The film “Death Racers” represented the first collaboration between director and writer Jesse V. Johnson and Christian Celso. The film is known for its excessive action, violence, and infusion of racing as well as exploitation genres.
Plot Overview:
The film takes place in a time in which society is ruled by its most basic instincts, and thus the form is losing its moral and legal boundaries. Thus it is illegal car racing which is also accompanied by killing the opponents with an array of weapons, offered to the last one standing. It is a competition, but it is held in this dystopia, and in fact, it is organized envisaging the will of the oppressed.
The central figure of the film “Raven” (portrayed by Jason Momoa) is a racer with dangerous career driven by saving a younger brother who has been taken hostage. The pressure builds as the remaining racers are picked off one by one, the contestants must contend with hazards such as inescapable traps, enemy racers, and whips from the government that hosts the spectacle.
Key Themes:
Survival. This quote is particularly important because it demonstrates how and what people are doing in the film in order to survive in an extremely violent world.
Rebellion against oppression. The anti-central government mentality does not vanish even in a society which had been dominated by immoral state bosses.
Violence and Morality: The film discusses the problem of violence and the ethics of fighting for such uncivilized ideas.
Style:
There are a lot of high-speed car chases, non-stop action, and a lot of hand held cameras in the film, which is in line with death race exploitation films. The audiences get immersed in the violence, the ostentatious nature of the story and its direction encouraging them to enjoy the violence.
Reception:
It has a strong fan base among B-movie and exploitation cinema fans but the film, Death Racers is panned by critics mainly due to its plot and execution. Although, it is for those who are in search of a campy action film.
