The film is based on an animated television series of the same name that I had never known. So my take on the film does not come with the excess baggage of either love or hatred for that series.

The film is the story of Speed Racer (Emile Hirsch) who, as the name suggests, is a race car driver. His dad (John Goodman) builds race cars while his mom (Susan Sarandon) and girlfriend (Christina Ricci) cheer him on as he does them proud winning race after race. His success brings an offer from a rich industrialist, Mr Royalton (Roger Allam), which Speed chooses to reject. Royalton threatens to destroy Speed's career but Speed and his friends have other plans.

This is a film aimed at children with a simple good finally wins over evil plot. The fact that this is a children's film becomes very clear a few minutes into the film (and that helped me prepare for it). For those who don't catch it early on, the film also features a young kid and his pet monkey. However, this isn't apparent from the trailers or the promotional material. I believe this is probably one of the major reasons for its disappointing performance.

The Wachowskis writing and directing a kiddie flick. Who would have thought? But even more surprising is the fact that a studio was willing to back the project at such high costs.

It does have other flaws too but the one thing that really won me over in this film is the seamless integration of live action and CGI. There is so much crazy car action happening in this film but for most part it didn't strike me as abnormal for the real world. In my mind, I was watching a cartoon that looked like it was from the real world.

Overall, it wasn't a memorable film but worth sitting through. If you are a kid, you'll probably enjoy this. If you are not, prepare to watch a children's film and you can at least be wowed by the superlative visuals.

Hot Toys se ha vuelto la ñoño-tienda preferida de dvdplay en las últimas semanas (lástima que está en Hong Kong). Hemos visto su impresionante trabajo con The Joker, luego los notables detalles de Iron Man Mark II y finalmente el tosco, pero no menos increíble Iron Man Mark I. Ahora, y gracias a /Film, podemos ver su nueva obra de arte, la nave Nebuchadnezzar (Nabucodonosor) de The Matrix con obviamente un alto nivel de detalle en 60 cms. de largo, 20 cms. de alto y 25 cms. de ancho, sin embargo, la verdadera gracia de esta escultura china es que más que una figura para coleccionista es una caja para el almacenamiento de todos los DVDs de la trilogía de los hermanos Andy y Larry Wachowski. Esta es, sin duda, una excelente y muy original forma de mantener ordenados los discos de la cinta de ciencia ficción. A continuación les dejo las imágenes para verlas en detalle.

Clickea en las imágenes para agrandarlas.

A new Conan The Barbarian movie has been in the works since what seems like forever. It was originally supposed to be King Conan: Crown Of Iron, a third movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, but then he became Governor of California and plans fell through. Since then, producers have the oh-so-trendy reboot in mind, and are planning to resurrect the fantasy franchise in 2010.

Now the question is, who will direct? The Wachowski siblings (Speed Racer), Brett Ratner (the Rush Hour trilogy), Robert Rodriguez (Grindhouse), Wachowski protégé James McTeigue (V For Vendetta), Neil Marshall (Doomsday), Juan Carlos Fresnadillo (28 Weeks Later), the Brothers Strause (Alien Vs Predator: Requiem) and duo Mark Neveldine & Brian Taylor (Crank) are reportedly all in the running. Who will it be? Who would you like it to be? Discuss!

Personally, I just hope they'll set this movie in the same continuity as the forthcoming Red Sonja reboot produced by Rodriguez, starring girlfriend Rose McGowan (Grindhouse) and directed by protégé Douglas Aarniokoski (Highlander: Endgame). Conan, Red Sonja and Kull are all part of the same universe created by pulp writer Robert E. Howard.

Source

For a decent synopsis I recommend the corresponding Wikipedia entry.

The parallels between Equilibrium and V for Vendetta are hard to miss. Both films depict dystopian societies which heavily refer back to Nazi Germany. In V for Vendetta the government has transformed itself into a full-fledged Police State ruled by an oligarchical rod of iron.

I will expand on the various elements of this generally sober-toned albeit occasionally satirical film and then attempt to reveal the predictive programming as I go:

1. 
   "Yellow coded curfew is now in place. Any unauthorized personnel will be subject to arrest. This is for your protection."
   For the purpose of furthering control, the government has put into effect a curfew to which all regular citizens are to be subjected to. The onset of the curfew is announced through vintage looking loudspeakers, and thus is highly reminiscent of a world war II era. The viewer is acquainted with the phenomenon of the normalcy of curfews that comes with dictatorial rule. That it is but 'for the protection' of the citizenry is of course simply Orwellian newspeak [ostensibly to prevent or smother acts of terror perpetrated by ever dangerous and ever evasive enemies of the state].
2. 
   The emblem of the ruling party, Norsefire, is quite interesting in that it features a red double cross on a black background. The colors obviously are a clear reference to Nazi Germany.

