-

I'll admit that I let "Death Race" slip by me pretty easily during its theatrical run. Sort of wanting to see it, yes, but also becoming disillusioned with the current crop of Jason Statham action flicks, it wasn't on purpose that I avoided it but it happened just the same.

Along comes Christmas and I receive "Death Race" as a gift. Perhaps it was meant as an apology to Statham and much-maligned director Paul W.S. Anderson ("Mortal Kombat," "Resident Evil," "Event Horizon," and "Alien vs Predator") that it was the first movie I watched that day out of the many I had gotten from various family members. Somewhat eagerly I popped open the DVD tray, gently placed in the disc, and closed the player's door. I plopped myself down on my 7 foot long couch and was expecting just about anything at this point.

But maybe it was my total lack of expectations that got me to this point. I had done little to no research on the film - something I make a regular practice of - prior to viewing it and all I really knew about the picture was that it was a loose remake of the '70s Stallone vehicle "Death Race 2000." Forgoing the subtext and political incorrectness of that title, Anderson's "Death Race" is much more cut-and-dried, but just nearly as violent. The film takes place inside of a maximum security prison where the inmates have the right to earn back their freedom by participating in the online phenomenon known as Death Race; a show where the prisoners use heavily-armored cars to both race and fight one another to the death. The first prisoner to win five races regains their freedom.

Statham plays Jensen Ames, a man who is very obviously framed for the murder of his wife by the higher ups of Terminal Penitentiary, so that the corrupt warden (Joan Allen) can place him in the Death Race as the recently deceased, but legendary driver Frankenstein (called so because he had been "so horribly disfigured by crashes” that he must wear a mask). She offers him the chance at freedom if he, as Frankenstein, wins one more race. Things do, however, become complicated but I will not spoil that here.

Going into "Death Race" and hoping for a little substance is like renting an "Evil Dead" film and hoping that this time they hold the ketchup. "Death Race" is all about big guns, souped up cars, hot women, sustained action sequences, and bloody combat. While the unrated cut runs nearly two hours in length (and is the only version of the film I have seen even though both the theatrical and unrated edits are included on the DVD) much of that time is spent on the track with the tires squealing and the bullets flying. An HDTV and 5.1 surround is HIGHLY recommended for this film to get the most out of the experience. Anderson has paced the film incredibly well, even in its lengthier unrated cut, that he literally gives the viewer no time to breathe.

The action sequences are handled with aplomb and it was great to see Anderson come back from the rather tame "AVP" and deliver something as foul and hardcore as "Death Race." Fistfights feel rough and brutal, God knows how many 50 cal. rounds are spent during racing segments, and various people are either impaled, blown up, run over, machine gunned or stabbed. I don't think the added material found in the unrated print would award the film an NC-17 rating, but "Death Race" is a profane actioner that has a distinctly gritty look to it and doesn't care to shed a little (or a lot) of blood.

You could find fault in the simple fact that none of the cast do much more than shout expletives or give the camera a brooding look now and again. Statham has built his career on it, and others in the cast such as Tyrese Gibson (Machine Gun Joe) and the funny-as-hell Jacob Vargas (Gunner) - who has built his career on being the comic relief - do nothing more than look as menacing as menacing can be when the camera is on them. In fact, this can be attributed to the entire cast. Anderson was going for bleak, I suppose, and he nailed it in atmosphere and cinematography, but the acting is the flick's most - if only - forgettable aspect.

But we didn't check ourselves in to this ride for noteworthy performances; we came for the action, and there's more than enough of that to go around. Complaints from film purists’ aside, "Death Race" is a fantastic popcorn flick that delivers on its promise of nonstop action. Poor acting and flimsy script aside, those interested in an edge-of-your-seat action picture will definitely want to check this one out.

8/10