DVD Reviews

Death Race 2 – Blu-ray Review

By Patrick Luce Feb 6, 2011, 15:57 GMT

$In the world\'s most dangerous prison, a new game is born: Death Race. The rules of this adrenaline-fueled blood sport are simple, drive - or die. When repentant convict Carl Lucas (Luke Goss) discovers there\'s a price on his head, his only hope is to survive a twisted race against an army of hardened criminals and tricked-out cars. Also starring Danny Trejo and Ving Rhames,$

In the world\'s most dangerous prison, a new game is born: Death Race. The rules of this adrenaline-fueled blood sport are simple, drive - or die. When repentant convict Carl Lucas (Luke Goss) discovers there\'s a price on his head, his only hope is to survive a twisted race against an army of hardened criminals and tricked-out cars. Also starring Danny Trejo and Ving Rhames, "Death Race 2" tells the ...more

For a prequel with a 2 at the end of the title, Death Race 2 is a decent action film that maintains the same look and feel as the 2008 remake of the original Death Race 2000. The film also does a good job setting up its Frankenstein character for future direct-to-DVD films – even if we know Frankenstein’s fate.

Directed by Roel Reiné from a story by Paul W. S. Anderson and Tony Giglio, Death Race 2 stars Luke Goss (Hellboy II: The Golden Army), Ving Rhames, Danny Trejo, Sean Bean, Lauren Cohan (The Vampire Diaries), and Tanit Phoenix (Lost Boys: The Thirst).

The film follows the same format as the remake with Goss taking on the role of Carl Lucas – a career criminal who ends up in prison and is forced to take part in the televised death matches. At first, the prison is used for a bloody “fight to the death” type program, but as ratings drop the show’s producers invent Death Race.

Along with other inmates, Lucas is given a chance at freedom if he can win a series of races. The cars are tricked out with all kinds of weapons (provided you get to the weapon’s shield first), and other goodies. Instead of running a fair race, the inmates are encouraged to crash, kill and do just about anything to the other racers – as long as it makes for good television.

Lucas is teamed with Trejo’s character (in the same way Jason Statham worked with Ian McShane in the remake), and quickly becomes the favorite to win the race. Things get a little more dangerous for Lucas when his former crime boss, Markus Kane (Bean), puts a large price on his head – which gives the other drivers a big incentive to take Lucas out rather than try to win the race.

The film moves along at a predictable pace (while filling in some pieces from the remake), and sets up the Frankenstein character in the closing minutes (sort of like how Darth Vader made an appearance at the end of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith).

Although it is predictable at every turn and some of the acting is less than stellar, Death Race 2 is enjoyable – especially if you were already a fan of the remake. The movie doesn’t really break any new ground, but it does feature a little better effects and look than you would expect from a direct-to-DVD film.

I also liked that they made the film a prequel rather than just continuing the remake’s storyline – which would basically be the same film. The story does a good job of letting fans of the remake see how the bricks were laid for Death Race, and the Frankenstein character is interesting enough for more chapters in the franchise.

For not given much to work with, all the actors do solid work in the film with Trejo getting some laughs with his character’s ethnicity. Bean and Rhames aren’t given much to do with their characters. Bean does his best bad guy, but basically just makes threats and yells at his hot girlfriend. Rhames is only in a few scenes and is rather stale as the head of the television studio that makes Death Race.

Goss is good in the role Lucas, and it is interesting to see how he adapts to prison life, the death matches and finally Frankenstein. Since Frankenstein wears the mask and is pretty much burned beyond recognition, I am not sure he would be needed for future films, but he does a good job showing the beginnings of the character.

Along with looking and sounding great on Blu-ray, Death Race 2 is loaded with special features that take you into the making of the film. They include several deleted scenes (none that really change the outcome of the movie), and several features on the cars and making of the movie.

While the prequel isn’t quite as good as the remake, Death Race 2 will please fans of the 2008 film. It does a good job of laying the groundwork for future films and showing how the franchise character came to be.