Speed Racer

I don't know why I was excited about this movie. I'm 48 years old and you would think that a movie about a cartoon I watched when I was a kid would not affect me that way.. but it did. It was just something to do before I had to do homework after school. Or it was something to watch before I caught the bus for school. I was not a fanatic nor am I a fanatic now. A friend and I used to make fun of how they talked on the show when we were in college.. that's about how much I was in to it.

Then later in life when on long bus rides with kids or whatever singing the Speed Racer theme song was something that was done to embarrass the kids or impress them that I knew a song to a cartoon that they watched....my kids or kids from youth at church. Anyway..no watching the cartoon probably since the 1970's with an occasional visit in the 80's for a laugh.

So again, I don't know why I was so pumped about going and seeing this. Perhaps it was because I was so impressed with what the Wachowski brothers did with "The Matrix" and wondered what it would be like. Maybe because I still sing that theme song now and again just for fun. Maybe it was because I still remember how funny they sounded.

The commercials looked amazing.. somewhat of a crazy sensory display of light and color. I like bright shiny things... So I was hooked.

I loved the movie. I was slightly heartbroken in that there were I guess 3 profanities and one scene where the family is on an elevator about to leave a very heated discussion and Spritle gives the international high sign. A mom of smaller kids in front of me whispers to her kids "never do that". I would have been disappointed to take my kids to this movie when they were a lot younger.

This movie is not for them.. unless they hear those words already then I guess it's not a big deal but we don't curse at home... I try not to curse at all.. I feel it was a weakness of mine for years and I have given it up. I also felt it was the best way for my kids to know that it was not proper.. we don't say this at home so you know it's not appropriate... The movie had no F-bombs just a few words that were not necessary for the movie to be successful.

I don't think this movie was made for small kids although that was half the audience. The movie was made for me.. and adults like me that grew up watching this cartoon. As the show progressed memories of my youth and this cartoon rushed back. I found myself laughing to myself during the movie during parts that were not funny just because John Goodman nailed Pops. Spritle was pretty darn good and finally Speed confronts Racer X on his identity. No doubt I could not figure out how stupid this guy was that he couldn't see that Racer X was his brother... Racer X... Rex Racer... racer rex... rex racer duh!!!!

I won't reveal the outcome of that but I thought it was handled very well.

Chim Chim or the two monkeys that played Chim Chim were great. Inspector detector.. heck I forgot about him.. Inspector detector was great too.

The story line stuck to the story line of the old cartoons....and in case you forget about what that was all about the sound bites that run during the credits include audio from old cartoon clips that help you remember just how important it was that Speed win the races he ran.

I was blow away. It was so good.. it brought back so many memories and held so true to that old cartoon in so many ways... some of the action scenes.. the dismounting of the cars were real and yet cartoon like. The backgrounds were very colorful and you might have sensory overload if you are not careful.

I loved it as a movie for the adult that grew up watching it. Later, I even finally got to go see "Iron Man" after Speed Racer and I have to say that "Speed Racer" was much better... different .. but for me .. yesterday.. better.

Take all that for what it's worth. I'm no movie critic. I go to be entertained.