Rollerball (2002 film)

Rollerball is a 2002 science fiction sports film, directed by John McTiernan. A remake of the 1975 film of the same name, based on William Harrison's short story Roller Ball Murder, the film stars Chris Klein, LL Cool J, Jean Reno, Rebecca Romijn and Naveen Andrews.
==Plot==
 In 2005, the new sport of Rollerball, a violent extension of roller derby involving motorcycles and a metal ball, becomes popular in many countries. Marcus Ridley invites the talented sports fanatic Jonathan Cross to join him playing for the Zhambel Horsemen in Kazakhstan. Marcus refuses, hoping to try out for the National Hockey League in some months. However, after he recklessly skates through his hometown, the police start looking for Jonathan, who is forced to accept Marcus's offer to escape them. The highly paid Marcus and Jonathan are teamed with low-paid locals, who are often severely injured in the game.
In the beginning, Jonathan, the team's star player and the poster child of promoter Alexi Petrovich, is enamored by the high-octane sport, the popularity, sports cars, and his female teammate Aurora. The two keep their relationship a secret and refuse to put a stop to rumors that Aurora is a lesbian. During one game, one of their teammates is killed by an opponent, something that is prone to happen in a match. However, the team quickly discovers that that murder might have been planned before the game, as one of the straps of the victim's helmet had been cut and the cameras filming the event seemed ready for the death to happen. Jonathan and Ridley eventually discover that Alexi and his assistant, Sanjay, have a vested interest in keeping the game as popular as possible, through planned gory "accidents" and ensuring that Jonathan and Ridley cannot quit the team and remain high-profile stars. Both the deaths and Jonathan's talent seem to generate upticks in ratings.
Jonathan and Ridley pretend to know nothing about this situation, wanting to keep their current lifestyle, but after an "accident" almost kills Aurora, the two friends decide that they need to flee the country to save their lives. Their teammates, including Aurora, cannot join them, though, as they have families there. Jonathan and Marcus are followed by Alexi and several bodyguards, who attack the two before they can reach the Russian border. Jonathan is injured and Ridley has to leave him behind. Alexi and his men capture Jonathan and kill Ridley before the latter can cross the border.
Jonathan says that he will keep working for Alexi if Aurora is traded to another team, wanting to keep her away from danger. Alexi complies, secretly transferring Aurora to the opposing team for the next match. Knowing he cannot trust Jonathan anymore, Alexi tries to stage a public execution of him by removing all the rules from the upcoming Rollerball match. The match becomes more violent than ever before, and many players die. However, Jonathan, with the help of players from both teams, starts a revolution, causing the fans to see the sport for what it really is. In a fit of rage, he kills Alexi and Sanjay before reuniting with Aurora.
==Cast==
*Chris Klein as Jonathan Cross
*Jean Reno as Alexi Petrovich
*LL Cool J as Marcus Ridley
*Rebecca Romijn as Aurora "The Black Widow"
*Naveen Andrews as Sanjay
*Mike Dopud as Michael "The Assassin" Uglich
*Andrew Bryniarski as Halloran
*Kata Dobó as Katya Dobolakova
*Lucia Rijker as Lucia Ryjher
*Oleg Taktarov as Oleg "Denny" Denekin
*Paul Heyman as Sports Announcer
*Janet Wright as Coach Olga
Category:Films
Category:2000s films
Category:2002 films
Category:2002 science fiction action films
Category:2000s American films
Category:2000s Japanese films
Category:2000s German films
Category:Remakes
Category:Films about competitions
Category:Films based on Science fiction short stories
Category:Films shot in Minnesota
Category:Films shot in Wyoming
Category:Films set in 2005
Category:Films set in Kazakhstan
Category:Roller derby films
Category:Roller skating films
Category:Films about death
Category:Atlas Entertainment films
Category:Columbia Pictures films
Category:Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films
Category:Buena Vista International films