Futuristic drama starring Chris Klein and Jean Reno. Daredevil athlete Jonathan Cross is persuaded by an old friend to join him in playing rollerball, a violent team sport that is gaining popularity through its cable-TV coverage. Cross soon makes his mark on the game, but also learns that the man running the sport is prepared to do anything in his pursuit of ratings.
Despite its cult kudos, Norman Jewison's 1975 futuristic nightmare was never an exceptional film. However, compared to this pointless reinterpretation, it's a masterpiece. Turgid, spiritless and excitement free, this remake is like an optical lobotomy. Magnifying the original's weaknesses to excruciating levels, it compounds its brain-numbing banality with wooden performances, risible dialogue and an emotionally bankrupt plot. Chris Klein lacks charisma as the sporting hotshot who uncovers global conspiracy, while female lead Rebecca Romijn-Stamos is just an athletic clothes horse. Yet although this is a movie preoccupied with image and gloss, director John McTiernan delivers no visual thrills. Instead he settles for lacklustre set pieces that make the rollerball action sequences about as electrifying as a school sports day. Shameful mediocrity for a man who, in his prime, made Predator and two Die Hard films.
| role | name |
|---|---|
| Jonathan Cross | Chris Klein |
| Petrovich | Jean Reno |
| Marcus Ridley | L L Cool J |
| Aurora | Rebecca Romijn-Stamos |
| Sanjay | Naveen Andrews |
| Denekin | Oleg Taktarov |
| Serokin | David Hemblen |
| English sports announcer | Paul Heyman |
| Coach Olga | Janet Wright |
| role | name |
|---|---|
| Director | John McTiernan |
