Fantasy author Brandon Sanderson has praised the 2008 film Speed Racer as “unironically a 10 out of 10”, calling it the Wachowskis at their best and arguing that it was overlooked on release. His remarks matter because they add a prominent voice to the film’s gradual reassessment as a visually distinctive, deliberately cartoonish adaptation.

Sanderson said the film’s poor performance stemmed from its exaggerated style and simple morality, rather than a lack of quality. It made $94 million at the box office and holds 42% on Rotten Tomatoes and 6.1/10 on IMDb, although IGN’s 2008 review awarded it 9/10; a recent limited-edition 4K/Blu-ray steelbook and cinema screenings have also renewed interest.