The Death Racers (and their passengers)
Welcome back to 1 out of 5 – Would Recommend, which comes out of retirement this week for one last job. Today, we’re watching the newest entry in a series that, like Spider-Man, has been rebooted twice in ten years – Death Race 2050!
What’s The Plot?
It’s a remake of Death Race 2000, and it follows that plot pretty closely: in the distant future of…thirty years from now, the United Corporations of America keeps its almost entirely unemployed and aging, cancer free citizens happy with the bread and circuses of the Death Race! Racers chare from New York City to Los Angeles, running down fans and unfortunate citizens for points all the way as millions watch via immersive virtual reality rigs.
Who Made This Beautiful Garbage?
Malcolm McDowell as The Chairman!
Roger Corman is back as producer for this remake from writer/director G. J. Echternkamp. It’s pitch perfect, everything you’d want from a Death Race remake that the other remake didn’t give us.
Five Reasons to See It
- The Racers are suitably updated to reflect modern society, with the stand-out “evil” Death Racer being Tammy the Terrorist. She’s a good-looking blonde who founded her own religion, equal money-grubbing southern Mega Church preaching and celebrity worship, and uses it as an excuse to commit murder and cause mayhem.
- The Chairman of the United Corporations of America is a blowhard with bad hair, constantly surrounded by yes men and topless women, whose entire ruling philosophy comes down to self-aggrandizement and high ratings. This satire was probably meant to be a lot less on the nose when the film was in production.
Yancy Butler appears to be working on becoming the female Bruce Campbell.
- Manu Bennett, the Deathstroke of the Arrowverse, takes up the mask of Frankenstein this time around. He plays it suitably badass.
- The leader of the resistance is renamed “Alexis Hamilton” from the original “Thomasina Paine” in what is a very blatant pandering-to-popularity move. She’s played to over-the-top perfection by Yancy Butler, TV’s Witchblade and recently star of the Lake Placid franchise.
- “Do you remember what the Dalai Lama said about committees? *waits for response* He didn’t say anything about committees because he wasn’t a p***y!”
Recommendation
This movie is a silly good time, absolutely worth your time.
The cars look cooler than in both the original and previous remake.
NEXT WEEK: Tokusatsu Gesundheit gets back on schedule with Kamen Rider World, Super Sentai World, and Toei Hero Daishugō!
