In tune with the slew of whitewashed anime remakes hitting Hollywood (Dragonball, Astro Boy, Ghost in the Shell and more), pack leader Speed Racer has set an LSD-infused standard for ridiculousness. Instead of the very Japanese Mifune family from the beloved 1960s cartoon, we have the very un-Japanese Racer family, complete with Speed’s girlfriend Trixie and mechanic Sparky. The only Japanese character, Taejo, is played by Korean megastar Rain, whom People magazine mistakenly identified as Karl Yune (see the offending article here). Here’s the kicker – the People piece was written by Alexis Chiu, who can safely be assumed to bat for the Asian team. Smooth, People. 

Mistaken cultural identities aside, the Wachowski brothers’ take on this anime classic is nothing short of self-indulgent. The over-saturated colours defy traditional rainbow hues and take on a life of their own. But who cares about keeping it real, especially when most of the film was made via green screen? Race tracks are reminiscent of old-school Sega game Sonic the Hedgehog, with gravity-defying loop-de-loops hovering above sun-drenched ocean. The cross-country death trap known as The Crucible unfurls like a Bizarro version of the Burnout game series – full of spectacular crashes and murderous competitors. Yes, Speed Racer may be hyper-fast and generally OTT, but the best part is that somehow, it all works. 

But the Wachowskis aren’t all about showing off – they are careful to preserve Go/Speed’s iconic outfit (blue shirt, red kerchief) and red ‘M’ logo – little touches that a true blue fan will appreciate. The family theme remains strong throughout the movie, but with Trixie in a more updated role as the loyal ass-kicking girlfriend. One gripe: younger brother Spritle’s presence grates on the audience as the film progresses – much worse than Jar Jar Binks – though he reinforces the zany, anime-inspired tone. Overall, a winning effort by The Matrix team, as long as they don’t decide to make a sequel.