Jason Statham Movie:

		List Price: $26.98		Label: Universal Studios Salesrank: 8239 Released: December 21, 2008
		Our Price: $18.80
		Used Price: $9.22
		MPAA Rating: Unrated Media: Blu-ray

Editorial Review:
No description available for this title.
Item Type: BLU-RAY DVD Movie
Item Rating: UN
Street Date: 12/21/08
Wide Screen: yes
Director Cut: no
Special Edition: no
Language: ENGLISH
Foreign Film: noSubtitles: no
Dubbed: no
Full Frame: no
Re-Release: no
Packaging: Sleeve

Description of Death Race (Unrated) [Blu-ray]:
Mayhem rules in Death Race, a head-over-heels remake of the Roger Corman cult classic Death Race 2000, in which cars become lethal weapons. The strength of this new version is its total single-mindedness about vehicular homicide; it has the virtue of no cluttering subplots or simpering sentimentality. And banish all memory of the original's wild satirical comedy: Death Race is as grim as a dinner tray to the face (a reference that will be explained in a key sequence). In a slightly futuristic maximum-security prison, cons take part in brutal races around the island prison, their violent deaths watched live by millions of viewers. Jason Statham, possibly cast because of his driving dexterity in the Transporter movies, plays a man wrongly imprisoned for murder. Joan Allen provides her brittle cool as the warden, who recruits Statham to assume the masked persona of a legendary driver called Frankenstein. Tyrese Gibson is Frankie's main rival, Natalie Martinez provides the fetching eye candy, but the acting honors go to Ian McShane, as the philosophical prison mechanic. One misses the cross-country race from the original film, as the setting here is claustrophobic and the cars are largely colorless and indistinguishable from each other. Director Paul W.S. Anderson (Resident Evil) continues to display the sensibility of a video-game addict, which will either be a recommendation or a turn-off, depending on your own tastes. At least it doesn't have the hypocritical moral blathering of something like the somewhat similar Condemned--who knew you could be so grateful for simple, straight-forward head-bashing? --Robert Horton


Stills from Death Race (Click for larger image)

Death Race (Unrated) [Blu-ray] Reviews:
Paul Anderson's flashy, ultra-aggressive racing fantasy . . .
2009-12-24 - Director Paul W. S. Anderson's Death Race (2008), is a brutal, over the top, balls to the wall, action thriller, that satisfies both the need for speed, and an appetite for destruction. Reality is not a serious consideration in this futuristic fantasy set in the year 2012, where condemned prison inmates participate in the Death Race, a contest where the competition is so fierce, that drivers statistics include both wins, and kills. Risking death for possible freedom, before a pay-per-view audience, the Death Race is the latest deadly evolution in reality entertainment.

An extremely ripped Jason Statham (Crank, The Transporter), is Jensen Ames, a husband and father, who because of his experience driving race cars, is framed for the murder of his wife. Sentenced to Terminal Island penitentiary where the Death Race is held, Ames is offered an opportunity by the hardass Warden Hennessey (Joan Allen). Frankenstein, an extremely popular driver, has just died from injuries sustained in a crash. Maintaining the illusion that `Frank' is still alive, would be very profitable, and also possible, since Frank wore a mask, and can't be identified. Machine Gun Joe (Tyrese Gibson), the driver who sent Frank's car spinning down the track in flames, is eager to resume their rivalry. With racing his only chance of reuniting with his baby daughter, Ames agrees to drive. Headed by Coach (Ian McShane, Jesus of Nazareth), Ames's pit crew is in on the deception. The final member of the racing team, is an inmate from a women's prison, Elizabeth Case (Natalie Martinez), the course navigator.

The film's drive to survive premise, is straightforward and without many added frills. The Warden concerned only with profits, arranges for the murder of Ames' wife, just to get him into Terminal Island. The killer is Pachenko (Max Ryan, The Foreigner), a vicious convict, who is also a driver. He and Ames have a spectacularly brutal battle, but are forced to settle matters on the race course. Ryan shines, as the mangy guy you love to hate.

The race consists of three stages. With weaponized cars, and wicked hazards integrated into the course, each stage is more exciting and dangerous than the last. Cars are destroyed, and drivers perish in the carnage, with no one shedding a tear. Only the winners matter. It is hard to get bored by the various racing sequences, as the action is extremely well staged, and realistic looking, with new stunts and hazards featured in each race, the results are breathtakingly awesome.

