Redline (2009)

Redline (R) - Review

"Go Speed Racer!"

A stylish well-designed anime that blows a tire over cliched characters, sexism and trying to be too cool.  Moments of exhilarating animation are vastly overshadowed by lame attempts of characterization and plot using played out genre devices;  the anti hero JP must race in the universe's most dangerous race, a contest featuring a rogues gallery of aliens, exgirlfriends and sinister forces trying to reach a finish line because it's there.

Overloaded and overhyped, Redline crashes under its own weight way before the checkered flag waves.  All that detail and wax buffs and chrome and burning nitro can't outrace the eyerolling script, the writing being stuck in first gear, grinding around at an 8th grade level with no idea where the clutch is.

5 Hand Cramps out of 10 (MEDIOCRE)