Digital Racers: The First Movie (1994)

Digital Racers is a 1994 Italian animated fantasy adventure film directed by Iginio Straffi. It is the first theatrical release in the Digital Racers franchise. The film was first released in Italy on July 18, 1994. On July 8, 1995, an extended version of the film aired on Rai Due. In addition to an added prologue, the updated version included new animation and CGI graphics.

Filmed in Jerusalem, Beirut, Gaza, Manhattan & Mauritania between August 1993 to April 1994, director David Jaffe claimed he wanted to make the setting in the Eastern Bloc countries of Belarus, Ukraine & Russia which was named Sovietska, but was used for the 2nd movie. During the end credits of Digital Racers: We Are One (2010), it was announced that a full CGI remake was set to release on the following year. It was released as Digital Racers One — Evolution in July 2011.

Setting
The movie is set in late 2001 following the "Barrel Wither" of the 1980s in which oil prices increased due to oil becoming more rare. Cars have became even more rare, and as an result, have gained the ability to think for themselves due to an mutation. Because of the fears that it would cause an A.I Uprising, cars have now been banned. It is set in the region of Altair, which was inspired by Israel, Syria, Lebanon & Palestine. The capital Al-Ahad (which was inspired by Jerusalem and Beirut) is contested by several terrorist groups who launch terrorist attacks to gain control over it's water resources. The terrorists hide in the Ibin Valley, in order to avoid patrols by Celestal, a PMC hired by government forces in Altair.

Summary
A man named Maxwell Kurt wins in an demolition derby in El-Ued (inspired by Gaza), in which the derby leader, Mukhtar Bialsayf, gives Kurt a box, keys, a pistol and a map to directions to the Ibin Valley. He heads to the garage in which he removes a filthy tarp to reveal a 1987 Nissan Skyline R31 GTS-R. Removing a chip that prevents it's ability to start-up by draining it's fuel, he refuels the car and turns it on.

Meanwhile in New York City, NSA Agent Ford MacGrath gains intel and tells him to meet up with Kurt in Al-Ahad DMZ. He gets in his 1992 BMW M3 Coupe and heads for the JFK International Airport. Arriving at Al-Ahad's Sahed Al-Kamaz International Airport. Kurt and Ford met-up in the outskirts and join a race of Digital Racers. All of a sudden, both of their cars gain consciousness and talk. Racing from the Independence Square to the Ibin Valley, Kurt's 1987 Nissan Skyline R31 GTS-R wins and they gain access to the terrorist's hideout.

It is when he enters the terrorist's hideout that he starts a shoot-out, and gains the codes to a nuclear device that could destroy the world. It's that time when Celestial & the Terrorists