Death Race

R

Released Aug 22, 2008

1 hr. 45 min.

Action

Mystery & Thriller

List

41%

157 Reviews

Tomatometer

60%

100,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Framed for a murder he did not commit, three-time speedway champ Jensen Ames (Jason Statham) finds himself at Terminal Island, the country's toughest prison, but he gets an unexpected chance at freedom when the warden offers a choice: Compete in the Death Race as a mythical driver called Frankenstein, or rot in a cell forever. Riding in a car equipped with flamethrowers and grenade launchers, Ames must survive a gauntlet of vicious criminals to win his freedom -- or die trying.

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Critics Consensus

Mindless, violent, and lightning-paced, Death Race is little more than an empty action romp.

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Hargie M

A high-octane thrill ride that delivers exactly what it promises – fast cars, explosive action, and zero subtlety. With Jason Statham at the wheel, the film barrels through its plot like a runaway train, leaving logic and character development in the dust. It's a guilty pleasure for adrenaline junkies, but anyone looking for depth or nuance should steer clear of this crash course in mindless entertainment.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

04/11/24

Full Review

Katrine W

OK movie, Basic plot and they tell and don't show the audience what's happening. Best thing was Jason Statham.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/25/23

Full Review

Connor A

This is a good film. There's plenty of action and entertainment, the races are fun to watch and the deaths are creative and brutal. The plot is basic and the ending is abit weak and cheesy but it's a dumb, fun action film and it knows it.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/22/23

Full Review

KEVIN C

Modern day remake of the Roger Corman production sees Jason Statham sent to prison to participate in the money making Death Race for the prison and its diabolical warden. This is kind of fun if you're to believe there's a state of the art track enhanced with weaponry in a prison. Statham doesn't have to be overly physical in this as his action is more driving than his usual hand to hand combat. Overall it's a pretty fun B movie, where it's not that important to make sense. Mindless frivolity.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/14/23

Full Review

Dick C

This good motion picture, Death Race, 2008 film is based on the Racer, by a late Danish-American novelist, Ib Jørgen Melchior...and also a re-make of a film at 2000 with the same name...It's directed by a famous English, Paul W. S. Anderson with co-writer as well as producer with strong casting, Joan Allen as the villain actress and also Jason Clarke as the bad guy, with Tyrese Gibson and Ian McShane, of course, Jason Statham...

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/06/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Crazy over the top movie that brings good action and a fresh new style movie

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

12/12/22

Full Review

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Paul W.S. Anderson

Director

Jason Statham

Jensen Ames

Tyrese Gibson

Machine Gun Joe

Ian McShane

Coach

Joan Allen

Warden Hennessy

Natalie Martinez

Case

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Death Race: Official Clip - Jensen is Framed

2:48

Death Race: Official Clip - Destroying the Dreadnought

1:50

Death Race: Official Clip - You Can't Kill Me

0:26

Death Race: Official Clip - The Dreadnought

2:52

Death Race: Official Clip - You Wanted a Monster

2:42

Death Race: Official Clip - Revenge on Pachenko

1:06

Death Race: Official Clip - Jensen Fights Pachenko

2:56

Death Race: Official Clip - Jensen and Joe Escape

1:54

Death Race: Official Clip - Jensen's First Race

2:53

Death Race: Official Clip - Rules of Death Race

2:58

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41%

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Joshua Rothkopf

Time Out

Rated: 3/5

Nov 17, 2011

Full Review

Jim Schembri

The Age (Australia)

A must-see for petrolheads and cineastes alike.

Rated: 3/5

Nov 7, 2008

Full Review

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Rated: C-

Oct 18, 2008

Full Review

Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

A heavy focus on visuals can't overcome an extremely predictable storyline.

Rated: 5/10

Nov 28, 2020

Full Review

Nikhat Kazmi

The Times of India

Gritty action, good-enough drama, Death Race keeps the fun vrooming.

Feb 28, 2020

Full Review

Marcianne Miller

Bold Life (Hendersonville, NC)

Death Race was so relentlessly sadistic, so grim, so basically without any redeeming human value that even a race fan like me ended up being turned off by the so-called "ultimate in auto carnage."

Aug 26, 2018

Full Review

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Synopsis

Framed for a murder he did not commit, three-time speedway champ Jensen Ames (Jason Statham) finds himself at Terminal Island, the country's toughest prison, but he gets an unexpected chance at freedom when the warden offers a choice: Compete in the Death Race as a mythical driver called Frankenstein, or rot in a cell forever. Riding in a car equipped with flamethrowers and grenade launchers, Ames must survive a gauntlet of vicious criminals to win his freedom -- or die trying.

Director: Paul W.S. Anderson
Executive Producer: Roger Corman, Dennis E Jones, Don Granger, Ryan Kavanaugh
Screenwriter: Paul W.S. Anderson
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Production Co: Impact Pictures, CW Productions
Rating: R (Strong Violence|Language)
Genre: Action, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 22, 2008, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 15, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA): $36.1M

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