Death Race (2008)

Director:

Paul W.S. Anderson

Writers (WGA):

Paul W.S. Anderson (screenplay)
Paul W.S. Anderson (screen story)

Release Date:

22 August 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Get ready for a killer ride.

Plot:

Ex-con Jensen Ames is forced by the warden of a notorious prison to compete in our post-industrial world's most popular sport: a car race in which inmates must brutalize and kill one another on the road to victory.

Plot Keywords:

Warden | 2012 | Armored Car | Murder | Car Cigarette Lighter

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Jason Statham	...	Jensen Ames
Joan Allen	...	Warden Hennessey
Ian McShane	...	Coach
Tyrese Gibson	...	Machine Gun Joe Mason
Natalie Martinez	...	Elizabeth Case
Max Ryan	...	Pachenko
Jacob Vargas	...	Gunner
Jason Clarke	...	Guard Ulrich
Frederick Koehler	...	Lists
Justin Mader	...	Travis Colt
Robert LaSardo	...	Hector Grimm
Robin Shou	...	14K
Benz Antoine	...	Joe's Navigator #1
Danny Blanco	...	Joe's Navigator #2 (as Danny Blanco Hall)
Christian Paul	...	Joe's Navigator #3

Also Known As:

Death Race 3000 (USA) (working title)
Course à la mort (Canada: French title) (France) [fr]
Ölüm yarisi (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Carrera Mortal (Argentina) (DVD title) [es]
Corrida Mortal (Portugal) [pt]
Death race - Wyscig smierci (Poland) [pl]
Death race - kuolonajot (Finland) [fi]
Dirka smrti (Slovenia) [sl]
Koursa thanatou (Greece) [el]
La carrera de la muerte (Peru) [es]
Smrtonosna utrka (Croatia) [hr]
Surmaralli (Estonia) [et]

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence and language.

Runtime:

USA:111 min (unrated version) | 98 min (theatrical version)

Country:

USA | Germany | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #44430) | Singapore:NC-16 | UK:15 | Ireland:16 | Malaysia:18SG | Canada:14A (Alberta) | Canada:18A (British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | Philippines:R-13 (MTRCB) | Finland:K-15 | South Korea:18 | Netherlands:16 | Portugal:M/16 | New Zealand:R16 | Japan:PG-12 | Sweden:15 | Australia:MA | Brazil:16 | Germany:18 | France:U | Argentina:16 | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

Cité du Cinéma, Montréal, Québec, Canada

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

Shot in 50 days.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The characteristics of the grenade launcher RPG-7 given in movie are incorrect.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Case: [while being shot at during Death Race] Damn it!

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Film '72: (2008-09-23)" (2008)

Soundtrack:

Grown Woman

The death race!

As many comic books, games and original movies are being remade, director Paul W.S. Anderson is not new to those remakes. He adapted Resident Evil, Mortal Kombat and AVP. Now he remakes the original movie Death race 2000. Not surprising. While watching this movie, I realised that he still has his habit of making games plots. Death race plot is quite similar to those racing or survival games plot. It reminds me of DOA (Dead Or Alive) which Paul produce.

The story: Jensen Ames (Jason Statham) is framed for murdering his wife. He is then sent to jail. Hennessey (Joan Allen) picks him to join the brutal surviving game. He has to kill the other inmates who join the game. The prize is to get his freedom. Every inmate will get his own partner. The partners are mostly some hot chicks. From there, exciting vehicles chases scenes and blood ooze out. There isn't much gore but there are blood and language. The plot is so simple but the idea and the chase scenes make my heart pound. It is like watching a survival game unfolding by itself.It just explode the screen and your time and nothing else. And you won't care about the plot, you will just care about the thrilling game.

Overall: Those expecting a move to kill time, this is one. Those who want to watch another "The Dark Knight" movie, this is not the movie. It is not bad for mindless action flick.