a lot of money, matchfixing and some awfully dirty tricks thrown in.

All in all, Speed Racer isn't for the delicate minded. But if you are belted up and are one of those who agree that what's a game without someone landing a blow (or slap, for that matter), hop in and enjoy the ride. Or two. Going by the bend of Racer X's head just as he says goodbye - you know that bend, coupled with that half-mysterious smile - a sequel is very much around the corner.

shalini.langer@expressindia.com

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