Film Review – Death Race (2008)
Jason Statham Delivers Bullets and Blood in this Excellent Homage
Sep 11, 2008
In 1975, Roger Corman released an extremely low budget film entitled Death Race 2000, a satirical film commenting not only on the fascistic nature of the very possible future, but also on the love of human beings for ultraviolence in a sensational media package. Roger Corman lends a supporting hand here in what is best termed as an homage, not a remake, of the 1975 classic. 2008's Death Race is an action film, plain and simple, and it wins extra credit for not trying to do anything other than that.
Frankenstein and his V8 Death Machine
Jason Statham plays the role of Jensen Ames, a disgraced former speedway driver and steel worker in a future United States complete with crumbling economy and supermax, super violent prisons. After being framed for the murder of his wife (coincidentally bringing him into the clutches of the prison warden whom hosts the infamous annual Death Race), Ames is thrust into the action as one of the deadly vehicular gladiators. The prize? His freedom.
If you are familiar with Jason Stathams other movies, such as the Transporter series, and most recently Crank - you'll know what to expect here. He is terse, smart-alecked, mean, and with the muscle and power to back it up. Death Race features a great deal of both vehicular and hand-to-hand violence - and this is where Statham excels. In the modern era, very few men can step to the plate and into the shoes of such aging action legends as Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger, but Statham is clearly the forerunner to this mantle and he manages just fine.
Gadgets, Gizmos, and Elbow Grease
The Death Race itself is a marketing and financial racket, it is a pay-per-view event that draws over sixty million viewers at $249 a shot - complete with power-ups and deadly traps laid out on the course itself. Run over a "sword", and your vehicle enables it's belt-fed machine guns - the "shield" enabling the defensive capabilities such as a smokescreen, napalm, and oil slicks. The inclusion of such blatant gimmicks into the speedway is very reminiscent of the "cheesiness" of the arbitrary point system allotted to females, the elderly, and even infants struck by a vehicle in the original film - although by tying this into the race itself the film definitely adds yet another element to strengthen the perception of the Death Race as a lethal game show - reminiscent of The Running Man.
Ames' own ride, the V8 Mustang, is also equipped with a six-inch plate of steel armour protecting his rear, lovingly known as the "Tombstone". You'll have to watch the film yourself to find out why.
In a Nutshell
Death Race has a great score, a techno-industrial type hard beat that drives the action forward and lends a brooding air to the film as a whole - it is memorable and better than most other soundtracks in it's category. Statham's acting is superb, his delivery is arrogant and masculine - but not without reason. Given the demographic that this film is clearly directed at - either younger males or at those who simply love a straight-up action pic - this film is a resounding success. A voice cameo by David Carradine as the infamous Frankenstein is the icing on the cake, and will bring a slight smile to the face of anyone who loved the original Death Race 2000. All in all an extremely solid effort and the best pure action film of the year.
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