Race (2007) Review

                                                                                       

Race

Release Date: 3rd June 2007 - Canada (Winnipeg International Film Festival)

Production Companies

Hyper Image (presents)

CenTennial Pictures

Genre: Animation/Sci-Fi

Rating: M

Runtime: 99 minutes

Plot Summary

In a far-off future, war is no longer necessary, as the Interplanetary Alliance has established the raging, ruthless Star Car 5000 racing circuit, letting potential enemies vent their aggression on the racecourse. The drivers who compete on the track become celebrities revered everywhere, but the stakes get high. Team Earth and its driver, Trance Caldron, compete in the circuit without sponsorship to oust the other teams. But when they enter a competition with Team Tagmatia, they stumble into a plot that threatens to destroy the Peacekeeping Alliance.

The stakes rise for the

upcoming Star Car 5000

finals as the teams put their

best speed and gear to foil

Team Tagmatia's plans.

Trance must win this race

for himself and his team to beat the evil Team Tagmatia.

Voice Cast

James Hereth - Trance

Caldron/Bradford/Cmdr. Chad

Kevin Lewis - Lord Helter

Wheaton James - Samuel
Potter

Rhonda Smiley - Stash

Terry Diab - Sola/Drayka

William Mendieta - Frikes/
Gortak

H.L. Cannon - Chancellor
Nedon/Partak

J.J. Song - Chemti
Benita Andre - T.E.S. Computer

Crew
Story/Producer/Director - Robert Brousseau
Co-Director/Art Director/
Storyboard Supervisor/Artist -
Scott Heming
Story/Writer/Producer -

Rhonda Smiley
Story - Kevin O'Donnell

Associate Producer - Ricardo

Ortiz-Barreto
Co-Producer - Andy Boron

Incidental Character Design -

Miriam Goodman and Frank Rocco

Animation Lead/Technical

Director/Modeller/Texturing/

Morph Target/Lip Sync/

Animator - Dean Jackson
Animation Lead/Technical

Director/Modeller/Texturing/

Character Rigging/Animator -

Don Waters
Digital Intermediate Supervisor -

Rohan Desai
Editor/ADR Editor - James Hereth
Sound Design/Re-Recording Mixer -

Robert Duran

Re-Recording Mixer - Greg Krueger
Music - Eric Allaman

Guitar - Brad Stanfield

Review

The film draws inspiration from Star Wars' podrace sequence. The sci-fi animated feature RACE doesn't lack intensity or exciting racing action; it has plenty of both, and then some. It has a unique anime vibe that sets it apart from the beginning. However, some of its characters are underdeveloped and clichéd. For example, the eponymous hero, Trance, is unlikable. Despite being the film's main protagonist, his characterisation lacks any flair or redeeming qualities.

The film's content, including provocative depictions of some characters, makes it unsuitable for young children. A few alien characters' accents lack authenticity. Even more disappointing, the animation feels too video-game-ish, unpolished, and outdated. On the other hand, the premise is quite appealing. However, that isn't enough to offset the convoluted storyline and limited CGI budget.

This indie movie took seven years to make, not longer than Delgo. This film shows we are in an era when filmgoers expect the highest quality from animated movies. RACE didn't raise the bar high enough to compare with the other animated features. It also served as a backdoor pilot for a series that never got off the ground. This may be because the movie lacked an audience.

RACE never lived up to its potential. It is a shame this film could have been better executed with more extensive world-building. With better animation quality, or at least a bigger budget, a major animation studio could have made it more successful. You can find it online if you're still interested, even after my mixed review. However, it's a one-time watch and not worth adding to the collection.

Star rating: (3/5) Average

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