Breakneck Rush

Breakneck Rush is a 2021 American live-action/animated racing crossover film produced by Paramount Animation, Nickelodeon Movies, Channel Awesome, Skinny Ugly Pilgrim, The SpringHill Company, and Point Grey Pictures and released by Netflix. The film was directed by Emma Tammi from a screenplay by Edgar Wright, Jim Jarosz, Juel Taylor, Rachel Tietz, Jon Watts, and Jordan Roasto. It is the fourth film to feature Nostalgia Critic, the titular character of Channel Awesome's web series of the same name, after Kickassia (2010), Suburban Knights (2011) and To Boldly Flee (2012) and the first film to feature character from Nickelodeon's animated series The Loud House. The film stars Doug Walker reprising his roles as the aforementioned Nostalgia Critic and other characters, with Doug's older brother Rob Walker reprising his role as the character of Santa Christ and Malcolm Ray, Tamara Chambers, Jarosz, Walter Banasiak, Heather Reuz, and Aiyanna Wade mostly portraying fictionalised versions of themselves while also playing some other characters; Christopher Walken, Levi Miller, Mara Wilson and LeBron James star in live-action roles, while Asher Bishop, Andre Robinson, Stephanie Beatriz and Jessica DiCicco headline The Loud House voice cast. In the film, after being thrown into the ViacomCBS Digiverse by a corrupt algorithm, Nostalgia Critic and his friends enlist the aid of The Loud House and The Casagrandes characters to win a high-stakes auto race against the algorithm's team of avatars and rescue the Critic's estranged nephew while trying to prevent an ominous prophecy from materialising.

Responding to the cancellation of the proposed Space Jam sequel at Warner Bros., a crossover film between Nostalgia Critic and The Loud House entered development on July 27, 2018 as a collaboration between Nickelodeon and Channel Awesome. At the time, the project divided the public, with many considering the timing of the announcement to be untimely coincidental and questioning how the crossover would work considering the vastly different tones, humor and target audiences of the respective franchises; however, the people behind the film were reassured that it'll turn out better than expected. Tammi was announced as director the following weekend, with much of the cast being revealed upon Walken's casting in August 2018, with Doug Walker reprising his role as Nostalgia Critic. Filming took place from September to December 2019. The traditional animation was provided by Mercury Filmworks and Top Draw Animation, while both visual effects and computer animation for The Loud House characters were provided by DNEG.

Originally scheduled for a theatrical release by Paramount Pictures, the film instead was digitally released on Netflix on July 16, 2021. The film received mixed to positive reviews for its performances, animation, visual effects, cinematography, humor, themes, and particularly for its faithfulness to its source materials, while the script, time of release, runtime and extensive product placement of ViacomCBS properties, with a few of the YouTube cameos received polarized reception.

Plot
In 1993, a young Nostalgia Critic and his older brother Rob are dropped off at a film school by their father. His close friend Jameel gives him a Game Boy, which Critic plays with until Professor Landas demands for him to concentrate on a review of The Garbage Pail Kids Movie. After he forgets what to say and is reprimanded by Landas after the session, an ashamed Critic discards the Game Boy.

In the present day, Nostalgia Critic has become the top internet reviewer at Channel Awesome and has formed a tight-knight friendship with his work colleagues Malcolm, Tamara, Jim, Walter, Heather, and Aiyanna with Rob working for the channel as an executive. While his relationship with Rob and the others is unbreakable, the Critic is surprised when he is visited by his estranged younger sister Mary, whom he stopped talking to after they had an altercation during the latter's teenagerhood, when she asks him to look after her son Peyton while she goes on a business trip for the weekend.

Later that afternoon, Critic is visited by Santa Christ, who informs him about discussions of a film deal at ViacomCBS headquarters, to which they, Peyton, Rob, Malcolm, Tamara, Jim, Walter, Heather, Aiyanna, and Jameel are invited to. Critic rejects the idea while Peyton takes interest in the company's Viacom 5670 Max software, particularly its AI, 789.exy. Their differing views lead to an argument as Peyton reveals his resentment to his uncle's advice while Critic scolds Peyton and unfavourably compares him to his mother, which deeply upsets the both of them. Having received self-awareness and desiring more recognition from the outside world, 789.exy lures Critic, Peyton, Santa Christ, Malcolm, and Tamara to the basement sever room and traps them in the ViacomCBS Digiverse.

