Review of Logan's Run (1976) by Keenan S — 25 May 2018

Remember this blast from the past? It was the last big name pre-Star Wars sci-fi film. Nowadays, the film is viewed as a dated relic of sci-fi with its hokey effects and very 70's style and aesthetics.

It's definitely a product of the era, unlike Star Wars which continues to trudge through time. That being said, I adored Logan's Run (I even prefer it to EVERY Star Wars film) and even its hokey aspects couldn't bring it down for me.

Perhaps its my love the 1970's era of films as well as my particular fondness for sci-fi films before Star Wars, but I had an absolute blast with Logan's Run. In the 23rd century, the remainder of humanity resides in a series of seemingly utopian domes.

Here, everyone is young, everyone can indulge to their heart's content (You don't even have to parent the kids you produce. The machines do it for you), and just do...whatever. But there's a catch - no one lives past the age of 30 to keep the population numbers in check.

To track this, each person has a crystal implanted in their hand that acts as a life clock. When it flashes red, your time is up and you must go to "Carrousel" in which you are vaporized and "renewed.

" Those who don't follow the rules are hunted by the Sandmen, whose job is to hunt the runners and kill them. The story follows a Sandman named Logan 5, who after killing a runner with a mysterious pendant, assumes that it must be the symbol for a group involved with smuggling runners out of the city.

So, it is decided that he will go undercover to find this group, posing as a runner. So, his life clock is sped up, and he meets up with a girl named Jessica, who is involved with the smugglers. However, things don't go according to plan, and soon Logan 5 discovers the true horrors of this "utopian" society and finds himself on the run with Jessica being hunted by the Sandmen.

Logan's Run is a weird, trippy, sometimes goofy, fascinating, thrilling, and compelling ride from beginning to end. It poses interesting thoughts about themes such as man vs machine, the obsession of youth and beauty, abuse of power, moral corruption, and a variety of other themes.

There's a lot to chew on and I think this film deserves more respect as a classic of the genre. If you enjoy yourself some dystopian sci-fi and don't get worked up about dated effects, Logan's Run is a must-see.

For me, it's one of the best sci-fi films I've ever seen.