Death Race

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Horrorphile - May 2009

Death Race

May 26th 2009 00:21

Probably the trashiest movie of director Paul W.S. Anderson’s illustrious career (I use the word “illustrious” in the loosest possible sense). Death Race (2008) is a remake, or should I say a re-modeling, of cult B movie Death Race 2000 (1975), one of producer Roger Corman’s more entertaining indulgences which co-starred a young Sly Stone as Machine-Gun Joe and David Carradine as hot-shot on a mission, Frankenstein.

In the re-boot-up-the-ass the “2000” has been dropped for obvious dated reasons (the movie had the working title of Death Race 3000, but that was probably considered just a little far-fetched), and many other liberties have been taken with the plot, to the point where only the basic premise remains; a televised race where drivers are encouraged to kill their competition.

Jason Statham as Jensen Ames

The year is 2012 and the American economy has collapsed. Terminal Island, an industrial-styled penitentiary for murders, rapists and the like, is controlled by the ruthless profiteer Warden Hennessey (Joan Allen). Jensen (like the car) Ames (Jason Statham), a skilled driver, is framed for the murder of his wife and imprisoned, his baby daughter now fatherless. Hennessey propositions Ames to assume the masked role of Frankenstein, the viewer favourite, who only needs to win one more race to earn his freedom. Ames accepts, and Hennessey’s killer baby, Death Race, kicks off to a record 70 million paying viewers. Of course the new Frankenstein isn’t about to play by the rules, that just wouldn’t be fair.

Joan Allen as Warden Hennessey

Ian McShane as Coach

I noticed the movie is co-produced (it’s actually an American-German-UK co-pro) by Tom Cruise’s producing partner-in-crime, Paula Wagner. I wonder if Cruise was attached to the role of Frankenstein early on, but decided the role wasn’t sympathetic enough? Jason Statham has enough muscle for the part, but his cardboard-style acting delivers less performance than his souped-up monster Mustang. Special note must go to Ian McShane as Coach, one of the most embarrassing slum jobs I’ve seen in a while. Comparing the richly textured dialogue McShane was used to speaking in Deadwood to his throwaway drivel in this is like relishing proscuito and then being force-fed spam. The other notable is newcomer Natalie Martinez, a buxom uber-babe straight from the strut school of J-Lo, as Frankenstein's navigator Case.

Natalie Martinez as Elizabeth Case

Apparently each car used in the movie cost between $US200,000-300,000 to detail! Thirty-four of them; Mustangs, Trans-Ams, Jauguars, Porsches, BMWs, Doge Rams, and Buicks, were fitted to play the eleven main cars. The movie was shot in less than two months mostly in Montreal, Canada (the island was created digitally).

Hennessey introduces the Dreadnought truck into Stage 3 of the race

Tyrese Gibson as Machine-Gun Joe

Whereas Death Race 2000 was very tongue-in-cheek and incredibly stylized, Death Race is played less for laughs (although it can’t realistically be taken that seriously) and more as a boxing match between cars and muscle. It’s ultra-violent, yet lacks any impact. There’s more machine-gun action than a WWII epic (much of it unrealistic, e.g. the Gatling gun sounds more like a Tommy), and much of director/screenwriter Anderson’s dialogue is so ripe it squelches. If the movie had been played more directly to the hilt with its black humour, it might’ve ended up with more cult appeal. Watching the racing footage I couldn’t help but be reminded at how much better the first two Mad Max movies were, both in style and execution.

Jensen behind the mask of Frankenstein

Death Race is noisy trash indeed. It’s customized, motor-oil-flavoured bubblegum for the six-pack petrolheads. Okay, that's stretching it. But to be as grindhouse-memorable as the original it needed more of the hot sex injection, not just the sex appeal of Martinez in combat fatigues (although gives her boss Jenny from the Block a strut for her money) and Statham's sculpted chin-ups. I wonder if Fast & Furious is any better or worse? I can’t call Death Race super-trash ‘cos it simply wasn’t spectacular enough, I’ll leave that for the upcoming Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen.

