Go Karts review – Netflix film is average storytelling but a thrilling ride

Netflix Australian film Go Karts will be released on the platform on March 13, 2020.

If you have read my recent reviews, I keep referencing covid-19. With governments canceling everything, Netflix feels ironically on-theme this week. First, we had a new horror series in which we are living our own horror and now we have an Australian Netflix film based on racing, on a weekend when the Australian Grand Prix was canceled for Formula 1.

It’s a covid-themed weekend for Netflix.

Netflix film Go Karts is actually not very good — the racing and the anticipation will grip any viewer, as like all sports films, throw in an underdog and an objective to win and it’s easy to stay until the very end. The underdog in Go Karts is Jack Hooper; a young man who has unfortunately lost his father and a rather understanding, yet yearning-for-love mother.

Go Karts is strange because Jack had no idea that he was into racing until he hops into a kart for the first time, despite the fact that all flashbacks relating to his father suggest he has racing in his blood. His father used to show Jack how to do donuts for god’s sake, yet the story fashions it like his thirst for the track was seemingly random.

The story is watery and surface-level, teasing away any joy of depth. Tt’s very simple — Jack wants to beat another teenager, Dean, who is deemed to be the best upcoming racer in the state… but he also fancies Dean’s girlfriend. There’s the entire story folks.

But storyline aside, it’s saved by the tension of wanting Jack to win, so the plot remains on course. Unfortunately, the performances in Go Karts are equally poor, as the cast seemed to have forgotten that they weren’t partaking in a script-reading and they were actually on set.

Regardless, I liked Netflix film Go Karts and while I scored it low, I’ll admit bias on my part because I like racing; I’d still recommend that this Australian film is watched.