Genre: Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi, Sport
Starring: Manu Bennett, Malcolm McDowell, Marci Miller, Burt Grinstead, Folake Olowofoyeku, Anessa Ramsey, Yancy Butler, Charlie Farrell, Shanna Olson
Review: Polluted and overpopulated, America is falling apart. What better way to take our minds off of these terrible truths than with the event of the year - The Death Race. The Chairman (Malcolm McDowell) of the United Corporations of America assembles the roughest, toughest, and most violent drivers to race across the country for fame, fortune, and scoring the highest blood-soaked body count in this murderous motorsport's history.
In 1975, Roger Corman produced the carmageddon classic Death Race 2000. Now, in 2017, Roger Corman's back and up to his old tricks again with the reboot Death Race 2050. Both films are fun, with tongue placed firmly in cheek. But like most reboots, remakes, re-imaginings, Death Race 2050 is just a pale imitation.
That's not to say that it isn't without its charms. The violence, gore, and unnecessary nudity aren't afraid to let their freak-flags-fly. The entire cast is so over-the-top that you can't help but admire their dedication and shamelessness with every single second they all have on-screen. Malcolm McDowell looks to be having a blast! And that hair he's got - classic!
Like the original, Frankenstein is our lead anti-hero and Manu Bennett does him some justice. He's tough, cool, and seems to be the right man for the job. His co-pilot played by Marci Miller is quite good, too. Actually, for a movie as goofy as this one, the entire cast came ready to play and it shows. Plus, it certainly helps us have fun watching the mayhem.
Now, much like the original, this is a low budgeted flick that knows it is and knows that you know it is, and that's part of its charm. It knows what it is and has fun with it. It is ostensible the same movie as the original with a few updates due to a 40 year gap between the films.
This one is definitely a "so bad it's good" kind of time, but it'll certainly divide audiences. I like the campy carnage, political and cultural pontificating, and it's pedal-to-the-metal persistence to entertain.Death Race 2050 is a low budget love letter to Corman and that's kind of sweet...in a bone-crunching, red asphalt, down-and-dirty, darkly humorous sort of way.