By Steve Figueroa
Paul W.S. Anderson (Resident Evil, Event Horizon) puts his own spin on Roger Corman’s cult classic ‘Death Race’ 2000. This is a no-nonsense action film with extreme violence, so kiddies beware.
Death Race 2000 and this year’s Death Race exist in stark contrast of each other. The original film had a whimsical, almost LSD influenced imagery, the likes of which may have not been capture before on film. The latter is a straight forward action ride, filled with a never ending barage of gunfire, gore, and cheesy one-liners. The tragic part of this: it was actually enjoyable.
This is the type of movie that reminds you what movies are intended to do. Entertain.
The cast was honed well for this film. Everyone had their chance to partake in the cliche rhetoric of heroes and villains that only exist within alternative universes. Starting with the ring leader, Hennessey (Joan Allen “Bourne” trilogy) who orchestrates a pay-per-view race to the death, involving hardened criminals who are offered their freedom upon winning four races. Jensen Ames (Jason Statham The Transporter) is blamed for the death of his wife, and convinced his driving ability and lack of luster in the media were fueling points for Hennessey to murder his wife and draw him into her prison. I won’t say more but they did a decent job of tying up the plot.
Joan Allen’s ability to replace human emotion with conviction is her only saving grace on this project. While it would be hard to think of someone who would have been better suited for the role, I feel this was beneath her talent and should have been offered to someone who is known for similar roles.
Jason Statham found a good balance of victim, opportunist, and total badass. His fight scenes, although somewhat anemic compared to past films, were fluid and felt real. Normally he’s battling seemingly expert Karate champions every time a fight began. This time he was just a guy in jail, fighting other inmates.
His “navigator” Case (Natalie Martinez Fashion House) is a scene stealer. She assist Ames in his quest for freedom via the Death Race, but turns out she’s more than a switch flipper which causes Jensen to rethink his alliances. The best part of Natalie Martinez is that she doesn’t have to show much skin to be appreciated.
Now, Machine Gun Joe (Tyrese Gibson Transformers) is the quintessential enemy found in any film within this genre. His fond distaste for authority, and inability to keep a navigator longer than one lap, boarder on comedy.
Supporting actors such as Ian McShane, Max Ryan, and Jacob Vargas round out the cast. While this film’s bang-up job of a plot might leave film junkies wanting to inflict pain upon themselves, it’s intelligent approach to adapting to society and how the media caters to our sinful desires is commendable.
Overall, I am left to wonder if Roger Corman was thrilled or disappointed in this rendition’s lack of ingenuity and cult classic potential. I am torn between loving and loathing this film, solely based on my respect for the original’s broad appeal. With that said, this film does what it intended to do and delivers the goods.
If you’re in the mood for blood, guns, fast cars and trucks, then strap in and hang on. This fast paced tugboat of carnage may surprise you.



It was hard to review this film as I saw it immediately after Step Brothers and my face was still killing me. Since I love to categorize different styles of comedy and delivery, I am pleased to say I would not compare them to one another.
A comedy of this magnitude only comes along once, sometimes twice a year. A movie for fans of stupidity and fun. Fans of idiotic reactions to everyday situations. If you liked Anchorman, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Talladega Nights, Knocked Up, Superbad, Walk Hard, and Forgetting Sarah Marshal, you might blow a blood vessel in the theater with Step Brothers.


A surprisingly talent rich cast, including Jeff Daniels and Stanley Tucci, did the best they could with this animated comedy from Vanguard Animation.


In a time when comic book themed movies are all the rage, it’s fantastic to see a film where critics, audiences, and box office numbers combine to solidify a franchise’s reign over the superhero genre. This movie had the breadth of James Cameron, the intelligence of David Lynch, the scrupulous script writing of Charlie Kaufman, and the nightmarish visions of Stanley Kubrick all rolled into one.