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Speed Racer

Speed Racer

Go!

2008135 minPGMidcredits score: 58th percentile of all films
Directors
Lilly Wachowski, Lana Wachowski
Starring
Emile Hirsch, Christina Ricci, John Goodman, Susan Sarandon

Speed Racer is a young and brilliant racing driver. When corruption in the racing leagues costs his brother his life, Speed must team up with the police and the mysterious Racer X to bring an end to the corruption and criminal activities.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Speed Racer?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Speed Racer streaming on Howdy via Prime Video and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Subscription

via Prime Video

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Speed Racer?

Speed Racer earns 7 badges, led by Guilty pleasure and Spectacle.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Speed Racer worth watching?

Speed Racer's Midcredits score is the 58th percentile of all films, from 389K ratings across 6 sources. 52% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

58th percentile

Better received than 58% of films

74th percentile among Action56th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)60th
Approval (how many liked it)55th

64 /100

60th percentile of all films

76th percentile among Action59th percentile among 2000s

Critics 37 · Audience 66

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.4 — solid but not unanimous.

52% liked it

55th percentile of all films

68th percentile among Action52nd percentile among 2000s
52% rated it 7–1048% rated it 1–6

Critics 43% · Audience 60%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 1 wins / 12 noms overall

98th percentile

389K ratings across platforms

95th percentile among Action96th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 10% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$120M
Opening weekend$19M
Domestic gross$44M
Worldwide gross$94M

Returned 0.8× its budget — 84th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree Speed Racer is a wildly stylized, candy-colored, intentionally cartoonish live-action anime that prioritizes visual spectacle over plot depth.

Fans praised

  • visually dazzling hyper-saturated colors and imaginative world
  • genuinely heartfelt family dynamic and loyalty theme
  • exhilarating racing sequences with creative stunt design

Detractors panned

  • overlong runtime with sluggish exposition and corporate monologues
  • annoying comic relief from Spritle and Chim-Chim that derails momentum
  • shallow characters and derivative story

What stands out

Effects and spectacleDivisive85

Groundbreaking CGI racing stunts and vibrant car designs

CinematographyDivisive80

Dazzling super-saturated color palette and dynamic compositing

AtmosphereDivisive80

Immersive candy-colored fantasy world that feels like a live-action cartoon

OriginalityDivisive75

Unique blend of live-action and anime aesthetics; no other film looks like this

ActingDivisive65

Emile Hirsch earnest but one-note; John Goodman and Susan Sarandon bring warmth

Plot and story35

Simple good-vs-evil racing corruption story with convoluted corporate subplot

CharactersDivisive35

Paper-thin archetypes; family love is the only depth

PacingDivisive30

Overlong at 135 minutes; slow first hour drags with talky scenes

Preferred by

Critics vs users

Preferred by Users

Users scored it 15 points higher than critics.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 1 point apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 3 points apart
  • US vs non-US 9 points apart

Watch experience

What is Speed Racer like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Fun ride: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want a fun ride.

It is intense, never lets up and leaves you hopeful.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Fun ride.

The answer rests on this: Moods
ThrillingHopefulBittersweet
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Adventurous · 11% of filmsPlayful
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its dramatic and family themes straight while embracing a hyper-stylized, cartoonish aesthetic.
The rideThe film maintains high-octane racing energy from start to finish, with emotional family moments woven throughout.
StructureLinear story with occasional flashbacks, but told in a conventional three-act structure.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Hopeful.

The answer rests on this: HopefulRousing · 10% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves the audience uplifted by the triumph of family integrity and justice over corporate corruption.
How it ends · evidence
Happy endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Monster
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% (this title) · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Corporate villainy: A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).

21% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeSpeed Racer uncovers a corporate conspiracy fixing races and must race to expose the truth and save his family's business.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfFamilybonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4% (this title)
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Family bondsLoyalty · 4% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores the strength of family bonds in the face of corporate corruption.
StanceThe film celebrates family loyalty, integrity, and the triumph of the underdog over corporate corruption.

The world

Near futureUrbanIn transitScience fiction
Orchestral modernElectronicSupportive music · original score
SettingA futuristic world where racing is a global, corporate-sponsored spectacle

Content guide

Is Speed Racer okay for kids?

PG

Speed Racer is rated PG: “Rated PG for sequences of action, some violence and language” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (42/100), sexual content at minimal (14/100), language at moderate (38/100), drug and alcohol content at minimal (6/100) and frightening material at moderate (50/100). Overall it is heavier than 65% of PG-rated films.

Ratings in 17 other countries
  • UKPG
  • CanadaPG
  • AustraliaPG
  • Germany12
  • FranceTP
  • IrelandPG
  • JapanPG12
  • South Korea12
  • Brazil10
  • Austria12
  • Denmark11
  • Hungary12
  • Netherlands6
  • Poland12
  • PortugalM/6
  • Spain7
  • Switzerland12
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 21% of all filmsHeavier than 65% of PG-rated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate
typical for a PG-rated film
heavier than 65%
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
light for a PG-rated film
heavier than 25%
Profanity
Moderate
typical for a PG-rated film
heavier than 74%
Alcohol & Drugs
None / Minimal
light for a PG-rated film
heavier than 9%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
heavy for a PG-rated film
heavier than 75%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is frightening material, heavier than 75% of PG-rated films.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Speed Racer have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Speed Racer?

Cast

3 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Emile Hirsch
as Speed
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Christina Ricci
as Trixie
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
John Goodman
as Pops
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Susan Sarandon
as Mom
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Matthew Fox
as Racer X
Roger Allam
as Royalton
Paulie Litt
as Spritle Racer
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Benno Fürmann
as Inspector Detector
Hiroyuki Sanada
as Mr. Musha
Rain
as Taejo Togokahn

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Speed Racer?

Movies like Speed Racer include Incredibles 2 (2018), Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025) and Real Steel (2011). Of the 12 closest matches, several are films set in the near future, and most are family adventures.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

3 of these 12 share its story type: corporate villainy. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Speed Racer?

2.1K other films share the rarest tag below, follows: athlete. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.