Revisiting SPEED RACER in 4K

SPEED RACER (4K UHD)

2008 / 135 min

Warner Bros  

#InPartnershipwithWB 

Review by Stinky the Destroyer😼

I hate Speed Racer. Always have.

I’ve hated it since I was a kid, when the original Japanese series used to air on weekday afternoons. I’d occasionally rage-watch the thing, incredulous over its jaw-dropping stupidity and animation that made Scooby-Doo look like the work of Walt Disney (and I hated Scooby-Doo, too. What the hell's wrong with me?).

I also hated the 2008 movie adaptation, equally incredulous that such gifted filmmakers as the Wachowskis (Bound, The Matrix) would resort to pumping out a slab of bloated, soulless eye candy. I gave the movie a shot anyway (on DVD), but made it about halfway through before I couldn’t take anymore. Bereft of interesting characters or an engaging story, this was a movie that solely existed for the hyperanimated, seizure-inducing action scenes. My main takeaway was that if I had subjected myself to Speed Racer in a theater, I'd need to season my popcorn with crushed Dramamine.

But a few years ago, I participated in a podcast with a couple of guys who championed the film, making enough valid arguments in favor of a personal reassessment. Then again, these were the same two guys who also openly praised Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band without a whiff of irony. However, when my daughter and her boyfriend recently caught it at a packed revival screening, they also really enjoyed it. That, and the fact the movie was even deemed worthy of a theatrical re-release, suggested there’s a cult appeal to Speed Racer that has, so far, eluded me. 

Speed dances like everyone's watching.

Perhaps it was time to give Speed Racer another chance, which presented itself with this 4K release. First off, I gotta say that the video transfer is absolutely stunning. The admittedly wonderful production design and disorienting racing sequences really pop on 4K. This is one of those movies where every color under the sun is thrown on-screen, all of which are vividly rendered. There are two audio options, Dolby Atmos-TrueHD 7.1 and DTS-HD MA 5.1, and both are excellent…a striking balance of sound effects, dialogue and music. This means, of course, that the show’s earworm of a theme song (resurrected for the movie) has been stuck in my head ever since. If my Speed Racer-loving podcaster friends are reading this…drop what you’re doing and grab this disc right now. 

For fans, the technical upgrades alone are probably worth replacing their old Blu-ray or DVD copies. But sweetening the deal are the bonus features, including an entertaining new interview with the Wachowskis, as well as some other featurettes that aren’t quite new, but haven’t been included on previous Blu-ray releases. All told, this is a must own for those who love the film.

As for this writer…my opinion of the film hasn’t changed (though I did manage to stick with it to the end this time). Speed Racer remains aesthetically interesting for a while, but once the novelty wears off, it’s like watching my daughter play Mario Kart on the Rainbow Road track for two hours. 

EXTRA KIBBLES

FAST/FUTURE/FAMILY: SPEED RACER REVISITED - This is a new interview with co-directors the Wachowskis, both of whom have fond memories of making the film. Also includes some behind-the-scenes footage.

FEATURETTES - Speed Racer: Ramping Up is a behind-the-scenes featurette; Speed Racer: Supercharged focuses on the various vehicles; Speed Racer: Car-Fu Cinema showcases the action sequences; Spritle in the Big Leagues goes on-set with the actor who plays the film’s most obnoxious character.

SPEED RACER: WONDERFUL WORLD OF RACING - THE AMAZING RACER FAMILY is a faux documentary about the main characters.