Review of film: “SPEED RACER” -- WHEEL Good!

Review of film:   “SPEED RACER”  --  WHEEL Good! 

                    [ RATING:  8 of 10 stars ] 

Date Rated: May 9, 2008 | Rel. Date: May 9, 2008 =

[From an advance screening:]  This is basically an extended live-action CARTOON (reprising elements of the animated TV series from the late ’60’s). EMILE HIRSCH plays the sometimes-conflicted grown-up version of Mr. Speed Racer, who has to fight inner and outer demons in deciding how to handle offers to compete for rich racing moguls. JOHN GOODMAN and SUSAN SARANDON play his parents, and MATTHEW FOX plays his mentor “Racer X”…

…  For the audience I was with (including a lot of kids), most of the laughs in the film came from actions by a pet chimpanzee. The film (by the Wachowski Brothers) is expectedly superficial, with a story-line that’s elemental-- but, it boasts a riot of colorful and impressive CGI effects to go along with set designs done in appropriate cartoon-like exaggerated color.

…  It’s not a great film by any means-- but, it’s FUN in a lighthearted, action-filled way (cleverly calculated to encourage a hoped-for series of Sequels).  I enjoyed it, & you probably will too [despite the fact it got very BAD reviews from most other reviewers after I wrote what I thought].