Death Race is a 2008 film directed by Paul WS Anderson. The Death Race of the title is an extreme competition: prisoners convicted of murder are called to challenge each other aboard armored cars. Who wins five times, gets freedom; whoever loses, is seen dying on live TV

Directed by Paul WS Anderson, the film skilfully mixes action, thriller and science fiction, giving the viewer an adrenaline rush

Death Race stars Jason Statham as Jensen Ames. A former NASCAR champion, Jason is wrongfully accused of killing his wife. Arrived at the Terminal Island penitentiary, he is forced by the director Hennessey to participate in the Death Race by taking the place of Frankenstein (who died unbeknownst to the public)

To prepare for the role, Statham trained for several weeks with the ex-Navy SEAL who had prepped the Spartans for the movie 300 , going from 20% to 6% body fat in three months

Joan Allen as Claire Hennessey, the prison director

Ian McShane as Coach, part of Frankenstein’s team of mechanics. Only he, along with Lists and Gunner, and the director Hennessey, knows of the replacement in person

Tyrese Gibson as Machine Gun Joe, Jensen Ames’ opponent in the Death Race. The two team up to destroy the Dreadnought, an armored tanker with turrets and flamethrowers built by Hennessey to boost share for the program

Natalie Martinez is Elizabeth Case, navigator of Jensen Ames and before Frankenstein: it was she who sabotaged Frankenstein’s car, obeying an order from the director (who had promised her freedom)

Jacob Vargas is Gunner, also among the mechanics of Frankenstein and Jensen

Jason Clarke as Ulrich, prison guard at Terminal Island Penitentiary, right-hand man of the director

Robert LaSardo as Grimm, among Jensen’s rivals in the Death Race

David Carradine is Frankenstein, who died on the brink of freedom