Death Race (2008)
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43% of critics liked it
(150 reviews) -
69% of users liked it
(192,672 ratings)
The Transporter star Jason Statham takes the wheel in director Paul W.S. Anderson's remake of the Roger Corman classic about a hyper-violent cross-country race that breaks all of the traditional rules of the road. The time is the not-so-distant future, and as America's prisons begin… More The Transporter star Jason Statham takes the wheel in director Paul W.S. Anderson's remake of the Roger Corman classic about a hyper-violent cross-country race that breaks all of the traditional rules of the road. The time is the not-so-distant future, and as America's prisons begin overflowing with violent criminals, the powers that be devise a grisly game that will free up space in the cells and entertain the masses at the same time. Jensen Ames (Statham) is a three-time speedway champion with a dark past. A survival expert and ex-con whose sordid history comes back to haunt him when he is framed for a murder he didn't commit, Ames is forced to choose between donning the metallic mask of a mythical racer known as Frankenstein or languishing away on Terminal Island -- America's most notorious penitentiary. Over the course of the next three days, this unlikely champion will get behind the wheel of a nightmare machine outfitted with machine guns, grenade launchers, and flamethrowers in a desperate attempt to outrun some of the most violent criminals ever imprisoned. Should Ames be the first to cross the checkered flag, he will win his freedom; should he come in second, however, death would be preferable to a grim future in a cramped concrete cell. Co-stars include Joan Allen, Ian McShane, Natalie Martinez, and Tyrese Gibson, who takes over the role of Machine Gun Joe, made famous by Sylvester Stallone in the original. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Directed By
- Paul W.S. Anderson
- Written By
- Paul Anderson
- Genres
- Action & Adventure, Mystery & Suspense, Science Fiction & Fantasy
- In Theaters
- Aug 21, 2008 Wide
- Studio
- Universal Pictures
Critic Reviews
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Nigel Floyd, Time Out
It's brainless fun, but while Anderson's brilliant staging of the flesh-ripping stunts surpasses Bartel's cheap thrills, this update lacks the sardonic wit and satirical bite of the Corman-produced version.
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Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly
Let Death Race serve as a warning, or maybe an inspiration, to any TV producer who says she'd kill for high ratings: Why not stage a pay-per-view car race in which prisoners compete to stay alive on the course?
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Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle
The combination of good actors and terrible dialogue might have allowed the film a chance at minor cult status, if it weren't for the frustratingly inept action sequences.
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Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com
Death Race is cartoonishly brutal and pleasantly disreputable.
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James Berardinelli, ReelViews
Statham's films never promise to be something they're not or offer something they don't provide. Death Race is not an exception.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Jason Statham
as Jensen Ames/Frankenstein
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Tyrese Gibson
as Machine Gun Joe
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Ian McShane
as Coach
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Joan Allen
as Hennessey
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Natalie Martinez
as Case
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Max Ryan
as Pachenko
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Jason Clarke
as Ulrich
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Fred Koehler
as Lists
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Jacob Vargas
as Gunner
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Justin Mader
as Travis Colt
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Robert La Sardo
as Grimm
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Robin Shou
as 14K
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Janaya Stephens
as Suzy
- Frederick Koehler
- Benz Antoine
- Melantha Blackthorne
- Robert LaSardo








