DEATH RACE 4: BEYOND ANARCHY

US, D 18, 109 minutes, Colour.

Zach McGowan, Danny Glover.

Directed by Don Michael Paul.

What happens beyond anarchy? Annihilation? Or, the possibility of salvation?

As can be seen from the title, there have been three Death Race films. They are futuristic, and grim world, fast cars, reckless drivers, injuries and deaths along the route, and champions in an ugly world.

This particular version certainly presents an ugly world, dark, black, a world of the bleakest of territories, prison, with a death races take place. This particular prison is ruled by a warlord, Frankenstein, always masked.

However, there are glimpses of a more ordinary world, fashionable and luxurious living, and the playing of politics and power. And, on the outside of the prison, clubs where bookmakers have contacts with the political world as well is the dark world, would have big betting.

This film is actually won an award – Best stunts. Which means that in its written atmosphere, in the vicious races, drivers both men and women, masked, tattooed, liver… Weapons… Its appeal is to fans of this kind of film. Many audiences will find it far too much.

Eventually, something of the plot does emerge, a champion driver delivered by helicopter along with a female driver, their involvement in the races, confrontation with Frankenstein, and the revelation that the champion driver is actually being parachuted in by the government to defeat Frankenstein and then to be rescued. A lot of the complications with various driver characters, support, betrayals, a seedy club in the hostess in a relationship with the champion, her being taken hostage, to be rescued…

Zach McGowan is the champion and it is a surprise to see Danny Glover in such a prominent role, a controller of the races. And any trio appears as a master bookmaker.

The scenario was written by Tony Julio, a prolific writer of such stories, working with the director, Don Michael Paul, himself an actor and action director. And the collaboration is with British Paul W.S.Anderson who directed the 2008 death race action film.