If like me, you were craving an unrated, violent live-action film adaptation of 'Mario Kart', then you're prayers have been answered with Paul W.S. Anderson's 'Death Race' - a very, very loose remake of producer Roger Corman's 1975 original 'Death Race 2000'.
Only borrowing a few names and the basic idea of cars shooting at each other, Anderson updates the cross-country trek of the original to a more battle-friendly racetrack set in a high-security prison of the future.
The idea of a sport gets updated to a timelier pay-per-view type event (this whole framework is almost exactly like the recent 'The Condemned' where prisoners are forced to fight for their freedom).
Abandoning much of the humor of the original, Anderson keeps his film deathly serious, where this is none the more obvious than in the casting of Jason "Expressions?...who the f*%# needs 'em?" Statham as our hero and keeps the action fast and furious all the while succumbing to most of our obligatory prison clichés.
In fact, as the film opens, my wife and I we're groaning how the opening scenes surrounding Statham reminded us of Jean Claude Van Damme's prison flick 'In Hell' (which I reviewed recently…) and then lo and behold Robert LaSardo pops up in the exact same role he played in 'In Hell'! Luckily, that’s where most of the similarities end.
Its 2012 (really? just four years...c'mon, make an effort guys...) and the economy is in complete shambles with crime and unemployment being at all time highs. Corporations have taken over everything, including prisons it seems, and new money-making schemes exploiting prisoners has been created in the form of Death Race’s - gladiator-like matches set on contained, destructive race-tracks where prisoners race around in their own souped-up vehicles that feature both offensive and defensive weapons (i.e. guns, oil, shields, etc. - yep, 'Mario Kart' - I half expected a turtle shell to coming flying out at some point...).
We meet steel-plant worker Jensen Ames (Statham) just as he's being laid off and he ends up getting framed for the murder of his wife who we see being murdered by a masked intruder.
Shuttled off to Terminal Island, home of the race, and under control of warden Hennessey (Joan Allen), a ball-busting, ratings-obsessed suit who has no tolerance for foul language, Ames gets offered the role of Frankenstein, a masked driver and ratings magnet, who got killed in the last race.
Since Frankenstein wears a mask, viewers won't know that he's been replaced (kind of like Lassie?) with former racecar driver Ames. The offer: he wins and goes free or loses and dies (there's only one winner aka survivor). He grudgingly accepts and automatically becomes at odds with rival gang (and racecar drivers) Machine Gun Joe (Tyrese Gibson), Pachenko (Max Ryan), Hector Grimm (Robert LaSardo) among others on and off the racetrack.
With the race divided into three stages, shortcuts, scenes in the film meant to convey a sort of choose your character selection screen and actual power-ups that the drivers have to drive over, this film is heavily indebted to it's video game brethren (not much of a stretch considering Anderson tackled both 'Mortal Kombat' and 'Resident Evil') and had there been a game called 'Death Race', I'd be tempted to call it the best vidgame adaptation yet.
Ridiculous dialogue, hackneyed situations, humorless acting and yet the film may become one of my more favorite guilty pleasures of the past couple years as it's all thrown on the screen with such shameless, mindless force, that it gels quite nicely with the constant barrage of quick cuts, zooms and explosions that make up the considerably exciting racing setpieces.
Setting aside the fact that these races are borderline incoherent in how they are shot, Anderson's admirable insistence on using real-time special f/x and stunt drivers is a great benefit to the action as real cars and trucks go racing on, above and around the track in a whirlwind of bullets, smoke and fire; maximum car-nage that would be sure to delight that Hot Wheel loving kid that's inside all of us guys.
And with Statham behind the wheel, his furrowed brow and consistent growl matches the racetrack insanity well with Ian McShane providing more grizzled charisma in the 'Red' role and Joan Allen being endlessly amusing as the warden in offbeat but effective casting (some of her expletive-laced rants toward the end of the film firmly cemented this as a guilty pleasure for me).
Presented in a 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer, the film was given a metallic sheen through post-production so the almost monochromatic film looks great for what is with nice detail and effective black levels. The Dolby Digital 5.1 track was heavily manipulated to make your ears bleed during the race sequences and God bless 'em for it.
Special Features include a full-length audio commentary from director Paul W.S. Anderson and producer Jeremy Bolt and it's an informative, lively track with nary a silent spot. 'Start Your Engines: Making a 'Death Race'' is a 20-minute making of with interviews and behind-the-scenes footage. 'Behind the Wheel: Dissecting the Stunts' is a brief look at the car stunts which seems oddly short considering what’s in the film.
The film is also presented in R-rated and Unrated cuts with the Unrated cut featuring about five more minutes of footage that flesh out a little story and provide a bit more gore.
For purists, completely disregard that this a remake and you will enjoy 'Death Race' a lot more; the original was an inventive, funny B-movie and this remake is decidedly neither of those things.
No, the charms of 'Death Race' fall squarely in the guilty pleasure category with some mind-numbingly goofy dialogue and ideas that entertain between the obvious draw of the action set-pieces. Stupid? Yes. Any fun? Absolutely.
Death Race is now available at Amazon . It is available for pre-order at AmazonUK for a Feb. 2nd release. Visit the DVD database for more information.
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