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Speed Racer
Speed Racer Image
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Metascore
37 out of 100

Generally unfavorable - based on 37 Critics What's this?

User Score
7.8 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 298 Ratings

Your Score
10 out of 10
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  • Starring: Emile Hirsch
  • Summary: Hurtling down the track, careening around, over, and through the competition, Speed Racer is a natural behind the wheel. Born to race cars, Speed is aggressive, instinctive, and, most of all, fearless. His only real competition is the memory of the brother he idolized--the legendary Rex Racer, whose death in a race has left behind a legacy that Speed is driven to fulfill. Speed is loyal to the family racing business, led by his father, Pops Racer, the designer of Speed's thundering Mach 5. When Speed turns down a lucrative and tempting offer from Royalton Industries, he not only infuriates the company's maniacal owner but uncovers a terrible secret--some of the biggest races are being fixed by a handful of ruthless tycoons who manipulate the top drivers to boost profits. If Speed won't drive for Royalton, Royalton will see to it that Speed never crosses another finish line. The only way for Speed to save his family's business and the sport he loves is to beat Royalton at his own game. With the support of his family and his loyal girlfriend, Trixie, Speed teams with his one-time rival--the mysterious Racer X--to win the race that had taken his brother's life: the death-defying, cross-country rally known as the Crucible. Yet, the ultimate test of Speed Racer's true racing grit will be at the pinnacle event of the World Racing League, the Grand Prix. But standing between Speed and the checkered flag are the world's best--and most cutthroat--competitors, fueled by a million-dollar bounty from Royalton to the driver who takes Speed out once and for all. (Warner Bros. Pictures)… Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 37
  2. Mixed: 14 out of 37
  3. Negative: 15 out of 37
  1. Chicago Tribune
    Reviewed by: Michael Phillips
    75
    At its best, it's buoyant pop entertainment focused on three things: speed, racing and retina-splitting oceans of digitally captured color.
  2. The Hollywood Reporter
    Reviewed by: Kirk Honeycutt
    60
    Unlike a Pixar cartoon that embraces as wide an audience as possible, Speed Racer proudly denies entry into its ultra-bright world to all but gamers, fanboys and anime enthusiasts. Story and character are tossed aside to focus obsessively on PG-rated action and milk-guzzling heroes.
  3. USA Today
    Reviewed by: Claudia Puig
    38
    Yes, it's a candy-colored Day-Glo world, but there's a liveliness missing from this lead-footed Speed Racer.

See all 37 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 166 out of 196
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 196
  3. Negative: 27 out of 196
  1. DaveN
    10
    It's more than a year after this movie was released. Few even knew there was a Speed Racer movie it seems, and even fewer cared to see it. I was one of those people and oh boy, am I ever sorry. A trailer means NOTHING for this type of movie. While one their own, certain scenes might appear unwatchable and the dialogue too sappy for most, as a whole this movie has escalated to the top of my list of favorite movies in the past couple years. I can't get it out of my head. The shmaltz, the eye-ravaging colours, the exhilarating soundtrack, the heart pounding races, and the comic genius --- When you become obsessed with everything related to a movie, you know it was something special. If you're gut tells you to avoid this movie, it's probably just gas.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  2. MattK
    5
    Not up to par with their previous efforts. Extremely pretty to look at, acted well enough, but the script is terrible---not what I expected out of the Wachowskis. Sometimes, especially in the first twenty minutes, the storytelling seems like it'd be pretty hard to follow for the target audience: children.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  3. USG
    3
    This is a disservice to even fans of the original Speed Racer cartoon and any references (which are too many) to the original are painful. The effects are weird and unfitting and don't suit the original series.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes

See all 196 User Reviews

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