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“You have probably never seen anything quite like Speed Racer,” said the Evening Standard.

“But whether you’ll actually like it remains an imponderable. Bring your nephews and nieces to find out.”

Created by the Wachowski brothers – the expert team behind The Matrix – Speed Racer is a live action adaptation of the hugely successful cartoon, and stars Emile Hirsch and Christina Ricci.

Here, the eponymous Speed Racer himself continues to strive for glory against his mysterious rival Racer X.

He relies on moral support from his girlfriend Trixie, his parents and, of course, his all-important car – the Mach 5.

“Just when you thought computer-generated effects had lost their wow factor, the Wachowski Brothers have given the careers of pixel-altering geeks a jump start,” said the Sun.

“This is dizzying, full throttle, technicolour motor racing… whose scenes give you goose bumps.”

Premiere magazine scratched its head and proclaimed Speed Racer as, “one of the most genuinely confounding films to come along in years” – but it’s perhaps the fastest and certainly most thrilling ride of the year.

“If the prevailing mood of the Matrix series was dark and suspicious, this is light all the way,” decided Time Out, “and with its tongue firmly in its cheek.

“It doesn’t make for original story telling, acting, or writing, but the sheer spectacle eclipses those expectations.

“Don’t forget your sunglasses.”

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Tags: Emile Hirsch, family, On Demand, Wachowski Brothers