Carnage as the Fast and the Furious has head on collision with Scrap Heap Challenge

Dubious director Paul WS Anderson has taken a break from his constant stream of ropey video game adaptations (the Resident Evil series, Dead or Alive, Mortal Kombat and the forthcoming Castlevania) to remake the controversial 1975 sci-fi Death Race 2000. 

If you’ve seen the trailer, you’ll know the score.  In the not too distant future, reality TV has taken its natural course with viewers demanding much more for their licence fee.  Last man standing Racing tournaments are set up that throw convicted felons into armoured killing machines for the amusement of bloodthirsty spectators; if you watch this film… you’re one of them!  Former racing driver Jason Statham is framed for his wife’s murder and forced into the driving seat.  If he wins he gets his freedom, if he loses – well, the clue’s in the title, and it does exactly what it says on the tin.

“Faithful to computer game conventions…”

The film takes a no frills approach to the vehicles – it may be set in the future but these are hardcore stock cars geared up to deal out and stand up to masses of explosive punishment.  The film is all the better for this approach, rather than opting for a glossy CGI take on the races (remember Speed Racer?).  The sensation of speed and crunching collisions are cranked up and hammered with a savage arsenal of bullets, missiles, napalm, oil slicks and the traditional Bond-esque wheel spikes.  CG is used for the future sport league table format, which suits the tone well, and oddly, the film feels faithful to computer game conventions, even though this is one of the few films that Anderson has directed that isn’t based on a game.

“More tattoos than your average death metal band…”

Nobody’s going to be winning any Oscars for their performances in Death Race, but Statham is suited to the meat-headed con seeking vengeance; he’s hard as nails, built like a brick out-house and has more tattoos than your average death metal band.  He’s more than capable of holding his own in a prison full of multiple murderers, though he’s far too apathetic when the story attempts to inject any emotion into his role.  Ian McShane (TV’s Lovejoy!) plays the archetypal wise old crim that’s far too institutionalised to ever leave prison, and he’s responsible for all of the lethal bells and whistles on the sooped-up Mustang, as well as adding a touch of humanity to the proceedings.

“…the only grey matter involved is being wiped off the windscreen”

Death Race is a Testosterone fuelled destruction derby of a film.  It has a functional plot, a cast of 2D characters, a Hip-hop/Metal hybrid soundtrack, and a range of comically gruesome fatalities.  It has no pretensions and the only grey matter involved in watching the film is the stuff that’s being wiped off the windscreens of the Mad Max inspired vehicles rampaging round the track.    

It’s Anderson’s best film since Event Horizon (which admittedly, doesn’t say a lot) and it’s brutal, well executed carnage that may just tide you over until it becomes a reality. 

Rating ***

Listen to the review as featured on BBC Radio Sheffield, Leeds and York on Wednesday 29th October.   You can tune in to the Russell Walker Late Show at 88.6FM or listen online.