For it is very Meet & Right, so to Go.
It has been assumed that the only distinctly Christian themed motion picture of this Year of Our Lord 2,008 would be the moderately anticipated and overly computer generated second entry in the series of movies adapted from C.S. Lewis’ “Chronicles of Narnia,” a series that has won the old Englishman the posthumous title of ‘traitor’ on the lips and hearts of the atheistic masses who seek validation for their faith in the only place where religion belongs, according to them: Fiction. The failure of the first entry in “His Dark Materials,” the slipshod answer to Narnia’s proselytizing to be either effective as an enjoyable motion picture series or rock the foundations of the perceived (read: nonexistent) Protestant theocracy in our country was not the first blow the anti-Christian movement in Hollywood, however. I come before you on this day of the Pentecost to tell you about a movie that began with a humble story of a family and their love for fast cars and became one of the greatest Christian epics our country has ever witnessed. I am speaking, of course, about "Speed Racer."
The Christian symbolism that permeates the movie begins with the eponymous Racer family. The senior member of the family is Pops Racer, an old-fashioned mechanic and engineer who eagerly shares his trade and his passion for racing with his sons. By his own assertion, his proudest achievement in life was marrying “his best friend,” and having three wonderful children by her. The supportive but slightly misunderstanding role of Pops Racer is a direct allusion to the fervently working and always caring St. Joseph the Carpenter, which turns our focus to Pops Racer’s sons. The oldest son who served to inspire the younger two with not only his daring and unparalleled racing abilities but also his firm grasp of justice is the appropriately named Rex Racer, who the middle brother and chief protagonist of the story, the titularly named Speed Racer, idolizes and looks to for inspiration at every point of his life. Educating his younger brothers in the art of virtuous racing is cut short when Rex Racer is scandalized by sinister and greedy corporations and cast out of his home, denied by his family, and eventually lost in a tragic accident. The signature act of passing from the Racer family’s life is when Rex gives the keys to his racing car to Speed; a perfect allusion to the passing of the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven to Saint Peter. Two years later, as Speed is coming of age and ready to follow in his brother’s footsteps as the new leader of the Racer dynasty and racing worldwide, a mysterious and unrecognizable masked man appears on the racing circuit known only for the symbol of the cross emblazoned on his mask: Racer X. The Christ figure in Rex Racer has been transfigured to appear before his most fervent followers. Just as Christ commanded His disciples to take up His cross and follow Him, Rex’s car, the iconic Mach 5 has become the symbol of his successor, Speed who took it to victory over the satanic corporations.
That brings us to the most important metaphor in the film, which is that of racing as a direct allusion to religion. Let's examine this in greater depth: During Rex Racer’s earthly years, racing is nothing short of a mockery of its purer and idealized form. Corruption permeates into every facet, with corporations from every major nation of the world turning the art of fixing races into one of the most lucrative businesses known to man. Rex Racer’s open defiance represents Christ turning money changers out of temples and challenging the authority of the Pharisees. Though his crusade against corruption leads to his seeming death, Racer X arrives on the scene to guide his disciple, Speed Racer, to spearhead a redoubled effort to redeem racing. Victory after victory in each showdown with the corporations eventually begins the true revolution: the rise of the Christian Church. The film ends with Racer X, revealed finally to be one and the same as Rex Racer, watching the victory procession from his box, content that his mission is finally complete.
Further Christian cameos include:
- The youngest brother in the Racer family, Spritle, whose youthful insight, spirit, and closeness with Mama Racer makes him a shoe-in for the role of the St. John, the most beloved Apostle of Christ. While Speed finds himself tempted to submit to the will of the corporations, Spritle never even considers that they could be anything other than evil, thus allowing him to remain pure of even momentary failing: Compare how Peter and John responded to temptation in the final hours of the Passion, and the link reveals itself. His suspicion of the true intentions of Racer X, however, lends him aspects of St. Thomas, the "Doubter."
- Taejo Togokahn, a Japanese racer who deceives Racer X and Speed Racer into assisting him in furthering his own avaricious goals under the pretense of busting the corporate corruption, represents Judas Iscariot. Racer X is privy to Taejo's underhanded dealings and chastises him early on, but that doesn't stop him from carrying out his plot. When Speed Racer achieves victory and ushers in the new age of virtuous racing, Taejo is forced to watch from the sidelines, realizing only then that his victory was a hollow one.
- Inspector Detector, an agent of the law who worked closely with Racer X to facilitate his change of identity and ultimately helps him bust the corporations represents Joseph of Arimathea.
- Sparky, the chief mechanic of the Racer family who served dutifully by the side of all racing Racers, represents Simon of Cyrene who helped Jesus carry the Cross.
As nothing less than an epic retelling of the Passion of Christ and the Acts of the Apostles in a refreshing new medium, I have only conclusion: Go see, “Speed Racer,” Go!
