A world torn apart by war and a weakened economy, sad remnants of a failing society. For some, paying $250 to watch nine men kill one another in an awesome car race is the answer of course. Aside from the shady premise, “Death Race” actually delivers despite having so much going against it. From a moral standpoint, who would want to watch people kill themselves for sport? Therein lies the beauty of Paul W.S. Anderson’s screenplay. All of the men are prisoners, fighting for their freedom. Action-film god, Jason Statham, manages to keep the plot down-to-earth by playing a not-so-average steel mill worker, Jensen Ames. Ames has personal reasons to make it off the Alcatraz-like penal island.
The rules are simple: Win five races, you walk. The race itself, however, is anything but. Ames’ gas-guzzling Mustang is supped up with enough artillery to make any carnage lover wet his or her pants. Even with all this enthralling action, you still need a villain.
Bigger than the screeching tires, and greedy enough not to mind the gore, is Hennessey, played by Joan Allen. Allen expertly crafts the mastermind prison warden behind the “Death Race” media phenomenon. But hey, wasn’t she also the unassuming wife from “Pleasantville”? Like a true method actress, Allen can get into any character, protagonist or otherwise. Though, it’s still a bit shocking to hear some of those “Seven Words You Can Never Say On Television” come out of June Cleaver’s mouth. Hennessey is the ultimate villain: never forgiving and completely heartless. As a viewer, you love to hate this woman for starting this race which is nonsense in the first place, but you also love her in the same sadistic way you slow down and rubberneck in order to watch car accidents on the Interstate 5.
The fights, race scenes and all-out blood bath that ensue are enough to make the squeamish cringe, but not enough to make them walk out of the theater.
That being said, after 89 minutes of nothing but blood, sweat and steel, you might just be ready for a bath yourself.
Director: Paul W.S. Anderson
Distributed by: Universal Pictures
Grade: B+
