Death Race (Universal Pictures)
Rip-Roaring Excitement From Start To Finish
Jason Statham is known for his adrenaline laced movies from Transporter to Crank. Now he is back in a new one that is probably his most exciting to date. It is titled Death Race and it moves at warp speed from beginning to end.
Statham plays Jensen Ames, a former race car driver and now hard working family man. He, his wife and baby daughter live a conservative life trying to make ends meet. But all of that ends one night when he is knocked unconscious and his wife is killed. He is framed for the murder and sent to prison.
At the prison he is introduced to Warden Hennessey (Joan Allen) who tells him about the death race. This is the basis for a reality TV show and it is filmed at the prison. Several convicts are allowed to race cars and the one who wins five such races gets his freedom. In the past a driver known as Frankenstein won four races. This man raced in a mask so no one knew who he really was.
In the last race Frankenstein had been killed but his death had been kept secret. Now Hennessey wants Ames to take his place. The lure of freedom is enough to make Ames agree. He is given a team to help get a race car ready for him. This team is headed by a man called Coach (Ian McShane) who knows everything there is to know about cars.
Ames main opponent is Machine Gun Joe (Tyrese Gibson), a deadly opponent if there ever was one. In this race most of the entrants die on the race track. If the other drivers dont get them the Warden has a few deadly tricks up her sleeve.
Statham is perfect as Jensen. He has the physique and the temperament to make him a man to be feared. Statham takes these roles seriously and plays them for all they are worth.
Also good is Gibson as his opponent. Gibson is another actor who gives credibility to all roles he undertakes. He oozes meanness and hatred for the prison and for the hand life has dealt him. Jason Clarke has some good moments as an evil guard. Natalie Martinez is the token female/love interest in the film.
Joan Allen is impressive as the warden but what did they do to her face! She looks puffy and unreal. It is as if she has been botoxed or something like that to within an inch of her life. Allen is a talented actress but this new face is a distraction.
The movie is rated R for profanity and violence.
If you like excitement in your movies then this is one you dont want to miss. It will certainly get your adrenaline rushing as these men race for their lives. Death Race is a one topic movie and that topic is excitement. Statham and company keep the action going and the danger soaring.
I scored Death Race an explosive 6 out of 10.
