Rollerball 1975

It is the year 2018, and the world has transformed into a place devoid of wars, poverty, and violence. Instead, people channel their frustrations through the thrilling experience of Rollerball games. In a thrilling matchup, the Houston team triumphs over Madrid, with their standout player, Jonathan E, showcasing his exceptional scoring skills. Despite the brutality of the game, the players revel in it, celebrating their victory alongside corporate executives led by the arrogant Mr. Bartholomew.

When Jonathan is summoned to meet Bartholomew the following day, he learns that the Energy Corporation is pressuring him to retire. Resistant to this directive, Jonathan returns home via helicopter to his secluded ranch in East Texas, accompanied by a young woman assigned to him by the corporation, along with his friend and trainer, Clete. However, the woman soon departs for Indianapolis on a whim, leaving Jonathan to focus solely on training the Rollerball team, which includes new members.

In his quest for information about the Energy Corporation, Jonathan visits a library in downtown Houston, but the clerk informs him that the books he seeks are classified and cannot be issued. Meanwhile, back at his ranch, he encounters another young woman, Daphne, also sent by the corporation. The team’s training takes an unexpected turn when they learn of new rules that eliminate penalties, a change imposed because of Jonathan’s refusal to retire.

During a television interview designed to herald his retirement, it becomes clear that Bartholomew orchestrated the entire segment, aiming to pressure Jonathan further. As the Rollerball team continues their rigorous training, they dismiss warnings from a coach representing the Tokyo team and confidently proclaim their superiority. The story unfolds at a lavish cocktail party where affluence and excess are rampant, and whispers circulate that the players are robots. Bartholomew’s insistence for Jonathan to quit is met with defiance, as Jonathan grapples with the pressures around him.

As they travel to Tokyo, the Rollerball team faces a brutal onslaught from their opponents, leading to dire consequences for team member Moonpie. When Moonpie ends up in a coma, a Japanese doctor urges Jonathan to allow life support to be removed, but he steadfastly refuses. Meanwhile, Bartholomew and the Energy Corporation executives discuss Jonathan’s removal from the game in a tense video conference, aiming to restore Rollerball to its original spirit.

Jonathan’s journey takes him to Geneva, Switzerland, where he seeks information about corporate warfare at the world’s largest computer bank, but the system fails to provide clarity. In a poignant visit, his ex-wife Ella arrives at his ranch, attempting to convince him that the corporation had good reasons for their actions. However, Jonathan ultimately erases all traces of their past together, symbolizing his determination to fight against the corporation’s manipulations.

As the Rollerball team competes in New York City under the oppressive new rules, calamity strikes as players suffer severe injuries or even death. Amidst the chaos, Jonathan continues to score, and as the crowd chants his name, Bartholomew’s anger reaches a boiling point. The final sequence captures Jonathan skating endlessly, freezing the frame just as the credits roll, leaving viewers on the edge of their seats.