Speed Racer

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Speed Racer

PG

Released May 9, 2008

2h 15m

Action

Adventure

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

42%

Tomatometer

218 Reviews

60%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

Born into a family business of race cars, Speed Racer (Emile Hirsch) is one of the track's hot stars. Sitting at the wheel of his Mach 5, he consistently deflates the competition. When Speed turns down an offer from the head of Royalton Industries, he uncovers a secret. Powerful moguls fix the races to boost profits. Hoping to beat the executive, Speed enters the same arduous cross-country race that killed his brother.

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Critics Consensus

Overloaded with headache-inducing special effects, Speed Racer finds the Wachowskis focused on visual thrills at the expense of a coherent storyline.

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William Goss

Film.com

Amid the overly earnest tone, (almost) squeaky-clean humor and familiar messages about teamwork and integrity is the rare film family that's as strong at the start as they are by the end.

May 29, 2013

Full Review

Peter Bradshaw

Guardian

You have to be 12 to like it, and I have to say there is little or nothing here to remind us why we were all quite so excited about The Matrix.

Rated: 2/5

Oct 18, 2008

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St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Rated: C+

Oct 18, 2008

Full Review

Chance Solem-Pfeifer

Willamette Week

Behold the racing stripes and lipstick so red they’d make Technicolor blush, and live-action performances (by almost everyone but star Emile Hirsch) reaching for the transcendently unrestrained hysteria of action anime.

Apr 3, 2025

Full Review

Tina Kakadelis

Beyond the Cinerama Dome

The Wachowskis’ style is very distinctive, and while The Matrix series is far grittier than Speed Racer, they share the same belief that good people and love are the answer to changing the world for the better.

Jul 25, 2023

Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

It’s a cinematic sugar rush.

Rated: 3.5/4

Mar 10, 2023

Full Review

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Jadan S

One of the very few Anime to Live-action films made that not only honors the original show, but improves upon it.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/04/25

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Stephen C

Funny in 2.25 hours!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The USA grossed over $43,900,000.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/08/25

Full Review

Gabriel K

This movie… i never knew how animation was done, just loved it. Then after speed doodles an animation on his test, all clicked for me. I have the M of mach 5 tattooed in my body, so I don’t forget to think freely and be creative. The Wachowskis were truly ahead of their time, stylized movies inspired by anime culture are all over the place and this is a hidden gem, it’s janky, but wonderful. They do know how to transmit a message.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/03/25

Full Review

Brandon S

Visuals are bit too uncanny world type CGI and Emile's dramatic moments are underwhelming to say the least, but there's a really good movie in here if they trimmed a bit of the fat off.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

06/28/25

Full Review

M. H

This is a cinematic masterpiece on par with Citizen Kane and 12 Angry Men. The critics that hate on this film are pseudo intellectual simpletons that should stick to Dan Brown and Jack Reacher movies.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/22/25

Full Review

Thomas O

This is one of the very few live action movies that really goes above and beyond the orginal source material. Movie isnt for everone but if you grew up with the old cartoon speed racer your sure to love this one.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/09/25

Full Review

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Lilly Wachowski

Director

Lana Wachowski

Director

Emile Hirsch

Speed

Christina Ricci

Trixie

Susan Sarandon

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Synopsis

Born into a family business of race cars, Speed Racer (Emile Hirsch) is one of the track's hot stars. Sitting at the wheel of his Mach 5, he consistently deflates the competition. When Speed turns down an offer from the head of Royalton Industries, he uncovers a secret. Powerful moguls fix the races to boost profits. Hoping to beat the executive, Speed enters the same arduous cross-country race that killed his brother.

Director: Lilly Wachowski, Lana Wachowski
Producer: Joel Silver, Grant Hill, Lilly Wachowski, Lana Wachowski
Screenwriter: Lilly Wachowski, Lana Wachowski
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Production Co: Warner Bros., Village Roadshow Entertainment, Silver Pictures
Rating: PG (Language|Brief Smoking|Sequences of Action|Some Violence)
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 9, 2008, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 1, 2010
Box Office (Gross USA): $43.9M
Runtime: 2h 15m
Sound Mix: DTS, Dolby SRD, SDDS
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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