Death Race

Name: Death Race
Genre: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Released: August 22, 2008
Rating: 43
Cast: Jason Statham, Joan Allen, Tyrese Gibson

2008

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 24 Critics

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 184 Ratings

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6.9

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6.9	Your Score
6.9	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 184 Ratings

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DEATH RACE

Movie Details & Credits

Universal Pictures | Release Date: August 22, 2008

Starring: Jason Statham, Joan Allen, Tyrese Gibson

Summary: Terminal Island: The very near future. The world’s hunger for extreme sports and reality competitions has grown into reality TV bloodlust. Now, the most extreme racing competition has emerged and its contestants are murderous prisoners. Tricked-out cars, caged thugs and smoking-hot navigators combine to create a juggernaut series withTerminal Island: The very near future. The world’s hunger for extreme sports and reality competitions has grown into reality TV bloodlust. Now, the most extreme racing competition has emerged and its contestants are murderous prisoners. Tricked-out cars, caged thugs and smoking-hot navigators combine to create a juggernaut series with bigger rating than the Super Bowl. The rules of the Death Race are simple: win five events, and you’re set free. Lose and you’re road kill splashed across the internet. (Universal Pictures)… Expand

Director: Paul W.S. Anderson

Genre(s): Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Rating: R

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Awards & Rankings

71	#71 Most Discussed Movie of 2008

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

The New York Times - Nathan Lee

The movie is legitimately greasy, authentically nasty, with a good old-fashioned sense of laying waste to everything in sight -- including the shallow philosophizing and computer-generated fakery that have overrun the summer blockbuster. Read full review

New York Post - Kyle Smith

Statham is an essential tough guy, what the Brits call "well'ard," as self-assured as Lee Marvin. Read full review

Seattle Post-Intelligencer - William Arnold

This new version has absolutely none of the distinctive tongue-in-cheek black humor that was the keynote of its model and the trademark of its original director, Paul Bartel. Read full review

The A.V. Club - Keith Phipps

It's the perfect end-of-summer film, and a sign that summer needs to end soon. Read full review

Washington Post - Philip Kennicott

It isn't so much a movie as a superheated, highly conductive miracle substance for the pure transmission of masculine aggression and misogyny. Read full review

New York Daily News - Elizabeth Weitzman

Well, you've got to say this for Death Race: It knows what it is and doesn't apologize for it. What it is, incidentally, is junk. Read full review

Baltimore Sun - Michael Sragow

Here's hoping Allen's static Hennessey is due to an extreme acting choice and not plastic surgery. It would be tragic to lose a natural smile to star in garbage like Death Race. Read full review

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User Reviews

richards

Jan 21, 2009

It was a cool movie I think you should make a part 2 to this.

1 of 1 users found this helpful

Aug 25, 2008

This movie was really great. i really enjoyed the action scenes. this is one of my favourite movies and i have seen ALOT of movies.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

BarneeB

Oct 17, 2008

The best action movie in recent memory. Fast Cars, big guns and fancy girls. And yes it's as good as it sounds. I really enjoyed this movie from the first moment to the last. Not really a complicated story, but who cares? Pay attention at the beginning, cause the best part is probably The best action movie in recent memory. Fast Cars, big guns and fancy girls. And yes it's as good as it sounds. I really enjoyed this movie from the first moment to the last. Not really a complicated story, but who cares? Pay attention at the beginning, cause the best part is probably the first five minutes with the real Frankenstein. Not saying the least of the film is not amazing. If you like true action, and the occasional nasty language doesn't bother you, go and watch it right NOW!!!… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

NickG

Sep 22, 2009

It wasn't anything special, but it was entertaining.I've seen far worse movies.The acting was good, the effects were good but it just lacked something in the plot that would have made it better.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

RayzorMoose

Nov 15, 2013

Death Race kills.
In one of Jason Statham's most consistent films. Death Race takes a simple plot and executes it with precision. The film is filled with good action sequences, a well developed story line, and is just fun to watch.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

johnslegers

Jan 3, 2016

Even though the story line is incredibly thin, Anderson still managed to leave open a number of plot holes. Copying from 1975 the film "Death Race 2000" and the 1987 Schwarzenegger film "The Running Man" as well as computer games like "Carmageddon" or "Destruction Derby", Anderson's "DeathEven though the story line is incredibly thin, Anderson still managed to leave open a number of plot holes. Copying from 1975 the film "Death Race 2000" and the 1987 Schwarzenegger film "The Running Man" as well as computer games like "Carmageddon" or "Destruction Derby", Anderson's "Death Race" has little new to offer besides some 21st century special effects.

The only ones who can really look forward to something new and refreshing are fans of Tangerine Dream's Paul Haslinger. Haslinger's soundtrack adds a grim industrial feeling to the film, making the brainless movie bits a bit easier to swallow.

Still, the film consists of little more than monotonous car chases with lots of bullets and explosions added to them. If you're interested in a dumb and unoriginal action film filled with plot holes, then "Death Race" might be your thing. Otherwise, watch out you don't fall asleep.....… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Aug 21, 2008

Worst movie I've seen in years. 30 Days of Night and Spider-man 3 were cinematic masterpieces compared to this horrible drek. Trite story, totally insulting.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

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