Before I get tons of reader mail for daring to give Death Race four gummi bears, an important note:

We rate and review movies based on their intention, not necessarily their final product. In other words: Death Race won't be winning any Academy Awards, and there are a handful of films with fewer gummi bears that I enjoyed more; but a film called Death Race obviously knows what it is and who its audience will be - and gets props for sticking with those points.

I'm saying that Death Race is a lot of fun!

There's not a significant plot - race car driver Jensen Ames gets imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit in order to garner ratings for the ultimate reality TV show (quick, guess its name!) - but why does that matter when Jason Statham menaces and blows stuff up a lot?

The movie is brainless and full of signficiant violence. Exactly what anyone who bought a ticket would expect and would be hoping for. Moreover, Tyrese Gibson often takes his shirt off for the ladies, giving you a semblance of an opportunity to recommend this to your girlfriend as a date movie.

But there's a better chance you and anyone that enjoys Mario Kart will enjoy it.