No trailer I'm afraid.

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Posted By: Bryn - Category: movie reviews

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Comments

13 Comments. [ Add A Comment ]

Comment by Natalina

May 26th 2009 01:22

My Life My Muse
Beta Girl Blog

Harsh!

Perhaps it is possible that I was too distracted by Statham doing pull-ups in his cell to notice how much the film sucked.

Comment by Bryn

May 26th 2009 01:48

Horrorphile

Natalina, harsh I might be, but you were most definitely distracted by Jason's sculpted body, which he apparently trained with Navy SEALS to own. You can do a lot worse than this movie, but it's trash fer sure.

Comment by Damo

May 26th 2009 07:50

Actually I started watching this and found it to be unfathomable. How could a film about car and killing people be so loud and dull at the same time.
I never did bother finishing it.
Perhaps one day I might.

Comment by Someone

May 26th 2009 12:54

Evil Pleasures
Random Musings on Life, Love and Everything
Let's Get Down To Business

I thought the entire movie was worth it to see that truck do the flip.

That being said, I just like seeing things go boom. It's hard to be disappointed when you're easily amused

Comment by JohnDoe

May 26th 2009 16:15

Film & TV on DVD

You are braver than I Bryn,

This one looked so boring on the trailer I skipped it. So I assume all the anti media/fascist government subtext has been removed along with humour???

Comment by Cibbuano

May 26th 2009 21:49

Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak

The trailer irritated me to no end... that CGI post-prod to give everything that same faux-grit.

"Death Race 2000" was funny, surprisingly interesting and had gratuitous nudity! Any 'remake' that ignores those important aspects is going to go down in flames!

Comment by The Nameless One

May 26th 2009 23:52

Muse Politics
What Has The World Come To?
TOP 10 INFORMER

I'm just wondering is this movie worth seeing once for free I know you completely trashed it but is it good enough to see once for the amusement? I am going to trust you judgment s consider the fact that I am easily entertained.
~TNO

Comment by Bryn

May 27th 2009 00:36

Horrorphile

Damo, loud and dull, yes, that be about right.

Someone, the truck flip was impressive, I'll agree there.

JD, yeah, subtext & satire = nil.

Cibby, this one crashes and burns.

Nameless, if you're easily entertained, then yes a free view once will no doubt tickle your fancy.

Comment by Michelle Sweeney

May 27th 2009 02:10

Competition Queen
Always Learning
Cinema Voyage

Cib - what a scream - sorry to hear you missed out on the gratuitous nudity!!!

Admittedly I did see this one and didn't think much of it. I thought it was an odd casting choice to see Joan Allen!

Comment by Natalina

May 27th 2009 05:19

My Life My Muse
Beta Girl Blog

I don't know what you guys were looking at, but there was some nice gratuitous nudity in this flick! Guess it just wasn't the kind you were looking for

Comment by Bryn

May 27th 2009 08:41

Horrorphile

Natalina, true, true: Jason's butt ... but I wanted more, I demand more from this kind of exploitation flick.

Comment by Cliff Daigle

June 5th 2009 19:41

Midnight Movie Screenings
Horror Movie News

I didn't actually hate this one. It was pretty much exactly what the ads promised. Not that they promised much.

Typical dumb Statham film. Just fun enough to hold my attention for 90 minutes.

What I don't understand with many of these remakes is how they can totally miss the social satire of the originals. Rollerball has to be the biggest offender here - not only missing the point of the original - but actually becoming exactly the kind of junk "entertainment" that the Jewison version was warning against. Sad.

Comment by Bryn

June 6th 2009 09:16

Horrorphile

Cliff, re: missing the satirical point.
Exactly.
And while we're talking about not trash not quite hitting the mark, much as I thoroughly enjoy Planet Terror, not so much Death Proof, both movies lacked the grindhouse nudity element.

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[ Next - THE ART LAIR - X ~ Succubi ~ Salacious Demons ]

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