No one seems to notice that Ames is never around during a race, except perhaps Machine Gun Joe, who was guessed that his hated rival Frankenstein, has been replaced by Ames. With the two drivers set to compete in the final race, is any cooperation possible? With Frank on the verge of winning his freedom, The Warden is prepared to blow him sky high, but an unexpected detour ruins her plans.

Death Race is a gripping, high speed adrenaline rush, that is at the top of the fantasy action genre. The realistic approach to action taken by the filmmakers, and the grungy, gritty industrial setting, creates a stark, tense, atmosphere for the contest. Much of the backstory regarding the film is discussed by Paul Anderson, and producer Jeremy Bolt in their commentary track. Bringing their experience from doing films based on the Resident Evil video games, the ultra-violent, breakneck speed, action scenes in Death Race display a video game quality. Also covered is the role that Roger Corman played in the careers of the two men, and the making of this film, which is inspired by Corman's 1975 film, Death Race 2000. Corman also serves as executive producer for this film. There's more to look forward to as a sequel, Death Race: Frankenstein Lives, has been announced for sometime in 2011.

Death Race
2009-12-17 - Explosions, cars, guns all that. What else do you want in a summer action movie? It isn't a sublime theatrical experience, but it isn't supposed to be. It was fun and entertaining.


Death Race
2009-12-17 - This is an extended version of the Death Race. This is fast and furious with machine guns. Ex-speedway champion Jensen Ames (Statham) is a master of survival in a futuristic post-industrial wasteland. Framed and imprisoned for the gruesome murder of his wife, Ames is forced to face the country's most violent criminals in a brutal televised car race run by the prison warden. With monster car, machine guns, and bone crunching crashes, Ames will destroy anything in his path to claim the prize of freedom. This action packed explosive movie will have you gripping your seat at every twist and turn. Welcome to the most evil spectator sport on Earth. Welcome to Death Race. The special features include: (1). Start your engines: making a death race; (2). Behind the wheel; Dissecting the stunts; (3). Feature commentary with director Paul W.S Anderson and producer Jeremy Bolt. The EXTENDED VERSION: Contains unseen footage you didn't see in cinemas.

Surprisingly good
2009-12-06 - I love the original Death Race 2000 for its truly warped sense of humor, and while this one can't touch it for laughs, it is all told a better movie.

I was surprised, in fact, by how entertaining and even smart this movie is. It certainly looks amazing in blu-ray, especially Martinez, who almost justifies blu-ray tech all by herself. Statham is at home in this kind of grim but tongue in cheek action blaster, and he's perfect in his role. The rest of the cast is also solid, but McShane takes the cake, as usual. This guy is always great, in everything! Why he isn't yet as ubiquitous as Michael Caine is a mystery, but count on seeing a lot more of him in the next few years as producers see his value. He can make a bad film watchable, and take a good film like this into near-great territory.

I particularly appreciated the intelligence of this script, and its willingness to lay the social commentary on, but not too heavily. The original presaged our present, pathetic addiction to mindless reality shows by 25 years, and this one continues to point out how close we are to the days of Romans feeding folks to lions for #1 Neilson ratings.

On top of that there is a whiz-bang action flick here, reminiscent of Road Warrior in its wise decision to use mostly live stunts instead of CGI. It works, and in high-def this thing is non-stop in-yo-face action.

Not sure I liked the somewhat cheese ending, but all in all I was pleasantly surprised by how good this remake is.

Death Race Redux...
2009-11-22 - In "Death Race", a 2008 remake of the Roger Corman cult classic "Death Race 2000", the cars are armed and armored, the drivers are (mostly) real killers, and the cross country race of the original has been replaced by a closed-course, high-tech circuit around a dark and forbidding island prison. A solid cast is headed by Jason Statham as Jensen Ames, an ex-con framed for murder to get him behind the wheel of one of the death cars. Joan Allen plays the cooly sadistic prison warden managing and manipulating the pay-for-view race. Natalie Martinez is Ames' tough but attractive navigator. Tyrese Gibson is scary as Ames homicidal main competitor. Ian McShane steals the show as an aging but savy prison car mechanic.

Director Paul Anderson tries to inject a little plot by giving Statham a baby girl on the outside to live for, and a killer on the inside to take revenge on, but mostly this movie is about the violent, almost video game-quality action around the race course. Cars careen around the circuit, firing machine guns and dispensing napalm and other goodies while whittling down the competition. The intervels between race sets provide short opportunities to establish character motivation and set up a double surprise ending.

"Death Race" is stylishly staged violence on wheels. If the viewer is into that type of movie, this is one to watch.