Death Race (2008)

Perfect cast and a good story

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

The point of the movie is all written in the title. DEATH RACE. People race just to kill each other and win. It is as simple as that and because of that, it is good. Maybe I like the movie cause I am a Jason Statham fan, altho I think that there was tooo much gore. 8/10 for me, just because the movie never got boring for me.

I love it, how remakes can be approached, differently and use a different style to the original. Although some of the character's names are retained, Death Race is just cool great fun, one cool remake, with action you just suck up. Frankenstein the chief driver, and all time winner, died a much tragic death out there on the closed circuit, monitored by video cameras, and one cold hearted and snaky prison governor (Joan Allen) who's just awesome, stealing the acting honors here. All in the name of sick entertainment, a handful of prisoners are forced to race each other, on this well manned race zone, where there can only be one winner, hence, one survivor. Sounds like Running Man, yeah? Now in the drivers seat to replace Frankenstein is Stratham, who was set up for murdering his wife. You can add up the dots, and I did love Stratham's vehiculur revenge, pre head snap, on this guy. Stratham is of course Stratham, and he does what he does best, and it's not acting. He has a hot female prisoner navigator too, (yes much sexier than Simone Griffith). Ian Mcshane was really good too as Stratham's weary prisoner mechanic. The acting though was better in the original. How the story resolved itself, I really liked, something I don't anticipate as far as convict love goes, good again, triumphing over evil. Just let's say Allen's last words, were "I always win". Death Race really surprised me, with action aplenty, not losing the humor either, as after each sorry played loses, where they're X'd out on the board, fresh bloody smear prints, cover it. Yes we do have bloody moments, as judging by today's standard, but you should check out the sick violence in the original. In all, what has eventuated here, is a killer fun time in front of the tube, in a successor of a remake, with a killer performance by Allen.

Nuanced. Thoughtful. Subtle. These are but three words that don't describe 'Death Race', a fast-paced, slow-witted remake of the 70s B-movie cult classic.Star Jason Statham has less range than a sling shot, but he remains a likable and dependable B-movie action anti-hero. The rest of the cast is made up mostly of anonymous sleazoids, but it's sad to see a three-time Academy Award nominated actress like Joan Allen slumming it here.Ultimately, though it boasts almost non-stop action, 'Death Race' is more tedious than it is fun, and never manages to reach "Guilty pleasure" status.

It's 2012. It's a dystopian world where prisons run gladiator-like competitions for profit. Jensen Ames (Jason Statham) is framed for the murder of his wife. In prison, he is coerced by warden Hennessey (Joan Allen) into racing for his freedom. If he wins one race, he can walk.Paul W.S. Anderson is the driving force behind the Resident Evil franchise. He has built a pretty good resume of top notch big budget movies from B-movie ideas. That's what this is. You get cars, action, and T&A. It's a B-movie idea done by good actors and good director. Jason Statham does his best bad ass. Natalie Martinez provides the T&A. The action is fun. There isn't much else that can be expected. The race being split in 3 is probably a mistake. It makes the last section not as compelling or as fun.