789.exy holds Peyton hostage and commands Critic, Santa Christ, Malcolm and Tamara to form an auto racing crew to compete against his own, only earning their freedom if they win, before sending them to Royal Woods in Loud World. Critic, Santa Christ, Malcolm and Tamara find Loud World as a whole, let alone Royal Woods, to be abandoned except for Lincoln Loud, who explains that 789.exy persuaded his friends and family to leave Loud World and explore the Digiverse. Using a spaceship gifted to Critic by the Angry Video Game Nerd as a Christmas present the year prior, they travel to various worlds to locate and recruit the other Loud House characters to form the Loud Dashers. Meanwhile, 789.exy manipulates Peyton into allowing his help in upgrading himself and his game, which 789.exy intends to use against the Critic and the others.

In Loud World, despite Lincoln's protests, Critic insists on maintaining a set-in-stone racing rotation for the race. They encounter 789.exy's crew, the Whiplash Hoodlums, comprised of virtual avatars of both current and retired auto racers and led by Peyton. 789.exy transforms Loud World to CGI, livestreams the race and abducts countless viewers, including Rob and the others excluding Jim and Jameel, who chose to search around, into the Digiverse, while its inhabitants arrive as spectators and/or live audience members. 789.exy threatens to delete The Loud House characters and imprison the real-world spectators permanently if the Whiplash Hoodlums win.

The Whiplash Hoodlums dominate the first half, using their upgrades and power-ups to drive faster and avoid more obstacles, eventually sending the Loud Dashers off-course, causing them to crash into a nearby woodland. Critic realises his mistakes and helps the crew to rebuild their race car and get back in the race, allowing the Loud House gang to use their cartoon physics. During a pitstop, Critic apologises to Peyton for his actions and promises to let him pursue his gamer dreams and make amends with his mother once they return home. Peyton forgives his uncle and joins the Loud Dashers while 789.exy assumes control of the game and uses his abilities to substantially strengthen himself and the Whiplash Hoodlums.

Recalling a glitch in Peyton's game, wherein a character is deleted and the game crashes after a specific move is performed, Critic volunteers to perform the move, but Lincoln does so at the last moment, sacrificing himself in the process. Critic and the rest of the Loud Dashers win the final race of the contest and score the winning point with Peyton's helpful instructions, deleting 789.exy and the Whiplash Hoodlums. The Loud House characters and the Digiverse are restored and Critic, his friends and family and the other real-world spectators are returned to their world as Lincoln reconciles with his friends and family before being deleted. Upon returning to Channel Awesome, Critic and Mary forgive each other and promise to rebuild their sibling fond while visiting one another more often.

One week later, Critic, respecting Peyton's wishes, allows him to attend the E3 Game Design Camp. He subsequently reunites with Lincoln, who reveals that his cartoon physics allowed him to regenerate and that his friends and family have also entered the real world. Critic, having accepted The Loud House characters as his extended family, allows Lincoln to live with him temporarily.

Cast
Live-action cast

Doug Walker as The Nostalgia Critic, a foul-mouthed and temperamental yet honest and caring film critic who is the main live-action protagonist of the film; he is also the younger brother of Rob and the older brother of Mary. Walker also voices Critic's animated counterpart. Iain Armitage as young Nostalgia Critic (12 years).

Christopher Walken as 789.exy, a self-aware and deceitful artificial intelligence who presides over the ViacomCBS Digiverse. Walken also voice 789.exy's computerised form. Walken expressed interest in starring in the movie after hearing about it at a local film festival and accepted the role on Monday that week after auditioning the Friday before.

Levi Miller as Peyton Walker, Mary's son and Critic and Rob's nephew who aspires to become a programmer on kart racing videogames.

Mara Wilson as Mary Walker, Peyton's mother and Critic and Rob's estranged younger sister whom Critic stopped talking to after an argument between them in the past. They reconcile at the end of the movie.

LeBron James as Jameel, Critic's childhood friend; Stephen Kankole as young Jameel (13 years).