SCI FI PI

Released Oct 30
Starring Jason Statham, Joan Allen, Ian McShane, Tyrese Gibson Natalie Martinez
Director Paul W.S. Anderson
Rated MA 15 +


This film truly puts the car into carnage!





If you think that Paul WS Anderson is an unsung hero then this will probably another fine Sci-Fi film for you. If you do enjoy complex plots and characters with meaningful violence and believable scenarios, then perhaps this may not be your cup of tea. If you're looking for something that resembles a gigantic, rather bloody driving game, then you have hit nirvana.

Paul WS Anderson (not to be confused with the chap who gave the world Boogie Nights and There Will Be Blood) is a director with a cult status for a certain kind of Sci Fi fan. Movies like Event Horizon and Soldier (and even Resident Evil) have a certain charm and are not without merit, but also come with a certain style that place WS into the 'B' category of film directors. Still, as a visualiser of future worlds, he's always been a solid performer for the hardcore Sci Fi fan looking for reliable entertainment.





In Death Race though, we have a film that is primarily an action event. Literally - a single race (the Death Race of the title) takes up what feels to be three quarters of the film's actual running time. Thus the space normally left for complex character development is left out.

Our action hero, Jason Statham, is well cast, and the rather incongruous casting of Joan Allen gives the film an air of class - especially as she's the villain of the piece. Deadwood's Ian McShane has a grand old time with the cheesiest action lines and a few Shawshank Redemption moments, but the rest of the film has been peopled by cardboard cutouts that vaguely resemble human beings.

But are you really looking for complex characters in a movie called Death Race? Really?





What you're looking for is a race held in a near-future prison that features heavily armoured cars that are armed with massive machine guns, rockets, flamethrowers and protected by up to six inches of solid steel. The aim of Death Race is to win five races to achieve a full pardon - or, if you can, just stay alive.

The Death Race has three stages, and by the final one, there's not much left in the way of contestants. This blood sport of course is watched by millions across the globe as they crave the excitement that will help them deal with a world that has gone to the dogs.





Thrown into this mix is the classic innocent man, framed for the murder of his wife, forced to race, who must somehow figure a way to beat impossible odds to escape and win back his daughter. There are no surprises in the script, but there are a couple of twists that may be slightly more interesting than you had imagined they would be.

The film is shot with a gritty, grainy steely palette, and the gore and sheer horror of some of the sequences bring to mind early Verhoeven. There are plenty of tongue-in-cheek moments, and there is a rather hard-edged brutality to the fight sequences and racing sequences that will appeal to you if you're in a blood-thirsty mood.





It's not subtle, it's not that clever, and sometimes watching people try to kill each other in cars can get a little same same, but there is a real effort to keep things flowing along, so before you know it, time is up and the ride has come to a halt. It's best not to think too much about it.

If occasionally you do have dark thoughts about squashing puppies with bricks, this is definitely the film for you!