Speed Racer [Blu-ray] | ![Speed Racer [Blu-ray]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/511m499HvoL._SL500_.jpg)
| Directors: Andy Wachowski, Larry Wachowski
Actors: Emile Hirsch, Christina Ricci, John Goodman, Susan Sarandon, Matthew Fox
Studio: Warner Home Video
Category: DVD
List Price: $19.98
Buy Used: $6.85
as of 3/22/2010 02:53 EDT details
You Save: $13.13 (66%)
New (33) Used (26) from $6.85
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Rating:  240 reviews
Sales Rank: 8125
Format: Anamorphic, Color, Dolby, Subtitled, Widescreen
Languages: English (Original Language), French (Original Language), Spanish (Original Language), Portuguese (Original Language)
Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Media: Blu-ray
Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
Number Of Discs: 2
Running Time: 135 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.6
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: 085391176459
UPC: 085391176459
EAN: 0085391176459
ASIN: B001CD6FKS
Theatrical Release Date: 2008
Release Date: September 16, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Features:
| • | Start your engines and fasten your seatbelts for the high-octane adventure Speed Racer, combining heartfelt family humor and groundbreaking visual effects. Speed Racer (Emile Hirsch) is a natural behind the wheel of his thunderous Mach 5. With support from Pops and Mom Racer (John Goodman and Susan Sarandon), girlfriend Trixie (Christina Ricci), younger brother Spritle (Paulie Litt) and the myster |
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Product Description
SPEED RACER (BR-DVD/DC/GAME/2 DISC/SPECIAL FEATURE
Amazon.com
An over-the-top, sensory overload experience determined to replicate its frantic, television-anime origins, Speed Racer is wild enough to induce a headache or wow a viewer with one dazzling effect after another. Adapted for the big screen as a live-action feature, Speed Racer is written and directed by Larry and Andy Wachowski, the sibling team behind the intensely satisfying The Matrix and its busier, less interesting sequels. Where the rich mythmaking of The Matrix was entirely accessible, however, Speed Racer's overwhelming and gratuitously complicated story exposition is an enormous challenge to follow, let alone embrace. After a while, one simply surrenders to the unbroken din of dialogue concerning corporate chicanery, corruption in the sport of racing, and a value conflict between racing as a family business versus multinational cash cow. At the same time, the film's hyper-real equivalent of the old Speed Racer cartoon's great whoosh of color, motion, and edgy production design--such as inventive uses of scene-changing wipes, bold framing, shifting perspectives--are more overbearing than fun. Emile Hirsch plays Speed Racer, younger brother of a deceased racing legend, Rex, and son of car designer Pops (John Goodman). The latter invented Speed's Mach 5, and is singularly unimpressed by an offer from a giant conglomerate that would lock Speed into exclusive racing services. Speed opts instead for family loyalty, incurring the wrath of the conglomerate's unctuous head (Roger Allam). With family honor on the line and the affections of girlfriend Trixie (Christina Ricci) behind him, Speed hits the track in hopes of fulfilling his destiny as a master racer. The cast is largely enjoyable, including Susan Sarandon as Speed's mom, Matthew Fox as mysterious Racer X, and a pair of chimps as the irrepressible Chim-Chim. All well and good, but in a movie that lives or dies by the excitement level of races that look like computer-animated Hot Wheels action, Speed Racer is a dreary adventure. --Tom Keogh
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 240
 Solid March 13, 2010
Jared Turner (Indiana)
Nothing to say but this is a solid movie, visually as well as the story line. Characters are well developed. I personally love the way this film was shot. Another homerun by the Wachowski Brothers!
 Almost a Great Movie, But Disappointing February 27, 2010
A.Trendl HungarianBookstore.com (Glen Ellyn, IL USA)
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
I wanted to like Speed Racer a lot. I grew up with it. The cartoon is the first thing I remember watching on our new color TV. The movie was cast perfectly, with everyone's looks and mannerisms similar to what I recall. The plot was a more sophisticated version of the cartoons, complex enough to survive 90 minutes.
Where did the movie go astray? It tried too hard to be modern. Rather than create a new product based on the old, like the Spiderman and Superman franchises, it tried to blow us away with a sense of what Speed Racer could be.