   Wikipedia explains:

   Quote

   In the book, a blue "N" on a black flag is the symbol of the party. An "N" or "NF" are the only party symbols shown. The symbol of the Norsefire party in the film resembles the Croix de Lorraine, the heraldic symbol of the province of Lorraine in France, which was adopted as the official symbol of General Charles de Gaulle's Free French Forces between 1940 and 1944. It was later used for various Gaullist political parties in France, notably the RPR (Rally for the Republic). In the context of the film's fascist Britain, it could be seen as a combination of the St. George's Cross and the Nordic Cross flag, or a radical modification of the flag of England (a red centered cross on a white background). Its colours are similar to those of the flag of the Northern English city of Durham. In the movie, the symbol is shown in flags, police badges, coat of arms, tanks, and army beret badges. The black and red colours are interchangeable with each other, with one forming the cross and the other forming the background. It is also, literally, a double cross. A double cross of a different type can be seen in The Great Dictator, which satirises Nazism. The cross also forms an "H" on its side. Noting that Guy Fawkes, the inspiration for the novel and film, acted against the British Crown as a Catholic, it is also possible that the Wachowski brothers' movie script added a flag intended to be symbolic of the historical antagonism between the Catholic Church and Freemasonry. The Norsefire party symbol used in the movie is a particularly close match to the red slanting Patriarchal cross designating a 33rd degree level mason of the Scottish Rite.

   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norsefire
   A 'double cross', besides having a rich history as featuring on a good many European state flags, has also an additional meaning when considered a verb; its meaning being 'to deceive' or 'to betray'[2]. And it just so happens that this is of course precisely what Norsefire is doing, its rule is based on swindle, deceit and other foul play. As a tantalizing aside, the reader should know that the genuine British flag, the Union Jack, also features a double cross:
   
   As such, the Norsefire flag may thus be interpreted as a perhaps extreme variant of a political doctrine that was already holding sway over the British empire.

   It may also be interesting to note that the double-cross also features quite clearly in the logo of Rockefeller run Exxon (formerly Esso or S.O., Standard Oil):
   

3. 
   The Chancellor of Norsefire addresses its governmental council in absentia, while his image is magnified to emphasize the subordination of his henchmen in what seems to be a typical Big Brother fashion (this theme was also present in Equilibrium).

   It seems that the producers of this movie, the Wachowski Brothers, went out of their way to make the analogy with Nazi Germany more than just remote. If you look at the eyes of the Chancellor you may notice quite a pronounced dilation of the pupils, and during all following Big Brother shots you would continue to observe his pupils being as big as saucers. Mydriasis is a typical consequence of the consumption of psychoactive stimulants such as cocaine or amphetamines. Just as Hitler, it seems that the Chancellor too was continually under the influence of 'uppers' perhaps in an attempt to reflect the same type of zeal, if not lunacy, as embodied in Hitler.

4. 
   "[...]Our job is to report news, not fabricate it. That's the government's job."
   A blatant reminder to the viewer that the mainstream media is complicit in the treachery and immoral conduct of the government, at least in case it's tyrannical in nature. Regrettably, the immoral wedlock of the media to the government is highly reflective of real present day society also.
5. 
   Decent food seems to be in hard supply in totalitarian Britain and is something the citizens normally have no access to. Although it can be obtained, as V did, through illegal means. The viewer may expect scarcity of (good) food if a Police State were to be put into effect.
6. 
   "[...] There is something terribly wrong with this country, isn't there?
   Cruelty and injustice. Intolerance and oppression [...] You now have sensors and systems of surveillance coercing your conformity....
   How did this happen? Who's to blame? [...] If you're looking for the guilty, you need only look into the mirror [...] I know you are afraid, who wouldn't be? War, terror, disease. There were a myriad of problems conspired to rob you of your common sense.
   Fear got the best of you, and in your panic you turned to the now high-chancellor Adam Sutler. He promised you order, he promised you
   peace. All he demanded in return was your silent and obedient consent."
   The viewer is encouraged to accept blame for any future installations of tyrannical and absolute forms of government. Complacency, apathy, but most of all, fear, is what begets tyranny. So when abject tyranny comes knocking your door down you should, first and foremost, blame yourself for letting it get that far. Nonetheless, not to panic, for there is solace and relief looming over the horizon already.
7. 
   
   "[...]Chancellor sutler agreed, we have to keep this discrete for obvious reasons... The loss of the voice of London could be
   devastating to our credibility. Perhaps a stroke? No, no that's too horrific. A quiet dignified death in his sleep."
   Another example of the twisting of reality to suit the needs of the government while, according to established rule, truth is sacrificed once again. Lies are created by the government, blindly accepted by the media who then, without grudging or adulteration, simply regurgitate it to the public. Sadly, quite an accurate reflection of real life too.
8. 
   "One thing is true of all governments. The most reliable records are tax-records."
   Another sneer towards the concept of government serving to illustrate its inherent lack of integrity.
9. 
   "Vi Veri Veniversum Vivus Vici" (by the power of truth, I, while living, have conquered the Universe - Faust)
   Who can now possibly still deny that Latin is an elegant language? In that sentence there are just a tad bit too many glorious and righteous Vs to prevent from dissuading the viewer from placing trust in the protagonist of the movie, V, to save to day, hey? Therefore, the viewer is thus encouraged to accept a genuine and tormented but heroic saviour when the socio-political situation becomes that much unbearable that the only reasonable reaction would seem to be: revolution.
10. 
    That's an interesting flag if there ever was one: A modified Union Jack, having a bit of the US in it while having a heart of Nazism. Quite the accurate reflection of the Nazi-phile Norsefire led UK. It may be interesting to note that there is quite a salient body of historical evidence to support the idea that indeed Nazism was spoonfed and helped on its feet by Britain. While it is common knowledge that the US started out as a British colony, there also exists a body of evidence to support the idea that the Brits never actually relinquished their grip over the US and that the latter secretly continues to be a 'plantation' of Britain to this very day.
11. 
    The movie shows that homosexuals would be persecuted in the Fascist UK, again much like Nazi Germany. However, reality was a bit more complicated than that. It seemed that in Nazi Germany the effeminate "fem" homosexuals were indeed persecuted while the overly manly "butch" homosexuals were pretty much left as they were. Indeed, butch homosexuals seemed to have pretty much ran the entire Nazi apparatus even.
12. 
    
