Today’s quick review: Logan’s Run. Three centuries in the future, humanity lives a pampered life in a closed environment thanks to a single rule: life ends at age thirty. Logan-5 (Michael York) is a Sandman, one of the guards responsible for tracking down the Runners who defy the system. When Logan is assigned to locate and destroy an enclave of Runners, he turns to a young woman named Jessica-6 (Jenny Agutter) to help him escape to the outside.
Logan’s Run is a dystopian science fiction thriller in the classic mold. The movie posits a future where humanity has retreated to a complex of domes after an unspecified calamity. Society indulges every luxury, aided by marvelous technology, but does not encourage love or allow the formation of families. At age thirty, citizens are executed under the guise of a rebirth ritual to make way for the new generation, with participation enforced by the Sandmen.
Logan begins as a loyal member of the Sandmen, but his inquisitive nature, a chance encounter with Jessica, and the undercover assignment he is given introduce him to another perspective. Michael York plays the character well, showing his transformation from stalwart enforcer to reluctant renegade and all the little steps along the way. Jenny Agutter as Jessica is the perfect companion for him along the way, distrustful yet willing to let him prove himself.
Logan’s Run contributes a lot as a science fiction story. The premise is far-fetched but has interesting consequences, including a distant look at some of our core values by a society that does not share them. The setting has an unusual amount of depth, and the characters, though simple, are well-drawn. The plot progresses well, the writing is generally solid, and the story does a good job of deciding what to explain and what to leave a mystery.
At the same time, Logan’s Run has rough spots that may limit its appeal. The special effects are badly dated, although the costumes and props hold up just fine. The plot has two or three pivotal moments that come across as silly rather than dramatic, times when the writing breaks down or the speculation does not hold up. These moments are not distracting enough to undermine the movie, but they are reminders of the flimsier side of classic sci-fi.
Watch Logan’s Run when you are in the mood for old-school science fiction with fairly strong execution. The setting, story, and acting are enough to make Logan’s Run a classic of the genre in spite of a few eccentricities. Skip it if you aren’t into science fiction, as most of its charm involves its speculative nature. For a modern, action-oriented take on a similar premise, check out Equilibrium.
6.8 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 to 7.5 for quality science fiction.