Redline

Redline is one of those movies that is absolutely popping with adolescent joy, from the sleekly-animated racing sequences to the ridiculous bravado of the characters. It's a bold debut for director Takeshi Koike, and what really amazes is that it manages to be an epic story that at the same time seems to be only a sliver of a crazy and exciting universe. You get the feeling that any of the other racers, some of whom only get a sliver of screen time, could easily support their own movie, and that kind of overflowing exuberance is hard not to buy into. The only other media that comes to mind as capturing this sensation is the anime series Giant Robo, which seems like a clear precedent here.

Plot-wise, there isn't much going on, with the story a serviceable vehicle to get from one action sequence to another. It does, however, manage to use common tropes in a way that feels mythic and not derivative. Redline really only does one thing -- epic action -- and those looking for anything else will probably be disappointed. But man, does it succeed on that front.

This review would be incomplete without mentioning the amazing music, an eclectic group of tunes that completes the adrenaline rush. Hell, every character gets their own theme song. How cool is that? (My favourite is Machine Head's.) And, in the end, that's what Redline ultimately wants to leave you thinking: "How cool is that?"