“Are we the crazy ones? »

As the franchise prepares to return to live-action, Emile Hirsch candidly reflects on Speed ​​Runner. The 2008 film was a live-action English adaptation of the iconic manga of the same name revolving around the adventures of the main character. Also starring John Goodman, Christina Ricci and Susan Sarandon, and directed by The matrix team, the Wachowskis, the film was a critical and commercial disappointment upon release, grossing just under $94 million against its $120 million production budget, with generally mixed reviews.

During a recent interview with FilmWebHirsch was asked about Speed ​​RunnerThe inheritance of and initial reception upon exit. The star candidly recalled his and his co-stars’ surprise when the film failed at the box office, as the team had confidence in the film they had made, while enthusiastically sharing their love for the cult following during the past. 16 years old. Check out what Hirsch said below:

What’s interesting about Speed ​​Racer is that the trajectory it took, oddly enough, is similar to the one in the cartoon. The cartoon only had two seasons, maybe three. And that’s not much for a big children’s show. These cartoons last forever. So it had a relatively short duration.

But over the years, he gained this cult following. When he left, he was unanimously tenacious. I remember we were all like, “Man, this movie is so good. How come no one understands?” That was sort of our point of view. But then we also asked ourselves, “Are we the crazy ones?” Because it’s the audience and the critics… So it’s really rewarding to see everyone come back all these years later.

Why Speed ​​Racer remains a cult classic

With a 42% review approval rating across all reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, the response to Speed ​​Runner was decidedly mixed, with the main criticisms aimed at its 135-minute runtime and lackluster storyline, while its many CGI critics left divided. Ultimately, however, critics were generally favorable to the film‘s stylized direction and the performances of its actors, with critics feeling that they all perfectly captured the energy of their manga and anime counterparts. Find out how Speed ​​Runner compares to other Wachowski films on Rotten Tomatoes:

It was ultimately the last elements of the film which contributed to building Speed ​​RunnerThe cult following to the passionate numbers he has today. Through their blend of colorful visual effects and production design, polished cinematography, and overall clear tone, the Wachowskis clearly understood where the heart and soul of the source material lay and effectively brought that to life in the movie. The actors also showed remarkable mastery of their characters’ characters, with Hirsch, Ricci and Matthew Fox’s Racer X in particular being the standouts of the bunch.

Despite the negative reception, many of the Speed ​​Runner the actors remain grateful for their experience on the film. Hirsch has already expressed his desire to Rant screen end of 2022 to reprise the role, but on the condition that the Wachowskis are involved as he “it wouldn’t be right to try to initiate something like that with themAlthough the franchise is moving in a different direction with a JJ Abrams live-action TV show on Apple TV+, it’s still heartening for longtime fans of the film to hear Hirsch’s continued love for its cult following.

Source: FilmWeb