Month: July 2020

Today’s quick review: Rollerball. Out of options in the United States, extreme athlete John Cross (Chris Klein) seeks his fortune as a Rollerball player in Central Asia. John’s skills help him rocket to the top of the violent sport, alongside his friend Marcus Ridley (LL Cool J) and girlfriend Aurora (Rebecca Romijn). But when John uncovers a conspiracy to injure players for higher ratings, he earns the wrath of Petrovich (Jean Reno), the team’s owner.

Rollerball is a sports action movie about a fictitious blood sport and the steep price of commercial success. A remake of the sci-fi movie of the same name, Rollerball scraps the original’s corporate future for a seedy present where media tycoons stand to make a fortune from the barely licit sport. The movie musters a fair amount of action, but its execution leaves plenty to be desired, thanks to flaky direction and mediocre acting and writing.

Rollerball makes a lot of little mistakes that add up quickly. The jumpy presentation style makes it hard to track the action. Small editing errors and shots that leave out important information contribute to a subtly bumpy ride. The film also relies too much on noise and spectacle to sell its sport and not enough on concrete action. The frenzied, commercial nature of Rollerball matches the themes of the movie but undermines the impact of its stunts.

These minor flaws weaken an already shaky foundation. The titular sport is a perfect excuse for violence, but its execution is lackluster. Chris Klein, LL Cool J, and Rebecca Romijn are decent leads who never really shine, while Jean Reno’s cartoonish performance is a distraction at best. The plot is predictable and doesn’t give the characters much to do. Topping it all off are the film’s efforts to come across as cool, which simply fall flat.

Rollerball has the makings of a decent action movie, but it lacks the craftsmanship, taste, and originality to follow through on them. It serves as a weak popcorn watch for dedicated action fans, but it’s badly outclassed by other movies in the genre. Most viewers would be better off skipping it. For a weightier take on a similar premise, try the original Rollerball. For a more robust take on extreme sports, try xXx, Death Race, or Gamer.

3.0 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 5.0 for poor execution.

Today’s quick review: Rollerball. In a future dominated by corporations, the sport of choice is Rollerball, a full-contact blood sport where death and injury are common. Jonathan E. (James Caan), Houston’s captain, is at the peak of his career and set to lead his team to another world championship. But when the executives who own the team try to force him to retire, Jonathan must decide whether to fight for the sport he loves or simply play along.

Rollerball is a sci-fi sports action movie about a star athlete whose career is threatened by outside forces. Rollerball combines the solid action afforded by the titular sport with a slow, philosophical plot, making it a decent but oddly balanced entry into the sci-fi genre. The movie touches on some interesting themes, and its roller derby-esque melee action gives it a unique angle, but it lacks the quality of writing needed to excel.

Rollerball handles both its action and its speculation well, but it runs into problems when it tries to unite the two. The movie takes the time to elaborate on its setting, a future where corporations run society and executives rule by fiat. The sport itself is a satisfying mix of racing and combat, with enough detail to its rule set for the audience to follow along, and the lengthy action sequences give the film some good excitement.

However, the plot itself is mediocre, a mystery with no real clues or answers. Jonathan’s investigation into who wants him out of the game never really gets off the ground. His deliberations over whether to stick with the sport carry some weight, but the story is missing one of the key pieces it needs to drive it forward. The story’s pacing doesn’t help matters; the plot takes some time to get moving, and even then it’s slow to escalate.

Watch Rollerball if you’re a science fiction fan who wants a peek into another alternate future. Rollerball doesn’t have the depth needed to make the most of its premise, but what’s there is enough to provide a bit of action and a bit of speculation. Steer clear if you’re looking for faster-paced action or a more cerebral thriller. For similar sci-fi speculation, try Logan’s Run. For another blood sport with more action, try Death Race or Gamer.

6.6 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for an inventive premise and decent action without the tight story needed to tie it all together.

Today’s quick review: Battle Royale. In the near future, a 9th-grade class is selected by Kitano (Beat Takeshi), their bitter former teacher, for Japan’s Battle Royale, an annual three-day contest where the students are forced to kill each other to survive. Close friends Shuya Nanahara (Tatsuya Fujiwara) and Noriko Nakagawa (Aki Maeda) team up with Kawada (Tara Yamamoto), a veteran of the game, to try to make it through violent struggle alive.

Battle Royale is a Japanese action horror movie that pits 42 teenagers against one another in a fight to the death. Battle Royale is the quintessential death game movie, sporting brutal violence, a simple but effective premise, and plenty of character-driven drama. The movie’s dark tone, copious amounts of gore, and immense cast can make it a tough watch for the wrong viewer. However, its craftsmanship makes it a worthwhile investment for the right one.

Battle Royale takes greater pains with its material than most other films in the genre. Each of the students gets at least a brief treatment, with a specific personality, backstory, and tragic end. The movie lays on its drama thick but artfully. The travails of adolescence play a large role in how the students react to the violence around them. Rivalries, unrequited crushes, and old trauma all boil to the surface over the course of the game.

Watch Battle Royale when you’re in the mood for something dark, brutal, and occasionally uplifting. Not everyone will enjoy what the movie has to offer, but those who can stomach its violence and track its many characters will be treated to a tense, sprawling battle of wits, nerves, and cunning. Sensitive viewers should steer well clear. For a flimsier, action-oriented take on the death game genre, try Death Race, Gamer, or The Tournament.

7.7 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.5 for careful drama and well-crafted violence.