Death Race (2008)

  As completely unnecessary as this remake is, it's still a fun time to be had.  I had watched it once before, although the particulars of when escape me, so this time I watched the unrated version.  Normally, something is "unrated" because the MPAA had to cut language or nudity.  The only part that seemed new to me was the background on his life before the prison.  I don't remember that part being there except in flashbacks, but I could be wrong.

Jensen Ames (Jason Stathem) is framed for the murder of his wife and sent to Terminal Island, a privatized prison run by Warden Hennessey (Joan Allen) made famous for their broadcast of the Death Race.  Convicts are given the opportunity to win their freedom by participating in a no-holds-barred car race, complete with machine guns, defensive measures, and even arm candy.  Jensen has been brought in to secretly replace the current fan favorite, Frankenstein, who died on the operating table.  He and his pit crew must find a way to stay alive long enough to win the race as well as take down the corrupt warden.

Paul W. S. Anderson directed this and you could easily say this is where it all started to go downhill for him.  Before this, he did Resident Evil, Event Horizon, Soldier and Mortal Kombat.  After this, he did the Resident Evil 4, 5, The Three Musketeers and Pompeii.  That is not a good trend.

I am a little surprised at how much of his oeuvre I've actually watched, as a side note.

Anyway, if you're going to watch a Paul W. S. Anderson movie, stick to ones made before 2009.