Review of Initial D (2005) by Max A — 23 Jan 2008

Interesting story, but low-budget look and feel with weak acting and uninspired racing scenes. Anthony Wong sleeps through his role as the drunk abusive has-been father/tofu guy... literally sleeps.

There's no drama here either - it's all music and stylistic camera work and such - nothing dramatic happens really and when it finally does, you're wondering if you're supposed to care as much as when he blows a spark plug and someone says his car should deliver tofu instead of race (which was apparently the end of the world) is about as bad as finding out your girlfriend is a prostitute... I was often left scratching my head at why everyone was so serious and broody. It's just racing crappy cars on one stretch of road.

Still - there's something kinda fun about this stupid little movie. Even though the bad-guy bad-ass racers look like total douche bags with head injuries and the hero is a bit of an asshole who lacks personality, you find yourself giving a shit who wins. What's funny is they treat this like they do any film about some sort of competition - like a kung-fu style head to head... they go on and on about their driving styles as though disciplines of martial arts. Maybe that's why the cars in this are so old - they represent ancient kung-fu arts?

Anyway - worth a watch I suppose... just don't expect much. Perhaps you would be better off with the anime.