Alright fellow tape-trackers, settle into your favorite well-worn armchair. Remember that specific breed of late-90s sci-fi movie that landed straight onto television or the top shelf of the video store? The ones brimming with ambitious ideas about the future, maybe slightly hampered by their budget, but radiating a certain earnest energy? Well, dim the lights and adjust the tracking, because today we’re plugging in 1998’s Futuresport, a high-concept slice of cyberpunk-lite action that tried to imagine saving the world with hoverboards and a souped-up version of lacrosse.
It’s a premise that screams “late-90s concept meeting”: in a near-future Los Angeles fractured by gang warfare, a revolutionary new sport has emerged. Futuresport, a blisteringly fast, hyper-violent game played on hoverboards with electrified sticks and a metal sphere, isn't just entertainment; it's the only thing keeping rival gangs from tearing the city completely apart. Our hero is the sport's biggest star, Tre Ramzey, played with maximum swagger by Dean Cain, fresh off his iconic run as Superman in Lois & Clark. Tre is the classic reluctant hero – arrogant, famous, haunted by his past, and initially caring more about his endorsement deals than the societal implications of the game he dominates.
### Hoop Dreams on Hoverboards
The world-building here is lean but evocative of its time. We get glimpses of a vaguely dystopian LA, holographic advertising, and the kind of tech that felt futuristic in 1998 – think bulky communicators and slightly clunky interfaces. The real centerpiece, though, is the sport itself. Conceived by Fixx (a coolly intense Wesley Snipes, who also served as a producer on the film), Futuresport is meant to be a non-lethal outlet for aggression. Director Ernest Dickerson, a fantastic cinematographer (Spike Lee’s early classics like Do the Right Thing owe much to his eye) turned director (Juice, Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight), brings a visual flair to the proceedings, especially during the game sequences. He tries his best to make the action dynamic, using quick cuts and energetic camerawork to convey the speed and chaos.
Let's be honest, the special effects, particularly the hoverboard sequences achieved through a mix of wirework and early CGI, have that distinct late-90s TV movie charm. They might not hold up perfectly against today's blockbusters, but back then? Watching players zip around, clashing sticks and dodging explosions, felt like a genuine glimpse into a high-octane future. There’s a tangible quality to the practical stunts mixed with the digital work that sparks a certain nostalgia. You can almost feel the hum of the CRT TV showcasing those neon streaks. One fun bit of trivia: the actual playing field for Futuresport was constructed inside the vast hangar famously known as the Spruce Goose Dome in Long Beach, California – the same place parts of films like Batman & Robin (1997) and Stargate (1994) were shot!
### More Than Just a Game?
The plot thickens when a terrorist plot involving Hawaiian separatists (yes, really) threatens global stability. Suddenly, Futuresport is proposed as the ultimate diplomatic tool – a single, high-stakes game to prevent all-out war. This escalates things considerably, pulling in Alex Torres (Vanessa Williams, bringing her star power and poise) as a savvy media promoter and love interest caught between Tre’s ego and the geopolitical implications. Wesley Snipes’ Fixx provides the gravitas, the originator of the sport who sees its potential for peace. The dynamic between the charismatic but flawed Cain, the grounded Williams, and the intense Snipes is one of the film’s stronger points. Snipes, riding high from Blade which released the same year, lending his name and producing clout definitely gave Futuresport a higher profile than the average TV movie.
Written by Robert Gisleppo and Steve De Jarnatt (who gifted us the brilliant cult classic Miracle Mile in 1988), the script juggles sports movie tropes, action clichés, and a surprisingly earnest plea for non-violent conflict resolution. It doesn’t always perfectly balance these elements – the shift from street-level gang appeasement to international incident resolution feels a bit abrupt. But there’s an undeniable appeal to its ambition. It taps into that pre-millennium anxiety and optimism, wondering if maybe, just maybe, humanity could find better ways to settle its differences. And if those ways involved hoverboards and electric sticks? Well, even better.
### The Final Whistle
Futuresport isn't aiming for high art. It's a product of its time – a slightly cheesy, action-packed sci-fi romp made for television. It doesn't quite reach the iconic status of Rollerball or the satirical bite of The Running Man, films it clearly echoes. Yet, it possesses a certain charm. The performances are solid, with Cain leaning into the star athlete persona effectively, Williams adding class, and Snipes bringing his signature cool intensity. Dickerson’s direction elevates the material, giving it more visual polish than you might expect. It’s the kind of movie you’d happily catch on a Saturday afternoon, maybe after renting it on a whim because the cover art looked cool (and probably featured Snipes prominently).
It’s a film that embodies the spirit of hopeful, slightly goofy, late-90s futurism. It genuinely tries to sell its high-concept premise, and there’s an affection in that effort that’s hard to dislike entirely. Did we all immediately want hoverboards after watching? Maybe not with the same fervor as after Back to the Future Part II, but the idea of a super-sport settling world conflicts? That definitely sparked the imagination.
VHS Heaven Rating: 6/10
Justification: Futuresport earns a solid 6 for its ambitious concept, surprisingly strong cast for a TV movie (Cain, Williams, Snipes), and Ernest Dickerson's capable direction that delivers some fun, energetic action sequences. It captures that specific late-90s sci-fi TV movie vibe perfectly. However, it loses points for the sometimes clunky special effects (charming though they may be), a plot that occasionally strains credulity even for its genre, and dialogue that dips into cliché. It's undeniably dated but remains an enjoyable, nostalgic ride if you appreciate the earnest charm of its era.
Final Thought: It might not have predicted the actual future of sports or diplomacy, but Futuresport remains a fun, flickering neon memory from the days when saving the world on a hoverboard seemed like a perfectly awesome Friday night rental.