Death Race: Inferno

Right now you can watch Death Race: Inferno on streaming — and it goes further with its ideas than most genre entertainment bothers to. The runtime earns every minute, with nothing here that feels like padding. With 841 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Luke Goss leads a cast that never lets the concept overwhelm the characters. There is no real reason to keep putting it off.

Part of the current wave of titles people are actually watching, Death Race: Inferno earns its spot. The world-building is meticulous, but it is the characters who carry Death Race: Inferno through its more ambitious moments. Carl Lucas / Frankenstein has won four of his races and needs to win one more to win his freedom. Before his final race, Lucas and his team, car and all, are transferred to another prison where they will compete in a Death Race in the desert. Also, at the same time, Ceaser runs into a marketer who wants to franchise the Death Race program. Luke Goss and Ving Rhames lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2013. The rules of Death Race: Inferno's world are consistent enough that the big swings never feel like cheating. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

Viewers burned by ambitious sci-fi that could not sustain its premise should give Death Race: Inferno a chance. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single evening. Watch for Luke Goss in particular — the performance elevates the material. Satisfying on multiple levels.