    
    "What if the worst and most horrifying biological attack in the history of this country was not the work of religious extremists.[...]
    If our own government was responsible for what happened at St. Mary's and Three Waters. If our government was responsible for the deaths of almost a 100 thousand people, would you really wanna know?" [...]
    "Imagine a virus, the most terrifying virus there is. And imagine that you and you alone have the cure. The target of the country should not be an enemy of the country, but rather the country itself." [...]
    "The end result of the true genius of the plan was fear. Fear became the ultimate tool for this government."
    At the end of the movie it becomes clear that all along it was Norsefire that was behind orchestrating the false flag operation, in this case a terror strike, that immediately led to the scaring of the UK population into utter submission to Norsefire. Government using terror and mass murder as a means to expand their power; a crazy idea, or not?You decide...
13. 
    
    Finally, the tyranny of Norsefire becomes too unbearable and propelled by the momentum of the spirit of revolution as instigated by the now deceased saviour, V, the exploited and degraded population rebel en masse and march on to the parliament only to watch its utter destruction, thus signaling the end of the reign of Norsefire. And they all, minus V, live happily ever after.

So to recap, after a string of worldly misadventures the UK plunged into an utterly oppressive Police State, where Nazi-like intolerance and dishonesty hold sway like never before (?). The justification for rise of Norsefire to power turns out to be completely disgenuine and fabricated as the false flag terror strike it was. A surviving victim of the nefarious practices of Norsefire becomes the iconoclastic saviour of Britain and ultimately succeeds in tearing down the dystopian and morally bankrupt dictatorial regime.

The moral of the story seems to be that should the time come that a full fledged Police State will be installed, then the public should worry not for a saviour one day will emerge who will work hard to wrest free control from the clutches of tyranny and guide you all into happy freedom again.

Note that this popular silver-screen messianic theme was also present in Equilibrium as well as in The Matrix trilogy. Do I need to inform the reader that the hope for waiting for a saviour to take you by the hand and guide you into safety may be a vain one?

Appendix:
The Gunpowder Plot of 1605

The historical figure on which the main character V is based, Guy Fawkes, was part of a conspiracy to blow up the English Parliament and eveyone in it, including King James I and family as well as the entire government.

Now there are two different and opposing historical accounts as to what really happened.

One view supports the notion that the plot was instigated by the predominantly Protestant English government itself in order to strengthen anti-Roman Catholic legislation and basically altogether wipe out the threat of a potentially powerful English Roman Catholic column. By making it look as if a group of zealous Catholics conspired against the Protestant government and the King the apprehension and exposure of the ostensible evildoers would earn enough disgust and hatred for the Roman Catholics by the Protestant citizens for its government to justify a stringent clamping down of the civil rights of the Catholic minority. As such, by this view, the conspiracy is interpreted to be a false flag operation.

The other view asserts that the conspiracy of which Fawkes was part of was not of crypto-Protestant nature but indeed genuinely Roman Catholic in nature. The group led by one Robert Catesby was in turn spurred into action by the Jesuits, headed in England at that time by Provincial Henry Garnet. If one considers the official court-procedures of the ensuing court case, one notices that the list of the accused includes many Jesuits, including Garnet. It so happened that Garnet together with a number of fellow Jesuits were found guilty and summarily executed by the power of the English Crown.

I hope to address this controversial historical event in more detail on a later time and will leave it for now by mentioning a feature in the movie which seems to favor the second hypothesis.

In this part of the movie, V confesses that the Count of Monte Cristo is his favorite movie. Now it so happens that there are several sources claiming that the good Count is in actual fact none other than the Jesuit Superior General.

Please read the following supportive quote:

http://www.theforbiddenknowledge.com/hardtruth/blackpope.htm

Unfortunately, no one can be told what the Matrix is. You have to see it for yourself.

- Morpheus

I watched The Matrix again last night. I must have seen it at least ten times before, but it has probably been four or five years since I watched it last. However, a number of recent movies have given me good reason to recall it and I finally gave in to the temptation last night.

In many ways, this was to be the acid test of the film's greatness for me. A whole decade of film-making has occurred since then. Worse, all of its originality has been bludgeoned to death by a slew of "me-too" movies that came after it. Then there is the no small matter of the sequels which were as tooth-achingly awful as the original film was jaw-droppingly amazing.

Let me just say this about any such concerns - whatever!

The film was as masterful as the first time that I saw it. From the deliberate diction of Agent Smith to the calculated coolness of Morpheus to the quality quotes of Cypher, the characters are brilliantly drawn. The action scenes may have lost just a touch of their mind-altering impact from repeated viewings, but the pace at which the film moves seems even more whip-crackingly impressive than before. There are so many changes of scene, yet the overall coherence of the narrative is unwavering.

If I had to pick one aspect though that stands out above all of the rest, it is the dialogue. From the punchiest of phrases such as "go now" or "dodge this" to the more grandiose musings of Agent Smith or Morpheus, the script is clean, well delivered, and impressively comprehensible despite its peculiar predilection for quasi-religious, pseudo-scientific, borderline philosophical discourse.