I was going along happily until Spritle flipped off the bad guys in an elevator. While the movie was hardly profanity-laden, it had Speed, Racer X and several other protagonists using course language. This was unnecessary to plot and character development and showed weak screen writing.
Racing scenes mimicked some of the old hyperbolism of the 1960s version, but took it too far. The CGI and other animation were colorful and amazing artistically, but left all sense of drama behind. I couldn't follow which car was which in the blur of jumps and loops. It was like my old Hot Wheels set on LSD.
Christina Ricci looked like Trixie. With her, the personality update was OK in that she was less of an airhead Betty Boop and more of a genuine, confident woman. Speed Racer's relationship with her pushed what I would be comfortable letting a young child see. While nothing happens, a scene at Inspiration Point is led along until Spritle and Chim-Chim are found in the car.
Many aspects of Speed's personality are rich and right on the money. His disdain for school as a child and the implication Trixie cheated to help him graduate was a poor choice.
John Goodman cast as Pops Racer was brilliant. He had the look and feel of what I would expect of a guy running a racing company.
Paulie Litt is terrific as Spritle. An actor to watch. In a DVD extra, he takes viewers around a tour of the studio during which production people explain their role in developing the film. He's playful and smart, and I expect we will see more from him.
The plot is solid. When billionaire E.P. Arnold Royalton wants Speed to race for him, Speed is intrigued. For good reason too. Royalton offers incredible training, resources and glamor, as well as the promise that his family will be free from financial worry. The trouble is races are fixed. Speed's integrity is challenged. He fights back against corruption by rejecting the impressive offer, but Royalton pushes right back with a bounty on Speed in the next race. Racer X gets involved, as does another racer looking to escape from Royalton's clutches.
Overall, my expectations were higher. While marketed to young viewers, the race scenes, profanity and romantic themes might be too much. For me, not so young, this was the case. I was confused at times, and disheartened. I am glad I didn't see this in the theater.
Anthony Trendl
http://AnthonyTrendl.com
Awesome movie, BEWARE THE BROKEN CASE February 25, 2010
Christopher R. Maynard (Cleveland, OH)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Keep in mind this is a 3 disk set and not a 2 disk set. The 3rd disk in this set is an expired digital copy. Also keep in mind that these blu-ray cases with the central hinge have a tendency to break. The first copy of this blu-ray I got from Amazon was broken. I returned it and got my money back, and then got it from Costco. That too was broken, so I took it back. There was one more blu-ray at the store, which I shook to see if it was broken. It was (the current score is 3) so I decided not to get it. I finally decided to risk getting it from Amazon again, and fortunately that one was not broken. If you can get this (or any movie) at a store, I would recommend doing it so that it is easier to return it when it is broken. You can buy blu-ray cases online, which I may have to do some day if this keeps up.
some action too fast to follow in the races January 24, 2010
R. Bagula (Lakeside, Ca United States)
This movies crosses live action with animation
and not always very successfully.
I liked the original animated series.
I thought the acting was pretty good
in the futuristic racing (at 700 Km/hour or 440 miles/ hour said by one of the actors).
At that speed the action needs to be slowed down
for you to see it.
I enjoyed the film, I just thought it could have been done better
in the animation blends.
a classic before its time/ saw this at the theater January 24, 2010
Deirdre Simmons (CA)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
As a kid, I liked watching the old show & knew it was corny, so I expected the same thing. But I was really blown away at how good this movie was. The plot was excellent; I loved the "father/ son" & "Greed" issues that occur in the film but what really pulled all of that together was the cast. The cast had great chemistry and it was a lot of fun seeing them work off of each other. I also like how they played around with the timeline of the film, I have never seen that before and you definitely have to see it to understand what I mean. (Check out the opening scene) And finally, the CGI was extremely well done; I liked how this film used it to create a completely fictional world for the characters to live in; allowing the film more freedom to do things that wouldn't be believable in a more realistic setting. This is a great movie and sadly a film before its time, i loved it from when i saw it in the theater but surprisingly all of my co-workers who said they hated it had not seen the movie yet, except for one person. My advice is, watch it for yourself.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 240
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