In a corporate-controlled future, an ultra-violent sport known as Rollerball represents the world, and one of its powerful athletes is out to defy those who want him out of the game. In a futuristic society where corporations have replaced countries, the violent game of Rollerball is used to control the populace by demonstrating the futility of individuality. However, one player, Jonathan E., rises to the top, fights for his personal freedom, and threatens the corporate control. Rollerball, the 1975 version, which I saw when it first came out, is sadly turning out to have been a prescient view of our 21st century world. The movie metaphorically depicts the cut-throat nature of corporate business, dramatising through the ultra-violent game, the true nature of what appears to be the predatory corporate world we're heading toward. Unless of course, this Enron debacle wakes up enough people to make sure this direction is curtailed. hee hee I'm eager to see if the new remake will provide a cautionary tale to the American masses, or simply be more "Bread and Games". This is in many ways a film that is very typical for its kind in the late 60s and the 70s it is a relative of "2001: A Space Odyssey", "Fahrenheit 451", "Silent<br/><br/>Running", "Logan's Run" and "Death Race 2000". It is a social critical science fiction movie masked as straight action/sci-fi. First for the good things: It is a thought provoking movie with some riveting Rollerball action sequences, it is well played and well made with a non-standard classical organ score. The flip side is a middle section, that although it does offer thought-provoking look at a future dystopia is sagging badly. The design is as minimalistic as in "Fahrenheit 451", making it clear that this movie was made on a shoestring budget (which<br/><br/>explains the padding in the middlesection). I feel it is too early to make a remake of this movie for the sake of updating it technologicly or otherwise, it is simply not needed, "Rollerball" is still a very stingy critical sci-fi movie that's hitting home. A remake is however required to make the ultimate "Rollerball" movie,<br/><br/>with a healthy budget, allowing "Rollerball" to rise above minimalism and<br/><br/>deliver in the crisp & crunchy Rollerball game department. Rollerball 2002 was a dud, so this is still a challenge for a gutsy studio and director. For all its shortcomings the original "Rollerball" is an above average movie holding up<br/><br/>very well even today. 7/10
Chiokfan replied
344 weeks ago