The key to The Matrix is, of course, its originality. This is no adaptation of a novel, comic book, or short story. Hence, the Wachowski brothers have the freedom to take the movie anywhere their imagination allows them to. As a result, they weave notions of Big Brother, technophobia, humanity, reality, and martial-arts fight scenes into one seamless piece of work that was meant for a cinematic audience only, as evidenced, above all, by "bullet time".

I have said it before on these pages and my belief has been reinforced again by last night's viewing - this is the best science fiction movie of all time. There are other contenders for this crown, of course. However, most of the usual suspects only appealed to me as a child, where as this film has an appeal that goes far beyond men wearing heavy breathing apparatus, slavering man-eating giant aliens, Spanish-quoting killer robots, and ravishing renegade replicants.

Some of you who read this may disagree. I welcome your challenges. Just one thing - stop trying to hit me and hit me!

1. Trinity.

What is it about a woman in leather that gives me hot pants? Trinity had me hoping she'd take the red pill, as in THE MORNING AFTER! ZOMGROFL!!1! ...uuuhhhh. I'm sorry.

2. The clothes.

Morpheus showed us that you could beat the hell out of whoever you came up against, and look good doing it. Well, at least you could look good. He got his ass pretty well handed to him.

3. Joe Pantoliano.

We all enjoyed watching this guy, who for some reason, looks a lot like Jackie Earle Haley. In the movie's final cut, he meets his end after Marcus Chong shoots a lightning bolt into his chest. There was a scene that got scrapped, however, where Cypher kills Tony Soprano's horse and Chrissy cuts his head off. Good stuff.

4. "I know kung-fu."

The Matrix is like the ultimate bit-torrent engine. So what would your Matrix powers be? I've got mine narrowed down to Drunken Boxing, Robot Boxing, doing the robot, doing the dew and keeping it real. And my Matrix name is Sandra Day O'Connor.

5. The Almighty Power of HACK.

How do you hack a computer? What about a system as complex as the Matrix? We're not completely sure, but we do know a few things. First, you need like ten computer screens. This way you can look at, like, all the symbols and stuff. Then you need like twenty keyboards so you can hack everything at once. And make sure your OS shows everything in weird symbols that don't do anything when you type in commands. And make sure you have a good place to take cover when the Internet explodes.

That's all for this week. Will I get my act together and keep these things more regular? Tune in next week to find out!

Hay fiebre por los superhéroes y ya van quedando pocos sin proyectos en la pantalla grande, y al parecer Larry y Andy Wachowski llegaron tarde a la repartición de capas y antifaces, siendo el Hombre Plástico el único superhéroe (sí, superhéroe) al que pudieron optar. Además, los rumores indican que recurrirían a su viejo y querido amigo Keanu Reeves para el rol protagónico de Patrick "Eel" O'Brian, quien se pone una apretada malla roja y anteojos oscuros para convertirse en el hiper flexible Hombre Plástico, quien suele tener exóticas y extravagantes aventuras, no sin una buena dosis de humor. La verdad es que me cuesta ver a este personaje en una película y más si es que está caraterizado por Reeves, sin embargo, confío en que a los Wachowski se les ocurrirá algo creativo.

2006.  Rated R.  Directed by James McTeigue.  Written by the Wachowski Brothers.  Based on the comic by Alan Moore.  Starring Natalie Portman, Hugo Weaving, Stephen Rea, Stephen Fry and John Hurt.

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Previously: Jarhead

When V for Vendetta was announced, it had huge hit written all over it -- it was the Wachowski brothers' first post-Matrix production, based on a popular cult comic book, with a big budget and a well-known lead.  However, the movie was largely overlooked, continuing the dimming of the Wachowski's star.  The anti-government theme did not play well with everyone and even more damaging was bad timing -- the subway attacks in London prompted the release to be delayed by 6 months to the dead-period of March and ruined the perfect tie-in the release had in November.

Actually, checking on the box office numbers, it did a lot better than I thought (but still not nearly as well as it could have), the Guy Fawkes mask has become pretty ubiqitous on Halloween and it has kind of become a cult classic, but whatever, I still want to write about it.  Next time I'll pick something more obscure.

The film takes place in a future London, where a totalitarian regime has come to power playing on the fear of the people (caused by disease outbreaks and terrorist attacks), slowly taking away individual rights.  On Guy Fawkes night (remember, remember the 5th of November), a masked man named V (Weaving) saves Evey Hammond (Portman) from crooked cops and then proceeds to blow up a landmark London building.  Evey, as the straight-laced daughter of former revolutionaries, is immediately suspected to be a co-conspirator, and the movie essentially focuses on her relationship with V, and the effect of V's actions on society.

The plot, not coincidentally, is designed to make you draw parallels to what's happened in our own country over the past 8 years.  Some people were upset that the movie seems to glorify terrorism, but of course, one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter.  It's unfortunate, but one reason why terrorism is so scary and powerful is because it does affect change, and while clearly V is a sympathetic character, it's not as black-and-white as it could have been.  In any case, that element of the movie did not bother me at all.

Portman is cast very well and does a solid job as the lead but is overshadowed, naturally, by V.  Weaving does a excellent job despite being hidden, and the character is so memorable and iconic that it is still surprising the movie is not more popular.  Stephen Rea plays the lead detective tracking V and is ideal for the world-weary character.  John Hurt has a good look for the Big Brother-type leader of the rulng party and delivers in his short amount of screen time.

Really where the film shines though is in the production --- though they did not direct and tapped their former assistant director McTeigue to do it, the Wachowski's stamp is all over it.  It looks great, the effects look great and the atmosphere is perfect for the narrative.  It is a tightly crafted, very well-made film and this drowns out the few weak points, V's silly introduction monologue, for example.

