I loved The Wachowski's virtually flawless adaptation of Speed Racer, and although my inner 8 year old is alive and kicking, it wasn't that which made the movie for me. No, not by a long shot. What made the movie for me was partly its inherent concern for the clash of certain family values -- that of the nuclear unit (think about that phrase for a minute - I think its a powerful metaphor) vs. the corporate family; and partly its stellar execution of a simple cartoon we loved as kids. Roger Allam was perfect as the diabolical owner of Royalton - he exuded satanic corporate power. mild spoilers to follow. when he's trying to get Speed to sign that contract, I gotta say something: I caved. I was practically urging Speed Racer to sign the damn contract! That's how good Roger Allam is in this role. And yes the film served me a lesson. How do you like that ?

So what's with the Speed Racer hate? Oh I've given the matter sufficient thought already. Its a conspiracy that's clear to see. We live in the era of newspeak - we are up to our ears in it. The fact this movie has received a 35% approval rating on rottentomatoes.com should tell you something. And its not that the movie sux. Its that The Powers That Be don't want you to like this movie. That's how subversive I believe the Wachowski Bros. to be. I'm being serious here. They can get ridiculed all the way to the bank for all I care but I know subversion when I see it. And I love their damn movies.

Matthew Fox nailed the role of Racer X. Good thing Keanu Reeves turned down that role, because his familiarity wouldv'e tainted it - perhaps that factored into his declining. It's given Matthew Fox the opportunity to turn in a well calculated effort in the mysterious role of Racer X. Really everyone in this thing put in the extra effort to lend their abject realism to a manga -!- think about it.

So what's with Speed Racer hate ? You don't have to go figure - look around you, at our plasticized, fake society. A society whose values have become nearly inverted. (It makes me wonder how many people out there claiming they hated this movie - secretly liked it, but they're just too embarrased, somehow - to admit it.) I don't want to get too deeply into the inherent symbolism behind Racer X's character - it's writ quite plain on the film's subtext - but its just one small portion of a virtual smorgasbord of hyperkinetic moviemaking this film offers, for this century. This is the good stuff, as far as I'm concerned - like the John Kricfalusi Ren & Stimpy's - gonzo entertainment with a double entendre. Speed Racer's got something for everyone. But there's clearly somebody out there that just doesn't want you to see it. And I'm afraid this someone's army of disenfranchised minions *koff/gasp*US* is starting to care less about it, too.

I sure hope this movie gets a higher critical rating from the underground, to offset the smeared campaign currently being waged against it. It deserves recognition for what it is - a daring and faithful adaptation of a beloved japanese children's manga (for crying out loud). The Wachowski Bros. have redeemed themselves, in my book. And I'm not convinced I should have ever doubted them in the first place.
 

If you fall into the widespread network of distorted lies and falsifications "The Man" is desperately trying to spread about this film, then you really are just another programmed iBot who traded in your original brain for the media-controlled feeding frenzy of opinions out there meant to mold you into yet another compliant clone to be herded along with the rest of the sheep. The Wachowskis know exactly what they are doing, and they adorn the simple Speed Racer story with a compelling subtext which valiantly fights for the right of the uncorrupted everyman to stand up for what he believes in - so long as what he believes in is the right thing - - and not the bling thing (if you know what I'm sayin').

What I'm sayin' is, every cheap ass self-disrespecting corporate whore who sold their soul long ago to this cheap plasticized digital empire of meaningless filth will have their circuits fried at this movie. I can picture them emerging from the neon-dazzled darkness blinking "does not compute, does not compute" while they blindly reach for their iPods to soothe their provoked consciences. A quick push of the PLAY button will wash out their need to think and they can resume being pacified at the corporate teat of synthesized hypnomusic and dream about their next free .mpg offer when they log back on to facebook. I'm saying The Wachowskis have pitched their good-message movie at a nation of already turned soulless vampires, is what I'm saying. I'm saying that the hordes of drooling mindless idiots out there had already lost their last shred of humanity by the time Speed Racer opened in theaters last Friday, May 9, 2008. I'm saying the movie is representative of a nearly extinct ethic, and this, perhaps, is one of the reasons for all the hate in its wake spewed out by the clueless sponsors of human putrefication.

Go see the movie already and think for yourself. Otherwise go ahead and sign that fat contract and just lie down so the minions of ignorance may continue to gang rape you. I'm saying if you don't like Speed Racer the movie your soul was hopelessly corrupted a long time ago my friend. Especially if you didn't even bother to see it: that would just show you've actually bought into the media-induced efforts at discrediting the Wachowski's brilliantly subversive upgrade of a kid's cartoon. If you are one of those people who deep inside used to like Speed Racer as a kid but have grown up to become an adult whose opinion of something can be molded by a 35% rating at Rottentomatoes -- then you, my friend, are a lost soul primed to be flushed down the toilet of the new corporatism. If, on the other hand, there is still a shred of humanity left in what passes for your spiritually ravaged shell of a body, you might take a chance that the critics (and the robots who blindly follow them) are full of shit, and Speed Racer actually qualifies as a solid fun time at the movies.

Please go see Speed Racer and help spread the word. Otherwise, go back to your mindless jobs of becoming fodder for this soulless age of corporatism. You either fight the power, or you stand in the way. Either get on the side of the good guys, or continue being patsies and human shields for the evil underlings of Corporate Satanism. Its your choice. The Wachowski Bros. have clearly demarcated which side of that line they stand on. And I for one know that I stand with them.