Rollerball: Special Edition

Starring: Chris Klein, Jean Reno, LL Cool J
Director: John McTiernan

Rating: R

Review Posted: 6.24.02

By John Teves

Jonathan Cross (Klein) is the newest recruit in the most extreme sport of all time… where his fast moves and killer looks make him an instant superstar. But Cross' life in the fast lane collides with reality when he learns that the leagues owner (Reno) is orchestrating serious on-court accidents to boost ratings. Now Cross plans to take down the owner and his ruthless sport… before the game puts an end to him.

He was supposed to look angry, but his recent problems with constipation didn't give him any other choice but to grimace.

There's an idea behind remaking old movies that weren't that good in the first place; make a better version of the film. Like the 1975 original version of this film, Rollerball is just a confusing waste of time. Not only is it hard to follow the action in the rink, but the plot of the film is choppy and the editing is frightful. The film never holds one shot for more than about a second and the result of that is unfathomable.

Rollerball could have been a great film, it’s plot was simple - to moralize about the responsibilities of the entertainment industry, instead we get action sequences that are little more than an excuse to watch male testosterone over and over again. It’s tough to take a film like this seriously when the message is delivered in a poorly made fashion.

Rollerball appears in an aspect ratio of approximately 2.35:1, on this double sided DVD; the image has been enhanced for 16X9 televisions.

The film was sharp. No signs of jagged edges or edge enhancements. I did notice some specks and grain but those were minor compared to the "nightvision" scene.

According to the filming crew McTiernan wanted it shot in that format; it was greenish, grainy, specky and cheap-looking, but if that’s what "McT" was looking for, there won't be much chastisement here.

Colors were bright; tones were clear and vibrant at all times. Black levels were deep and rich; shadow detail was perfect. This is a very solid picture and the DVD remained an excellent piece of work with the exception of the "nightvision" scene.

The most confusing sport ever.

Rollerball is presented in a Dolby Digital 5.1 mix. The sound offered an aggressive mix. The DD5.1 track used all five channels throughout the film. The games offered the strongest track mix; sound came from all around. Audio quality was solid. Overall, this was a loud aggressive mix.

Labeled a special edition, we get several extras. First, an audio commentary by actors Chris Klein, LL Cool J, and Rebecca Romijn-Stamos. Interestingly enough, director John McTiernan did not record a commentary or it simply did not make the disc. Either way, he wasn't happy with MGM's decision to cut the film down to earn a PG-13 rating. Nevertheless, this DVD release includes the R-rated version.

Also on this disc, "the stunts of Rollerball" featurette, an interactive Rollerball yearbook, Rob Zombie's music video, and the inevitable assault of trailers.

His reaction to a comment by an extra regarding his "Pie".

Rollerball just flailed with no sense of substance. If you liked this film you'll most likely be very happy with this DVD; it offers nice quality sound and picture and some decent extras. Overall, I couldn’t recommend this film.