Saturday, January 28, 2017

Death Race 2050, Carnage in a Globalist World

After seeing many IMDB viewer reviews claiming 2017's "Death Race 2050" was the worst film ever made, I just had to see it.  Those reviewers must not have seen "Rogue One."  Then again, no one appreciates Roger Corman like I do.  The B movie icon produced this one. Whether a sequel to "Death Race 2000" or a re-boot, this tongue-and-cheek satire is packed with social commentary and gut-flying gore.
The world is now ruled by corporations.  The U.S. landscape has changed.  The good-peeps of this country now live in a neglected wasteland and automation has hiked the unemployment rate to 99%. Washington, DC has been relocated to Dubai, and to keep the great unwashed masses from revolting, the government addicts them to the Death Race.  This contest features five cars travelling across the continent, and racers earn points for mowing down pedestrians (after all, this race also helps keep the population under control).  Frankenstein (Manu Bennett) is everyone's favorite racer.  He, as are the other contestants, is matched up with a contest winner proxy, Annie (Marci Miller).
The race begins and lots of citizens are mowed down as their intestines go flying.  Jed Perfectus (Burt Grinstead) is Frank's main rival.  Jed is a genetically engineered man struggling with his sexuality.  Tammy the Terrorist (Anessa Ramsey) is a babe and radical evangelical.  She begins the race by blowing up Section G of the stadium.  But wait, a group of freedom fighters seeks to destroy all the racers.  Malcolm McDowell plays the corporate ruler of the world and Yancy Butler plays his apparent rival, Alexis, head of the rebels.  The racers go through such cities as New Shitsville (formerly Baltimore) and Walmartinique (formerly Arkansas).  We are told this area of middle America smells like BBQ and bed sores. As the carnage increases we learn Annie is actually a freedom fighter sent to kill Frank.  Uh oh, our beautiful rebel begins to fall in love with Frank.  Double uh-oh, rebel leadership might be in bed (literally and figuratively) with the Corporation.
Will Frank and Annie figure out that they both are racing into betrayal? Will the 99% find inspiration from Death Race to rise up against the one per-centers? Available on Netflix, "Death Race 2050" is the perfect film to bring back your balance if you were unfortunate enough to be dragged to "La La Land."

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