Death Race (2008)
Screenplay: Paul WS Anderson
Director: Paul WS Anderson
Running Time: 98 minutes
Based on the 1975 Roger Corman-produced B-grade cult classic Death Race 2000, this updated version offers none of the cheesy lines and bad special effects of its predecessor, but even with the benefit of recent technology can’t save this mish-mash of a film.
Set in a post financial-meltdown world (how apt), the masses get their thrills and spills via televised car races held in maximum security prisons where the inmates are armed to the teeth. Each car has reinforced chassis as well as an array of firepower. If an inmate manages to win five races in a row, they get their freedom.
Into this world walks our main protagonist Jensen Ames (please don’t tell me Brit director Anderson is a fan of F1 driver Jensen Button – surely the name Lewis Ames would have worked better!), who has been wrongly (sigh) accused of murdering his wife. He also happens to be a slick former race car driver making him an ideal candidate to be in the race of the title – something not lost on warden (the always great Allen).
Overall, tonnes of clichés and action, and if that is what you are after then you’ll no doubt enjoy. A paint by numbers flick for sure, but still worth a look if you are into mindless violence and have nothing better to do on a wet Sunday afternoon. One minor bright light in the whole shebang is Jason Clarke as sadistic guard Ulrich. He makes a great baddie, and it would be interesting to see how he would act in a more meatier/credible role/film. It would also be good to see Statham take on a more substantial role - so far his career has been one dimensional, but could be a whole lot more if he took some risks.
2 stars out of 5
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