1990 American film
Prayer of the Rollerboys is a 1990 independent science fiction film directed by Rick King and starring Corey Haim and Patricia Arquette.
Plot summary
Griffin, an accomplished inline skater, works as a delivery boy in near-future dystopian Los Angeles. The city is overrun with poverty, crime, and drug use, and is considered one of the United States' only free territories in the wake of "The Great Crash": an economic catastrophe triggered by the greed of previous generations that has severely crippled the United States and left its properties up for grabs by foreign corporations and interests. Its effects are echoed by ominous events referenced throughout the film, including: news reports of riots in Washington D.C. (due to the armed forces going on strike); a television ad announcing that Harvard University and the Ivy League was moved to Japan, followed by a question from one of the characters if "there will be any Universities left in America"; a newspaper headline that proclaims "GERMANY BUYS POLAND"; and references to the Vatican hiring the Israeli Defense Forces to "clean up" Northern Ireland.
A heavily-armed white supremacist skater gang and underground conglomorate known as the Rollerboys fight for control of the decaying city. Their director is young charismatic narcotics-kingpin Gary Lee: a childhood neighbor of Griffin's, who's also rumored to be the great-grandson of Adolf Hitler. The Rollerboys carry out their mission of restoring Anglo-America's former greatness, through violent battles with other gangs, and through the distribution of "Heaven Mist", a designer drug. Griffin's younger brother Miltie, who idolizes the Rollerboys, takes a job with them pushing mist on the streets; eventually, Miltie starts using it himself. Then Casey, an undercover cop, recruits Griffin to join the Rollerboys as a mole in exchange for a better life.
Griffin is initiated but his loyalty to the Rollerboys is soon called into question. In order to prove himself, he unknowingly pummels Speedbagger, his and Miltie's Afro-American landlord and legal guardian, nearly to death. Shortly thereafter, Griffin discovers the chilling truth behind the Rollerboys' mantra "The Day of the Rope is coming". Rope turns out to be a toxic mist-additive, developed by the Rollerboys, which gradually renders its users sterile; the purpose of this is to "eliminate the weak", removing future generations of the "junkie" population, and eventually, the minority population, thus giving the Rollerboys free rein over their concepts of a thriving American society.
Upon getting the Mist lab shut down, and in a conclusive chase to stop Gary Lee, Griffin is able to have Gary arrested. In the end, Griffin, Miltie, Speedbagger, and Casey move on out of Los Angeles to Portland to a new start away from their old ties, while Gary, spared from Griffin's wrath by his mercy, is able to buy his way out of prison and decides to trail Griffin, ending the movie in a sequel hook.
Cast
- Corey Haim as Griffin
- Patricia Arquette as Detective Casey, LAPD
- Christopher Collet as Gary Lee
- Julius Harris as "Speedbagger"
- Devin Clark as Miltie
- Mark Pellegrino as Bango (Rollerboy lieutenant)
- Morgan Weisser as Bullwinkle (Rollerboy lieutenant)
- J.C. Quinn as Lieutenant Jaworski, LAPD
- Aron Eisenberg as Teen Boy
- Jake Dengel as Detective Tyler, LAPD
- G. Smokey Campbell as Detective Watt, LAPD
- John P. Connolly as Pinky, a local pizzeria-owner
- Dal Trader as Sergeant
- John-Michael Steele as Officer Rogers (uncredited)
Reception
- The film was nominated for two Saturn Awards: Best Performance by a Younger Actor (Corey Haim) and Best Science Fiction Film.[citation needed]
- Movie historian Leonard Maltin gave the film 2.5 out of a possible 4 stars: "...A provocative setting and some clever bits of dark comedy are weakened by needlessly-excessive violence...Christopher Collet (as usual) projects enough magnetism for ten, but not even he can counteract a painfully-predictable finale."[1]
See also
References
- ^ Maltin's TV, Movie, & Video Guide
External links
