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FIRST LOOK

First Look: The Big Badass Battles of Death Race

by Alex Billington
May 28, 2008
Source: Empire

So maybe if the vibrant, glossy look and family humor of Speed Racer wasn't your cup of tea, the more gritty and explosive Death Race will be instead. Although this is destined to be terrible, with Paul W.S. Anderson (of Mortal Kombat, Soldier, Resident Evil, and Alien vs Predator) directing, this latest photo actually gives me just a little bit of hope. The first official photo we got of Jason Statham last December was quite tame. This one is much more fiery and badass - literally. The truck in the middle reminds me of Optimus Prime and the car on the left reminds me of Devastator, but maybe with a little more rust and a black paint job. So am I safe to say this looks like Transformers plus Speed Racer plus Jason Statham?

This photo comes from the inside of the latest Dark Knight themed issue of Empire Magazine, which you need to check out anyway. You can read the story and see more photos by picking up the latest copy on newsstands. I really dig Empire, they've quickly replaced Premiere (after they went the way of Orion Pictures) as the premium magazine for Hollywood entertainment. They know their shit and they know how to make it exciting and enjoyable to read. Anyway, enough chit chat, check out this badass photo below.

Jason Statham leads the cast of an action-thriller set in the post-industrial wasteland of tomorrow, with the world's most brutal sporting event as its backdrop. A penitentiary full of felons has inspired the jailers to create a grisly pastime ripe for lucrative kickbacks. Now, adrenalized inmates, a global audience hungry for televised violence and a spectacular arena come together to form the Death Race.

Three-time speedway champion Jensen Ames (Jason Statham) is an expert at survival in the harsh landscape that has become our country. Just as he thinks he has turned his life around, the ex-con is framed for a gruesome murder he didn't commit. Forced to don the mask of the mythical driver Frankenstein—a crowd favorite who seems impossible to kill—Ames is given an easy choice by Terminal Island's warden: suit up or rot away in a cell.

Death Race is directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, of Mortal Kombat, Soldier, Resident Evil, and Alien vs Predator, with a screenplay written by J.F. Lawton, of Under Siege, Blankman, Chain Reaction, and Dead or Alive. The film is a remake of the 1975 cult classic B-movie Death Race 2000 directed by Paul Bartel and starring David Carradine and Sylvester Stallone. Death Race arrives in theaters on August 22nd.

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chris

if this was being done by Neil Marshall (of Doomsday, Dog Soldiers & The Descent) then it would be amazing. He's a director who has NO issues with a bit of politcally incorrect ultraviolence (see Doomsday) which is what Death Race has to have in order to work. Paul WS will probably make a PG-13 'action lite' movie which won't have any of the charm (or characters, political views etc) of the original. Damn him.
The Delightful Deviant

so Anderson couldn't get the rights to Twisted Metal to officially screw that over so he made his own version?
tuwhitt

Event Horizon was a good movie, Soldier is a pretty fun action movie. Paul W.S Anderson knows how to direct action decently, with a great source for the material and good violence this could be a entertaining action movie. The quote on the scan makes me think that it'll be R-Rated. Did you see Event Horizon? That was no "PG-13 Lite" movie. He's done violence before. That said, It WOULD be awesome with Neil Marshall, but then it'd basically be DOOMSDAY II minus the LOTR ripoff section. Hmmm that sounds good...
Garrett.king

The Delightful Deviant (#2) Death Race is actually a sequel/ Remake of a movie starring Sylvester Stallone the was released back in the 70's.
The Delightful Deviant

oh alright, well i still hate Paul W.S Anderson.
Pickle

It's ok that Paul W.S. Anderson is directing. Maybe he'll redeem himself. Luckily Neil Marshall didn't direct. "Doomsday" was a big, cheesy mess that quickly disappeared from theaters. I'd seriously doubt that "Death Race" would have fared any better under his direction. I do hope Paul Anderson delivers the goods though.
chrisUK

@3 - Event Horizon was good, and yep Mortal Kombat was ok back in te day because i hadn;t seen enough martial arts movies to know otherwise AVP was just...wrong. Unless this has people car racing cross country and killing pedestrians for points en route to overthrowing the government then it's death race only in concept (ie a race where people can die) and shouldn't really be compared to the original. "Sure it's violent, but thats the way we like it! Violence! Violence! Violence!" <-- if that line isn't in this 'remake' i'll be disappointed
Scorpio

I agree with #7, the great thing about the original it was a cross country killing spree for points. And the violence was very original, and funny. It was a very dark comedy about the future of culture and society. Isn't this just a race track in a prison?? So there will be no babydoll bombs, euthanasia day at the hospital, the guy in the manhole, or blowing up the president???
interl0per

Sounds like an extended Mad Max road battle...Id watch that
http://www.modelmayhem.com/kevjohnphotography kevjohn

Now this looks like the movie the Wachowskis should have made!
http://movieguyreviews4u.blogspot.com Ryan

Yeah, Doomsday wasn't that gfreat, hopefully this will be fun.
Melissa

please please don't let them ruin what delicious violent fun DR2000 was/is! Looks pretty cool though.
therblig

Alex B i think your just a bit too early and extremely excited for your next transformers installment, Dude you got transformers on the brain. hahahaha
Movieraider321

THANK YOU #8. You cannot beat the original. Frankly this movie completely obliderates any familiarity one may have with the original. However the name Frankenstein is still used. Woopie. Looks bad, but maybe if I get sauced up enough I'll go see it and puke, when I laugh too much at how awful it makes the original. Bummer for the remakes. Bummer.
http://www.rebeccasite.com Rebecca

LOL, there are the main battles: The Dreadnaught and the fight against Savage Vergil towards the end!