Race

This movie is totally destined to be cult classic - have no idea why it didn't get a larger release.

Great action scenes, racy anime vibe makes it more engaging than usual US animation fare -- maybe not a great movie for young kids (some of the characters are provocatively drawn)? but super fun movie. The action is relentless, lot of innuendo and racy dialog with highly endowed female characters -- reminds me of a lot of classic Japanese race films (Ghost In The Shell, etc.) Had a pretty tight script and great dialog. Is this finally coming out on DVD?? I've been looking for it online for a couple years...

I'm a fan of indie sci-fi flicks, and apparently so are director Robert Brosseau and the Hyper Image production company, because the 2007 film they released is a surprisingly ambitious stab at an animated adventure aimed at the PG-13 crowd. RACE is not the most original space opera ever made and is not without its share of glaring problems, but the tendency of the filmmakers to make the extra effort shines through in most of the features' aspects and makes this one worth chancing for particular sci-fi fans.

The story: In a distant future wherein a shaky interplanetary alliance is maintained by the popularity of a dangerous vehicular sport, a ragtag human racing team uncovers the plot of a sinister ruler to seize control by shattering the alliance.

Despite its cartoonish design and unrated status, RACE is clearly a movie for a slightly older crowd of kids, given its salty dialogue, high level of violence, and sexual undertones. This works well enough for an action feature, and the movie definitely has some good adrenaline scenes going for it. The entire racing aspect is a clear lift from THE PHANTOM MENACE – right down to the first contest taking place on a desert planet – but the filmmakers have a knack for creating thrills and craft three surprisingly excellent race scenes, bolstered by a handful of shootouts and dogfights. Most promising of all is Brosseau's direction: even though the animation sometimes dips into cheap video game quality, the editing and camera-work gives this one a surprisingly professional edge, to the point that it's easy to imagine it being filmed in live-action.

Disappointingly, the film's weaknesses weigh heavy on its enjoyability. The screenplay by Rhonda Smiley is intricately detailed - possibly too much so for some viewers. The extensive cast and complexity of the plot's politics are more akin to DUNE than anything George Lucas ever created, and it may be a little excessive for a casual audience. It might seem more involving had the characters been more intriguing, but from the cocky protagonist to the crotchety team manager and the doomed best friend, don't expect many surprises or opportunities for these guys to grow on you. Additionally, the heavy sexualization of female characters is wearying: I challenge anyone to find even a handful of female characters – even in the background – who are not revealingly dressed or designed with enormous breasts.

Nevertheless, RACE is unique enough of an experience to take note of, and in that regard, it's disappointing that it's so obscure. Without a doubt, this is the niche film of someone who has yet to discover it, and the feature is strong enough to make it worth checking out – just in case you're that someone. Rent it if you're interested.

This movie was on Showtime today and I decided to give it a chance. I then looked on IMDb to find some terrible reviews. Then I saw some good reviews that didn't seem to make sense. So here is a REAL REVIEW.

This movie is not good, but it is not bad either, it's just okay. It has too much cussing for a kids movie and the women are not exactly accurately portrayed physically at least. (huge breasts with visible nipple bulges on almost all women, super skinny waists, skimpy clothing etc...) It also has some violence that probably isn't the best for younger kids, but some of the stuff they show these days is a lot worse so I suppose that's just to be expected in this day and age.

Now the good, It had a fairly unique plot, or rather it mixed up some semi-familiar stories and made them it's own. I liked the general theme of space and the future and the 'universe' it created. All this was cool but could have been far better explained.

Overall I feel this movie could have been far better if it had been produced by a larger company or at least with a larger budget and a fuller explanation of the universe and improved quality of the animation. Maybe it's just style but it looked like one of those cheap cartoons that are being produced these days rather than a full budget "movie".

My boys loved this movie. There's over-the-top racetrack designs and nonstop action, so it's great for older gradeschool and junior high boys. It also contains tough/strong girl characters, too, so girls of that same age group will likely enjoy it. There's a constant drive (pardon the pun) to the movie and soundtrack which kept my boys on the edge of their seats.

I'm not aware of many PG-13ish animated films out there, so this is a nice film for kids of a certain age who are too old of "cute" animated films but not yet ready for serious anime.

I would think that anyone who likes gaming would enjoy this movie as it has that immersive visual quality to it.