For me, though, what really mades the movie is one sequence, that may seem extraneous to the plot, but is absolutely what elevates the movie to one of my favorites.  It's a heartbreaking, emotional sequence -- I've seen the movie twice and both times it got a little dusty in the room.

V for Vendetta might not really fit the overlooked and underrated label perfectly, but if you haven't seen it, it's definitely worth checking out.  Be aware that it is a very visceral film that begs to be watched on a big screen with the sound up.  Let's hope the Wachowskis can get back to making movies like this or the original Matrix and not movies like Speed Racer, which looked like a piece of crap.

Grade: A-

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Speed (Emile Hirsch) nasceu para pilotar. Sonha em ser o melhor piloto do mundo e honrar seu irmão mais velho Rex, morto em um acidente de carro. Sua morte deixou um legado que Speed tenta prencher, fazendo com que o corredor não desista tão fácil de ser campeão.

Quando Speed recusa uma oferta milionária da Royalton Industries para ser seu piloto, ele acaba enfurecendo o dono da companhia e descobre que as maiores corridas do circuito são arranjadas.

Sem nenhuma outra saída, Speed se uni ao rival Corredor X (Matthew Fox) para salvar o negócio de sua família e vencer The Crucible, um rali muito perigoso que atravessa o país, a mesma corrida que tirou a vida de seu irmão.

Com um elenco muito bem selecionado para o filme, que conta também com a participação de Christina Ricci, Susan Sarandon e John Goodman, Speed Racer vale a pensa ser conferido não só por adultos que eram apaixonados pelo desenho, mas também por todos que esperam ação, aventura e um filme bem divertido.

Elenco: Christina Ricci, Emile Hirsch, Hiroyuki Sanada, John Goodman, Matthew Fox, Richard Roundtree, Susan Sarandon
Duração: 134 minutos
Gênero: Ação
País: EUA
Ano: 2008
Diretor: Andy Wachowski, Larry Wachowski
Roterista: Larry Wachowski

Para assistir o trailer do filme clique aqui

Confira também a trilha sonora do filme em AINDA MAIS TRILHAS

It is alas ironic that “Speed Racer,” the Wachowski Brothers’s live-action adaptation of the series that originated as the Japanese anime “Mach GoGoGo,” is anything but swift. For all its colorful, dizzying, quick-splice freneticism, it reminds of the frightened cartoon cat whose legs are moving so fast that it achieves no forward motion.

Yet, there is a curious appeal in its quirkiness, a nuttiness that implies there just has to be something more to this helter-skelter, neo-campy lampoon of every racing movie cliché. Either that or it’s some failed experiment in combating attention deficit disorder, recycled as a feature film. In any case, that surprise around the corner never materializes.

Doubtless, the target audience of this PG-rated, mixed-media bag of special effects won’t be as confounded by the infinite mass of minutiae and lore as will their adult counterparts. Bob Dylan’s observation, “Because something is happening here, but you don’t know what it is, do you, Mr. Jones?” is once again applicable. For kids, it’s antique.

But we, who weren’t brought up with the computer always there and have known Presidents going further back than the first Clinton, can’t help but be a bit amazed. The Wachowskis, who broke new ground with “The Matrix” franchise, prove here in a virtual showcase of things CGI that there’s still plenty new magic to be pulled from the hat.

Unfortunately, whether an intentional part of the hyperkinetic effect or the fallout of its technological indulgence, the f/x parade doesn’t proceed in any particular order. Of course, if you hang on to this cutting-edge bronco long enough to scratch the gloss and grok its gist, it’s just the same old jive. A troubled young racecar driver chases a ghost.

Said title character, a Grand Prix hopeful portrayed by Emile Hirsch, is haunted by the unclear legacy of older brother Rex, a once upon a time racing great whose death remains shrouded in mystery. Now in the cockpit at the family’s Racer Racing, run by Pops Racer (John Goodman), Speed is hell-bent on vindicating the fallen driver.

His determination and skill don’t go unnoticed. Upstaging a retinue of British corporate moguls and other gangsters is Roger Allam’s namesake and proprietor of mighty Royalton Industries. The megalomaniac wants Speed to drive for him. In a scene that takes an acerbic swipe at college recruiting, he invites the whole family for a tour.

Mom Racer, played by Susan Sarandon, is all ooh la la. Pops is cautiously impressed: “We can design and build a new car in thirty-six hours.” Money, money, money. But ultimately, it’s like when George Bailey almost accepts a job from Mr. Potter in “It’s a Wonderful Life” (1946). Speed draws back. There is something dank and unkosher here.

Besides…Pops is against it. Racer Racing has never accepted outside sponsorship. Royalton, a tycoon not used to being denied, rants like a spoiled child. Shades of Greek plays and their omens, he bleats that Speed will never win without the conglomerates on his side…that the powers that be have been fixing the Grand Prix for many, many years.

“Oh, yeah!?” says Speed, and you can guess the rest…all two hours and fifteen minutes of it. Navigating through the ensuing morass of twists, turns and endless characters, each with their own mishigoss, soon grows wearisome.

Speed’s impish little brother Spritle (Paulie Litt) and his chimpanzee, Chim Chim, routinely attempt comedy relief within the pseudo-serious farce. But the blips of weirdness, delivered merry-go-round style instead of with an ebb and flow, are more curious than amusing. The film establishes a unique formula, and then beats it to death.

