NOW IN THEATERS! Definitely meant for the younger set, Ross Venokur’s animated feature, Rally Road Racers, teaches kids to dream big with race cars and cute animals.
Zhi (Jimmy O. Yang) is a small and lovable loris goat that dreams of one day becoming an auto racer like his deceased mother. Fearful that he might befall the same fate, Zhi’s grandmother, Granny Bai (Lisa Lu), insists that he finds a new hobby and teaches him to slow down in many aspects of his life.
Meanwhile, the evil toad, Archie Vainglorious (John Cleese), is about to tear down Granny Bai’s home turning it and the surrounding loris homes into a muddy resort. Desperate to save his Granny’s home, Zhi bets Vainglorious that if he beats him in the upcoming four-day Silk Road Rally, Granny can keep her home free and clear. But if he loses, Zhi becomes that spokes-puppet for Vainglorious when he takes over the loris’ land.
As far as an animated film for kids goes, Rally Road Racers is pretty basic. I’ve already mentioned the cute animals and race cars. There’s also the standard cartoon slapstick and other car-racing schtick. With the high-speed antics, much of the action reminds me of the Looney Tunes hilarious-yet-dangerous toons of my childhood. Also safe for the kids are the film’s themes of following your dreams, taking things slow, and finding discipline in one’s ventures.
“…if he beats him in the upcoming four-day Silk Road Rally, Granny can keep her home free and clear.”
The overly eager Zhi must turn to racer-turned-mechanic Gnash (J.K. Simmons) to teach him to become a professional driver on this grueling course. Gnash observes not only Zhi’s flawed techniques in driving but also his tendencies that prevent him from becoming a true driver. Then there’s the girl in Shelby (Chloe Bennet), who is also a racer and takes an instant liking to Zhi…surely there must be something more here…
Running with this “basic” theme, the animation is good, but not precisely Pixar-level quality. The simple 3D characters have a Blue Sky and Dreamworks animation style to their character designs. In addition, much of the 3D action is set against a 2d backdrop. All this to say, the film is inexpensive compared to the incredible detail you associate with Pixar.
One thing that stuck out as original is that the film’s setting is in China. In fact, the Silk Road Rally ends in Shanghai. The loris are all played by Chinese-English actors Jimmy O. Yang, Lisa Lu, and Chloe Bennet. The rest of the animal kingdoms are played by the likes of J.K. Simmons, John Cleese, and Katherine Tate.
Rally Road Racers may not change the world or elevate the art form of animated features. Instead, it’s one of those films my kid would watch over and over again. It is good, wholesome fun, with some classic actors to help appease the parents looking for things to do with their kids.