Jensen Ames was set up, and sent to prison. It's the future, and prison's are now run by the corporations. Mans thirst for more has turned the PPV cage fights into Death Race, where prisoners race each other in souped up, iron plated, heavy weaponed cars.
In the last race, Machine Gun Joe, played by Tyrese, took out Frankenstein. So Hennessey, played by Joan Allen, "arranges" for Jensen Ames, played by Jason Hottness...I mean Statham. He was a driver on the outside, and a good one. And she needed someone to wear the Frankenstein mask, with the same skill set.
And it goes from there. Ames is blackmailed into driving, and the games begin.
The script was somewhat predictable. Loosely based on the 1975 film Death Race 2000...and I do mean loosely, it gave a few new twists, but nothing spectacular. But this movie was about the action, not the plot. The same basic themes run through both, don't trust big government/corporation.
Jason Statham was...well...Jason Statham. Quiet, brooding, ripped...as a man of few words, that is his best bet in the action flicks.
Joan Allen plays Hennessey. She's great. You hate her by the end of the movie. In the beginning, she looks sort of alienish, but by the end, she's looking fine! She did a good job acting too.
Ian McShane, Frederick Koehler, and Jacob Vargas do a fine job as his pit crew. Koehler was especially good as the tic filled, odd Lists.
The highlight of the movie was the action. It started with the car design. Souped up, heavily armed...just cool looking. The creativity was great. The characters driving the cars weren't bad. Very Mad Maxish in their design, but very enjoyable.
The race sequences were great. The kills spectacular. High speeds, lots of gun play, simple, but clever defenses...lots of fun.
I'll be honest. This isn't an Oscar caliber movie on any level. The acting is average. The script predictable. The only really good thing about it is the action. But that is what makes it totally watchable.
A few things that bugged me though. Tyrese drives a huge truck, yet it kept up with the smaller Mustangs and Porche's during the race. And I can't stand Tyrese anyway. He is a horrible actor, and the only thing he has going for him is he looks good...yet he still gets roles. I was also bothered with the fact that in the original, Machine Gun Joe was an Italian Guy from Chicago in the original, not...Tyrese.
I really enjoyed it, despite lack of nudity, it was very entertaining. My wife loved it, because Jason Statham was all ripped, with his shirt off half the movie. So I'll go on her word, that that is a good thing.
I will give it an 8.5 out of 10. I enjoyed it, had a good time, and will definitely buy it.