Nevertheless, Christina Ricci as Speed’s devoted girlfriend, Trixie, adds a soupçon of eccentricity and visual exoticness to the scenario. And Taejo Togokhan (Rain) as Speed’s Eastern counterpart supplies the inscrutable subtext. Proposing an alliance, the scion of Togokhan Motors says he, too, wants to save the family business from Royalton control.

But the real mystique belongs to none other than Racer X (Matthew Fox). We’re not supposed to know the identity of this masked fairy god racer who always arrives just in the nick of time to help our hero. But while it’s probably a joy to be eight and figuring out this old plot ploy for the first time, anyone over that age who can’t is in real trouble.

Deeper messages in what is essentially Johnny’s first anti-establishment primer, including a diatribe against the new feudalism big business continues to forge, may put off reactionary parents. However, if only concerned with doing your perfunctory duty, then just buy Jr. some popcorn, set “Speed Racer” on automatic pilot and enjoy a snooze.

“Speed Racer,” rated PG, is a Warner Bros. Pictures release directed by Andy Wachowski and Larry Wachowski and stars Emile Hirsch, Christina Ricci and John Goodman. Running time: 135 minutes

Antes de entrar al cine, colocarse en su asiento, apagar el móvil, y ponerse a ver la película, uno tiene que tener un par de cosas claras:

La primera, esto no es Matrix, si los directores de esto son los Wachowski, pero las pretensiones y el estilo de la película son radicalmente distintos.

Y la segunda, es una película basada en una serie de dibujos de los años 60 terriblemente casposa, y los Wachowski al mantenido ese encanto casposo, hasta el ultimo momento.

Si mantenemos eso en mente la película es mucho mas divertida de ver, y el espectáculo visual de la película pasara por nuestros ojos de forma más agradable.

Porque la película es ante todo un despliegue de luces, colores, fundidos llenos de líneas de movimiento, explosiones de todos los colores formas que podamos imaginar, y montones de planos imposibles, travellings y movimientos de cámaras circulares.Todo ello adornado primeros planos fundidos entre la accion, y demás parafernalia.

Los Wachowski, demuestran su talento a la hora de aplicar todas estas técnicas de forma más que eficiente, y sin duda es uno de sus grandes talentos como ya se vio en la trilogía de Matrix, donde su habilidad de mostrar la acción, era lo que mas sobresalía de estas (y más en las 2 ultimas).

Además de presentar un estilo visual novedoso (una perfecta fusión de los gráficos por ordenador, junto con el colorido de la serie amplificado por mil), utilizan todos esos movimientos de cámara, también inspirados por la misma serie y por sus influencias del anime y los videojuegos. Evidentemente si no se conoce la serie, todos esos efectos, pueden parecer terriblemente...cutres o casposos, pero bueno por algo lo he advertido.

El guión no es nada del otro mundo, mas bien es típico, predecible y casposo...., como la serie, no se puede decir que no hayan sido fieles. Speed Racer, es un chaval con mas talento que Fernando Alonso y Hamilton juntos, que no piensa en otra cosa que correr...se en Cristina Ricci..., no por desgracia el chaval solo piensa en correr en circuitos de carreras y ganar premios, pero no todo será tan fácil, etc... , etc...

Los diálogos son tus típicos:"Se que puedes hacerlo, mira en ti mismo", "Yo no te lo puedo decir, tendrás que encontrar la respuesta tu mismo", etc..., pero no molesta en absoluto, y la verdad, todo el guión es una simple excusa para ver espectaculares escenas de carreras con piruetas imposibles, explosiones (que de alguna forma se lo montan para que no haya ni un puto muerto en toda la peli), choques, luces....y mas luces, ¿y he mencionado la cantidad de luces de trepidante movimiento que harían sacar espuma por la boca a mas de un epiléptico?... ¿si?... pues eso. Estas escenas son la salsa de la película, y como buena producción de Hollywood (bueno...., últimamente....muchas, ya ni eso tienen) son espectaculares.

Todo esto adornado con un par de secuencias de lucha a lo Matrix, para no perder la costumbre supongo, y decentes actuaciones sobretodo por parte de John Goodman y Susan Sarandon.

En fin, una película con un estilo y filmado de una forma que hará llorar a mas de uno de esos críticos estirados, pero al fin y al cabo esta echo a conciencia, y siguiendo

la estela de la serie que la precede y del anime/dibujos animados en general. Así que resumiendo en una frase:

Una perfecta modernización de una serie de dibujos de los años 60..., con todo lo que ello conlleva. No va a dejar indiferente a nadie, es la típica película que la odias o te encanta ..., a mi me ha encantado, sobre todo porque sabia lo que iba a ver....

Em época de tantos doces como no nome da banda pop-disco Glass Candy e no álbum de Madonna, Hard Candy, o qual, aliás, abre com a faixa Candy Shop, só uma coisa me vinha à cabeça durante a exibição de Speed Racer: candies.

Dirigido e escrito pela dupla Andy e Larry Wachowski (da trilogia Matrix), o longa lembra um enorme pote de balas com suas mil cores estourando pela tela. Não é preciso nem 15 minutos (dos seus intermináveis 135) para descobrir onde essa doceria vai dar.

Os irmãos diretores fizeram uma opção clara pelo farsesco. Tudo está acima do tom: as cores, os sorrisos, interpretações, cenário. Repleto de efeitos visuais, eles não tinham, como na maioria dos casos, nenhuma intenção que isso parecesse real (pelo menos, é melhor acreditar que não tiveram. rs).

