FanDominion

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What happens when Executive Producer Tom Cruise hires a cast and crew to re-make the schocky 1970s grindhouse drive-in film, Death Race 2000 for a modern audience? Why, 2008′s ultra-violent dytopic sci fi bloodbath, Death Race, of course. And the ciritcs are loving it, believe it or not.

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OPENS: August 22, 2008
RATING: R (Bloody deaths, Extreme profanity, Violence against women)
GENRE: Grindhouse, Car racing, Action, Dystopia, Science Fiction

Among the negative comments from critics on the excessive violence and the way the film treats women – as sexy objects, cold-hearted bitches or other B-movie sexploitation clichés.

Other critics say, “hold on a minute … the film is a spoof of those types of films.” Here, the women are in on the joke and the dark commentary the film has on American society and the way women are still treated by men in general.

Furthermore, the action scenes are praised as outstanding. Death Race knows how to “blow things up real good,” so to speak.

WATCH THE TRAILER

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• Great action scenes
• Quality cast

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• Nature of film’s sexist remarks and acts may offend some
• R-rated for a reason;  bloody gore is a staple of this film

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"Yes, Death Race is as brutal as a punch in the face. If you have a hankering for B-movie grime and gore, it can also be a lot of fun.” – Stephen Cole

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{for=”Winnipeg Sun” value=”6″}

“There’s no pretense here — even the satire [Death Race] is as sophisticated as an Alabama bumper sticker — but if I’m forking over my gas money to see chases, crashes, booby-traps and body counts, I probably wasn’t in the mood for Pride and Prejudice anyway.” – Kevin Williamson

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{for=”Newsday” value=”6″}

“Filled with weaponized vehicles, pyrotechnics, exploding skulls and some mesmerizingly enormous female breasts – but no sex or love-stuff – “Death Race” seems almost scientifically designed to trigger every boy’s prepubescent pleasure-centers.” – Rafer Guzman

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{for=”Boston Globe” value=”6″}

“Thanks to its character interplay, the movie doesn’t drag despite taking a good 40 minutes to really rev its engines. And the racing that ensues is as loud, fast, hyper-edited, and pulverizingly destructive as the gladiatorially minded would hope.” – Tom Russo

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{for=”Kansas City Star” value=”8″}

“And while steel-plated cars bristling with firepower are guaranteed to get adolescent hearts stirring, the movie offers myriad pleasures for adults.” – Jason Heck

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{for=”San Francisco Chronicle” value=”3″}

“One more reason why Joan Allen is the most underrated actress of her generation: While Meryl Streep and Tilda Swinton are fine, multifaceted talents, neither one could pull off the line “Activate the Death Heads!” or “Release the Dreadnaught!” without looking completely ridiculous.” – Peter Hartlaub

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{for=”Chicago Tribune” value=”8″}

“It’s one of those vicious larks that just plain hit the spot. It hits the spot, throws ‘er into reverse and hits the spot again, before machine-gunning it and ramming it head-on for the fun of it.” – Michael Phillips

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{for=”Fresno Bee” value=”7″}

“Briskly paced and art-directed with the look of grim decay that you associate with an obsolete but still cranking oil refinery, the film knows when to pile on the clichés and when to include a few surprising twists.” – Donald Munro

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{for=”New York Post” value=”8″}

“The car chases and most of the characters are thrillingly executed, with 5,000-horse-power smash-’em-ups shredding the screen.” – Kyle Smith

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