Speed Racer is pure pop-art cinema; which can potentially ignite the inner child in just about anyone, just as long as they are willing to surrender themselves to the vision of Andy and Larry Wachowski, the brothers behind The Matrix trilogy. Based on the campy 60’s Japanese cartoon, the movie is unapologetically a living cartoon (shot nearly entirely using greenscreen), and the sea of color is almost enough to melt your retinas. The light and fluffy story centers around the Racer family; lead by the fearless Speed (Emile Hirsch), and supported by his girlfriend Trixie (Christina Ricci), his parents Mom and Pop (Susan Sarandon and John Goodman), his little brother Spritle (Paulie Litt) and they’re pet chimpanzee, Chim-Chim, who live to build race cars. Royalton (V for Vendetta’s Roger Allam), the power-crazy owner of Royalton Industries tempts Speed with the promise of wealth and fame in a luxurious life if he races for him, but when he chooses to remain faithful to his family and their “mom & pop” enterprise, it’s the monster Goliath vs. the little man, in a what turns into a deadly game of survival as Speed races to restore the nobility of the sport he so very dearly loves, and has pursued so passionately since childhood, and with a little help from the mysterious Racer X (played well by Lost's Matthew Fox), attempt to expose the league’s big-wig corrupters that are behind the curtain, pulling the strings.

True, the movie is 100% eye candy, and I wouldn’t try to salvage real depth from the plot; it is rather basic, but the art truly is in the execution of this very simple premise. The world of cinema has always been restricted by the limitations of the camera, but with Speed Racer the camera has never been more agile and free to do whatever and go wherever it wants, and in the hands of visionary directors like the Wachowski’s, that’s a very fun place to be. Sure, it’s cartoonish, and artificial in an out-of-this-world kind of way, and in all practical senses “ridiculous”, but that’s exactly the point: when adapting something like a cartoon, either go BIG or go home, and one thing the Wachowski’s seem to not care for is subtlety. Major kudos definitely go to special effects supervisor John Gaeta, and production designer Owen Patterson (The Matrix) for creating a crayon-colored Blade Runner-like world, and Michael Giacchino (The Incredibles) for provided the film's Looney Tunes-like musical score. I was a bit nervous going in, thinking that the 129 minute running time might be just too much, but thankfully there is enough fun mischief to give these characters charm and just enough quieter moments that sit still just long enough to allow you to recharge; prepping yourself for the next big race or action sequence. The style of the film is certainly unique and eye-catching, even over stimulating, much like stepping out into bright sunlight; it’ll take a little while for your eyes to properly adjust, but by the time you do, the story really takes off and never looks back; only getting more intense, more crazy and more fun as it reaches the finish line. Speed Racer is a blast: a psychedelic Hot Wheels set that zooms along on a sugar rush from start to finish.