A história, que estreou como desenho animado em 1967 na tevê americana, foi transportada para o cinema com os mesmos personagens originais e centrada, claro, no herói que dá nome ao filme. Speed é um garoto íntegro, família e habilidoso que dirige seu Mach 5 pelas corridas de carros, driblando os magnatas das empresas, os quais tramam vitórias, fajutam provas, fazem conchavos e esmagam os inimigos.

Em alguns momentos fica difícil saber se você está assistindo a um filme, um desenho ou a um video game. Seria o efeito do tal look "retrô-futurista" que o produtor Joel Silver queria dar? Humpf.

No elenco (totalmente mal escalado): Susan Sarandon (sim, ela erra às vezes; alguém se lembra de Lado a Lado com a Julia Roberts?), Christina Ricci (num papel tão errado quanto a Hilary Swank em Dália Negra - ambas são tão sexy quanto uma escova de dentes) e Emile Hirsch (a melhor atuação do cinema no ano passado - por Na Natureza Selvagem - tão disperdiçado que seus melhores momentos resumem-se em pôr e tirar o capacete).

Enfim. Num dia em que é aberta a 61ª edição do Festival de Cannes, quando, aliás, já estava sendo cobrado para falar dele, eu resolvo assistir Speed Racer. É, a vida é cheia de incoerências mesmo.

Ah, e os doces? Estamos mais para empanadas no momento. E das bem temperadas.

Cotação (de 0 a 5): 1,0 - Azedou

Parte da crítica e muitos puristas são chatos demais. Ainda bem que tudo que escrevem eu só leio depois de voltar do cinema. Ao invés de guardarem suas inesquecíveis reminiscências nos cantos mais bonitos da memória e do coração, muitos viraram quarentões rabugentos e cheios de melindres, do tipo "não (me) toquem no que até parece que era só meu"...

Esqueçam tudo isso e divirtam-se com a caprichada versão cinematográfica. Caprichada mesmo. São excelentes as cenas das corridas. Li que eram mornas ! São tão eletrizantes que trazem um contraponto curioso: as cenas que não são de corrida parecem lentas e sem ritmo. A computação gráfica e o colorido em tons intensos são impressionanes. Em vários momentos, a trilha sonora valoriza e humaniza as cenas: excelente, mesmo quando soa óbvia - mas nem toda trilha precisa ser surpreedente para ser boa.

O grande problema do filme, portanto, é a expectativa dos fãs, sempre exageradamente enorme. O filme não quis, em momento nenhum, fugir do original nem deixar os não-iniciados 'boiando' - e por isso gasta muito tempo explicando "a origem do universo" - e eu acho que a escolha é acertada. Ao mesmo tempo, as crianças muito pequenas - vi o filme dublado num cinema repleto de pequeninos - acabam não sendo 'conquistadas' pela história. O roteiro não tem nada de mais, nem nada de menos: não surpreende, nem decepciona.

Conclusão: mais um bom entretenimento da temporada, com direito a diversas ótimas cenas, entre elas a da corrida no deserto e, claro, Susan Sarandon, o maior expoente de um ótimo elenco (com destaque para Gorducho e Zequinha). O momento em que a mãe conversa com Speed (chorei, pra variar) é mais uma prova de que Susan Sarandon brilha, e sempre.

1938 war für die Popkultur ein entscheidendes Jahr. Nichtsahnend, was er da in die Welt setzen würde, synthetisierte Albert Hofmann einen Stoff, der zunächst wie das unbrauchbare Ergebnis pharmazeutischer Laborarbeit aussah. Doch der Chemiker aus der Schweiz hatte anscheinend eine Ahnung von dem, was ihm hier gelungen war, machte sich fünf Jahre später noch einmal an seine Forschung und sah kurz darauf jede Menge bunten Irrsinn. Der Rest ist Geschichte: Hofmann hatte ein leistungsstarkes Halluzinogen gefunden (oder eigenen Worten gemäß eher anders herum) und damit unfreiwillig ein schickes Spielzeug für den CIA, eine Horde Psychiater und die spätere Hippiebewegung gleichermaßen entworfen. Die nachhaltigsten Belege für den Erfolg von Hofmanns Zufallstreffer fanden ihren Niederschlag jedoch vor allem in denjenigen kulturellen Errungenschaften, die anderweitig nie entstanden wären. Angemessen also, dass der erste große Nachruf auf den LSD-Urvater bereits knapp eine Woche nach seinem Ableben selbstverständlich auf der großen Leinwand stattfindet – und das ganz ohne Suchtgefahr. Denn als hätten die Wachowskis geahnt, dass es einen aktuellen Anlass für die Rückkehr des psychedelischen (und in diesem Fall völlig asexuellen) Barbarellismus auf die Leinwand geben würde, erzählt „Speed Racer“ mit einem Füllhorn aus wilden Spektralfarben, Kaleidoskopen und optischen Spiralen im Grunde Hofmanns legendären Bycicle-Day nach – wobei das Fahrrad selbstverständlich durch einen schnittigen Boliden ersetzt worden ist.

