So much about this very quickly drives home the point that 'Fireball 500' and its ilk are borne from the same spirit that gave us beach party movies earlier in the 1960s. As if the fact that this was an AIP film weren't evidence enough, consider the production values, the stop-motion animation and narration that greets us in the earliest minutes, and Les Baxter's original music score - and pop songs that are frequently incorporated (or outright shoe-horned in) just because. The characters, scene writing, dialogue, and even the plot itself are all rather loose, designed for kitschy, lighthearted fun that's distinctly indifferent to any notion of sincerity (and more than a little sexist at times). As great as the appearance is of the costume design, hair and makeup, set design, and vehicles, the visuals all impart the same flavors of cheesy fluff. This goes for the acting, too, and even Floyd Crosby's cinematography (note the regular emphasis of female posteriors). Make no mistake, this is a feature that is easily dated, and to whatever extent it has "held up" since the 60s owes much to open-minded nostalgia and generosity. 'Fireball 500' is marginally more entertaining than its brethren or predecessors, mostly on account of boasting more of a concrete narrative, but to be sure, in 2022 it's quite the acquired taste.
In all fairness, this is a picture that only wants its audience to have a good time. How much mileage one may get out of it will vary wildly from one viewer to the next, but yet it's not half bad. The story is light, but sufficient for building the picture and keeping our attention. The race sequences are well done, including excellent stunt driving - why, I don't even like automotive racing in real life, but the inclusion here is pretty well engaging. Stunts generally are executed very well, not least at the climax. Though the cast is often guided into portrayals that are as ham-handed as the picture at large, when given an opportunity to earnestly demonstrate their capabilities, they surely do. At their best the performances are characterized with fine nuance; Douglas Henderson and Baynes Barron, for example, very convincingly depict G-men Hastings and Bronson as slimy toads, and the more prominent stars like Frankie Avalon, Fabian, and Julie Parrish all embody their parts with suitable enticing personality as scenes demand.
Even recognizing the somewhat hokey construction and likely limited appeal of the feature, this suffers from other flaws. One definite consequence of the overall fun-loving tone is that any story beat that should be decidedly impactful is robbed of its weight. Frankly, where scenes aren't built strictly with the zest of "Hey, let's party!" - well, it's at best a 50-50 guess whether 'Fireball 500' will successfully convey any other feeling. This unfortunately strips the film of no small amount of value; if AIP were trying to be genuine and move beyond the happy-go-lucky nonchalance of its beach party flicks, then the failure by any degree to meaningfully give form to dramatic moments means a failure of that intent. As if cementing the difficulty: while there's real, tangible plot in this, it doesn't come across as entirely convincing, as though director William Asher and co-writer Leo Townsend struggled themselves to be whip up material that bears a more substantial scrap of seriousness. The last third of the movie altogether drags soporifically, more than not.
Warts and all, this is reasonably enjoyable, and I'd go so far as to say that I wish I could like it more than I do. There are many solid ideas in the screenplay, and the cast and crew both put in hard work that pays off in its own right. However, wherever one wishes to place responsibility, there seems to be a lack of comportment between purpose and capability; 'Fireball 500' aimed to be something more and better than those titles AIP made before, yet the end result just doesn't completely hit the mark. Still, there are a lot worse movies you could watch, and if you're open to the more gauche side of cinema, then this might well be right up your alley. It's no essential classic, but if you happen across 'Fireball 500,' it's a modestly entertaining viewing experience.
