Death Race (2008)
Average Rating: 4.8/10
Reviews Counted: 150
Fresh: 64 | Rotten: 86
Mindless, violent, and lightning-paced, Death Race is little more than an empty action romp.
Average Rating: 5.2/10
Critic Reviews: 26
Fresh: 12 | Rotten: 14
Mindless, violent, and lightning-paced, Death Race is little more than an empty action romp.
liked it
Average Rating: 3.5/5
User Ratings: 192,672
My Rating
Movie Info
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
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Cast
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Jason Statham
Jensen Ames/Frankenstei... -
Tyrese Gibson
Machine Gun Joe -
Ian McShane
Coach -
Joan Allen
Hennessey -
Natalie Martinez
Case -
Max Ryan
Pachenko -
Jason Clarke
Ulrich -
Fred Koehler
Lists -
Jacob Vargas
Gunner -
Justin Mader
Travis Colt -
Robert La Sardo
Grimm -
Robin Shou
14K -
Janaya Stephens
Suzy -
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Death Race Trailer & Photos
All Critics (153) | Top Critics (26) | Fresh (65) | Rotten (87) | DVD (14)
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.
Top CriticLet 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?
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.
Death Race is cartoonishly brutal and pleasantly disreputable.
Statham's films never promise to be something they're not or offer something they don't provide. Death Race is not an exception.
Of all the Z-movies in the Roger Corman catalog, they had to remake Death Race 2000.
Violent action remake races to a high body count.
The most epically loaded triple-cheeseburger action film since "Con Air." Driving-team maven Spiro Razatos handles second-unit duty, and flings gas, sweat and oil at the screen with the hard-cornered glee of having real Hot Wheels with which to play.
This is both a bad film and a bad influence, and on many levels. Still, for all of its brainlessness, it somehow manages a train-wreck hold on attention.
Lean on substance, but bustling with excitement; Death Race is entertainment in its most primitive form.
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...sets itself apart from its campy predecessor right from the get go.
This isn't a wimpy CG-laden movie with no practical effects. It's like The Road Warrior with four walls, and there's a certain macho appeal in that for me.
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While the premise creates plenty of entertaining opportunities for violence and destruction, how much better could this have been as a true "cannonball run" coast-to-coast..?
Social commentary on greed and war along with sexed up female con backseat drivers, is thin pretext for the incessant, at times visually surreal heavy metal havoc orgy of war machine, napalm shooting designer macho-mobile boy toy vehicular homicide.
An orgasmic mix of on-road mayhem that plays at 1000 miles per hour! Marvel in some terrifically-choreographed stunt
Director Paul W.S. Anderson really isn't known for Oscar contenders, but the guy understands over-the-top gratuitous violence better than most.
A must-see for petrolheads and cineastes alike.
There's some fine action, but the film never gets within spitting distance of breaking any taboos or taste barriers, which, for a schlock spectacle, is like racing within speed limits.
While not being the most awful filmic experience available, it's certainly one of the dumbest.
Petrolheads and gorehounds, this backfiring blast of cinematic carbon monoxide is your film of the year.
Audience Reviews for Death Race
Super Reviewer
Death Race is basically a computer game blueprint ready to go, 'Carmageddon', 'Destruction Derby', 'Road Blasters' etc...you all know the score here hehe.
Along with its obvious movie rip ideas ( 'Mad Max', 'Running Man' etc..) its a wholly unoriginal film but its rip roaring fun I gotta admit. To the sound of some great heavy metal tunes the car race sequences are pretty decent, car lovers and petrol heads especially will enjoy. The cast is a good colourful mix that do look quite dangerous and nasty, its almost in the same vain as 'Con Air' in certain aspects, and the films look is pretty rough and realistic, in other words it doesn't look like an obvious set like most other Anderson films.
Some silly things do grate...the fact that these cars wouldn't be able to race very fast with all that junk stuck on them I'm sure, they would handle like tanks with the weight increase. Also I'm sure in reality Stathams Mustang would thrash Gibbson's 4x4 truck thing in a flat race haha again the weight would kill the 4x4. One thing that sticks in my mind is why all these prisoners help the drivers when they dont actually have any way of being released due to the race outcomes like the drivers do, there's nothing in it for them, and lastly the ending is kind of a anti climax really.
All that aside its of course very stupid and a total rip of SO many films but in the end its actually well made and a good pumpin evening out or in, I enjoyed it allot and Statham is really fast becoming the new action hero of the 00's.
Super Reviewer
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- Coach: [after the Dreadnought is destroyed] Now that's entertainment.
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- Coach: Don't talk to the other drivers. Frank never did. Part of the mystique. Let the mask do the work.
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- Lists: Travis Colt. Our local superstar. He used to race for Nascar...
- Gunner: Yeah, he was good too.
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Latest News on Death Race
September 26, 2008:
Exclusive: David Carradine Cameo in Crank 2 says StathamIt's not just Death Race that boasts a cameo from legend David Carradine. According to star Jason...
September 26, 2008:
RT Interview: Jason Statham Chats Death Race, Crank 2 and The SweeneyRT catches up with Jason Statham to learn more about the Death Race and grill him on upcoming turns...
September 15, 2008:
Box Office Guru Wrapup: Coen Brothers Ring in a New Weekend at the Box OfficeJoel and Ethan Coen scored the largest debut of their career and first-ever number one opening with...
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