Review: Death Race: Inferno

Dougray Scott plays a nasty billionaire who has taken over the Weyland Corporation and its ‘Death Race’ concept, which he hopes to expand to various parts of the globe. The latest race is to be held in the Kalahari desert, with Carl Lucas (Luke Goss) once again coerced into competing, at the threat of his friends (mechanic Danny Trejo, navigator and main squeeze Tanit Phoenix, and baby-faced tech-head Fred Koehler) being killed. The new competitors include the aptly (if lazily) named Psycho (Jeremy Crutchley), returning driver 14K (Robin Shou), and Olga Braun (Michelle Van Schaik). Ving Rhames reprises his role as Weyland, who having been displaced by Scott, has a somewhat shift in allegiance this time around.

 

The original “Death Race 2000” was an hilariously nasty Roger Corman-produced cinematic precursor to “Carmageddon” and other computer games of that nature. The more recent remake “Death Race” and its sequels/prequels have been lesser films, but each has their merits, including this 2012 entry from director Roel Reiné (“Death Race 2”, the well-shot WWE action sequel “The Marine 2”) and screenwriter Tony Giglio (“Death Race 2”, and “Arena”- which was essentially “Death Race” without the cars). Unfortunately, the film starts out with a recap of the previous film, and why would you watch this film without having seen the two previous films? Also, the whole thing moves far too slowly for what is essentially the same damn film as “Death Race 2” set in the desert. It eventually gets into second gear (pardon the pun), and offers some fun, it’s mindless entertainment at best and too exposition-heavy for my tastes.

 

Luke Goss, surely the only ex-Britpop boy band member to turn into an action movie star is serviceable once again, but he’s hardly on the level of a Scott Adkins. Much more interesting is Jeremy Crutchley as the amusing, but poorly-named ‘Psycho’. Dougray Scott is hardly menacing as the villain, but he’s actually better than usual. His hilariously savage and unreasonable criticism of his blonde secretary is a film highlight. Tanit Phoenix, meanwhile, still has no idea how to act naturally and convincingly on camera, but isn’t as flagrantly awful as she is on “Femme Fatales”. As for the two biggest names in the cast, Ving Rhames and Danny Trejo, I have no idea why either actor feels the need to turn up in direct-to-DVD sequels to something like “Death Race”, let alone two of the sequels. Rhames is a genuine talent gone to waste and it is truly tragic. He’s the new Rutger Hauer except Rutger Hauer was savvy enough to usually get lead roles. Mind you, that could be considered a bad thing I suppose, given lead actors tend to have to wear it when a film is crap. Trejo is Trejo, and that is never a bad thing, though these films never get much use out of him. It’s interesting, though, that ‘Machete Don’t Text’ but Trejo apparently uses Google in this. Cute.

 

Olga Braun is an obvious recall to Matilda the Hun from “Death Race 2000”, but unfortunately the character barely registers. I really think Reine and Giglio missed a big opportunity for some fine Sapphic lovin’ between Olga and her female navigator. The hetero drivers get some action, why not Olga? I’m really pissed about that.

 

Still, this is a film about a futuristic race featuring prisoners in a Kalahari desert prison, and so you can’t really hate a film like that. The voiceover narration for the broadcast in particular is very funny and over-the-top. I’m almost certain it’s done by the guy who narrated the TV show for “The Running Man”, which wouldn’t be surprising given both are derivations of “The Most Dangerous Game”. I liked the addition of Kalahari crime gangs providing an interesting and amusing pitfall for the racers. That was clever and fun. I also fully endorse this film’s treatment of false starters. Blow the fuckers up.

 

If you like car race movies, obviously you’re tolerance of this film will be far higher than most, but for me the best thing was the gorgeous use of desert scenery and cinematography by Wayne Shields (in his first gig in that position, he’s been a gaffer on many other films). Shields’ use of shadow and silhouette is really nice in particular. Some of his camerawork gets a tad repetitive down the stretch, but at least it’s not annoying, shaky, or incoherent like in the first film.

 

This isn’t bad for the trashy kind of film it wants to be, but I still think “Death Race 2000” is pretty unbeatable as far as these things go and holds up well today. Better pacing, especially early on might’ve helped, especially given how derivative it is, but if you’ve stayed with the series so far, why not keep going? You could do worse.

 

Rating: C+