Dass diese Realfilmversion des 60er-Jahre Animes von Tatsuo Yoshida dabei unter dem Deckmantel reichlich kindlicher Familienunterhaltung auftritt, ist nicht ungewöhnlich. Denn schließlich finden sich die tatsächlichen Verhältnisse bei den Wachowskis in aller Regel erst hinter einer Vielheit von Etiketten, Masken und Oberflächen. Dass gilt archetypisch für den Kosmos der „Matrix“-Filme, etwas raffinierter für die vielfachen Täuschungsmanöver von „Bound“, und schließlich in aller Offensichtlichkeit für die Geheimwelten von „V for Vendetta“. Überall liegen Masken über Gesichtern, Ebenen über Ebenen, und jede weitere hebelt die vorherige aus, enttarnt oder erweitert sie. Die Brüder mit dem großen Faible für Mangas machen also im Grunde Layerfilme, und wie um es zu belegen, bedienen sie sich in „Speed Racer“ gegen Ende einfach ganz plakativ der Technik visueller Schichtenbildung und spannen so den weiten Bogen von Photoshop zum Silhouettentheater. Aber auch inhaltlich ist die Wahrheit fein säuberlich hinter inszenierter Augenwischerei versteckt. So beruht der globale Rennzirkus, um den sich alles dreht, selbstverständlich auf korrupter Konzernpolitik der großen Player, sind vermeintliche Rivalen tatsächlich gute Freunde, und hinter einem harmlosen Skiurlaub verbirgt sich eine rüde Rallye durch sandige Wüsten und verschneite Berglandschaften. Das ist alles ziemlich offensichtlich, und damit eben familienfreundlich – aber eben auch nur als oberste Schicht von vielen.

Die Geschichte des jungen Racer-Talentes (Emile Hirsch ohne nennenswerten schauspielerischen Gestaltungsrahmen), der sich nicht korrumpieren lässt und lieber für den kleinen Rennstall seiner Familie fährt, als dem Lockruf von Reichtum und kalkulierten Siegen zu folgen, kann im Grunde vor lauter konservativer Klischees kaum atmen. Das soll sie vermutlich aber auch gar nicht. Die Figuren haben visuell wie inhaltlich klare Farbvorgaben ohne Grauzonen oder Schattierungen – auch wenn einige von ihnen erst nach einer Weile ihre true colors zeigen. Eine Katastrophe – der Renntod des ältesten Sohnes – überschattet die Familienidylle zwar, gibt sich jedoch alle Mühe, den Zuschauer nicht ernsthaft emotional zu belasten. Auch sie ist nur ein Layer von vielen, denn schon früh scheint sich der totgeglaubte Bruder in Wahrheit hinter der Maske des mysteriösen Racer X zu verbergen. Als dieser aber sein wahres Gesicht zeigt, sieht er eben aus wie Matthew Fox und ist damit prädestiniert, nur eine weitere Maske hinter der Maske zu sein.

Eine ganz andere Schicht des Films entlarvt die Wachowski-Brüder als dreiste Videoinstallateure. Etwa so, als hätte Matthew Barney die Geschwindigkeit entdeckt und immenses Geld für wilde CGI-Spielereien aufgetrieben, zelebriert „Speed Racer“ in seinen vollig entfesselten (und gänzlich unüberschaubaren) Renn- und Verfolgungssequenzen die Überwindung körperlicher Begrenzung durch Motorsportmaschinen, die für physikalische Wahrscheinlichkeiten nur ein müdes Lächeln übrig haben, während die steuernden Subjekte in ihren eigenen, eng gestrickten Koordinaten verbleiben. Eine solchermaßen gegenläufige Dynamik muss dann ab und zu schon mal die Zeit dehnen, um neu ansetzen zu können statt implodieren zu müssen (wohingegen die berühmte „bullet time“ der Matrix-Filme lediglich eine narrative Funktion hat und ihre Dynamik sich nicht aus der Konfrontation von Körper und Maschine speist). Aus dieser Perspektive ist das Zusammenspiel von scherenschnittartigen Charakteren wie Handlungsmustern einerseits und selbstgenügsamem Geschwindigkeitsaktionismus andererseits folgerichtig und notwendig. Erst die gemeinsame Ästhetik jedoch liefert den Raum, in dem sich beide Seiten begegnen können – und der ist im Wesentlichen synthetisch.

Für einen echten Blockbuster ist das nun ersichtlicher Weise zuviel des Guten, und so war das langgehegte Lieblingsprojekt der Wachowskis auch Monate vor Filmstart schon mit Sorgenfalten im Gesicht erwartet worden. Zudem ungünstig in die zweite Woche des (bei Kritikern wie Zuschauern) alles überstrahlenden Marvel-Triumphes von „Iron Man“ gestartet, schloss „Speed Racer“ den ersten Sonntag mit einem bedenklichen Resultat von knappen 18,6 Millionen Dollar auf dem US-Markt ab (bei einem geschätzten Budget von rund 100 Millionen plus Marketing). Viel Grund zur Zufriedenheit bei Warner und Produzent Joel Silver besteht da also nicht. Eine langfristig angelegte IMAX-Auswertung mag hier zum Schlüssel werden können, denn für die Jahrmarkt-Kinos der Gegenwart ist dieser Film im Grunde gemacht – und ins Museum of Modern Art schafft er es in ein paar Jahren vielleicht auch noch. Im Wesentlichen allerdings belegen nur wenige Sekunden von insgesamt 135 knallbunten und CGI-lastigen Minuten bereits, dass die größte Attraktion auch schon eine vielsagend hochgezogene Augenbraue sein kann. Zumindest dann, wenn sie Christina Ricci gehört.

Artikel © 2008 Thomas Lenz. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.
Filmplakat: Warner Bros. Entertainment GmbH