In 2050, the planet became densely populated, as things began to turn into a bad path. Everyone is trying to help control the population, as the government is developing a new race they call the Death Race. In this race, a mobile crew of violent drivers competes in a cross-country road race, and scores points for people shamelessly running on a very bad path.
It's not necessarily a "good" movie-it's ragged and choppy and scattershot, with broad, cartoonish gags and easy jabs over pointed satire-but it's also fun, unpretentious, cheeky, energetic, gleefully trashy, and filled with junky spectacle.
Death Race... delivers the goods on tongue-in-cheek action, simplistic yet effective social commentary, and a bunch of actors who clearly get the tone of the piece, and are willing to go way over the top in silly, campy, and sometimes ultra-violent fun.
Don't expect it to eclipse the original - assuming the original is your cup of tea to begin with, of course - but there's still a surprising amount of gas left in this particular tank.
The most striking satirical target is the take on America itself, now a post-apocalyptic wasteland - where it may feel a little close to the bone right now.
