Futureworld

A few years after the noteworthy “Westworld” (1973), the Delos amusement park is back in this far-fetched sequel which we honestly could’ve done without.

There’s little to say as far as content goes. The film rehashes the angst expressed by its predecessor, basically the dangers of foolishly using invasive technology. Let’s not forget that in this film, even the Delos technicians are androids, eliciting a discussion related to depersonalization and loss of identity (bottom line, the mad Dr. Schneider’s robot-clones can easily be compared to Jack Finney’s flat, impassive “Body Snatchers” or Robert Heinlein’s “Puppet Masters”).

The real problem with “Futureworld” lies in Richard T. Heffron’s bland direction which fails to instill the necessary tension. In other, more capable hands, this could have been an electrifying sci-fi thriller with remarkable visual impact (the budget was, in fact, sizeable, and the special effects made good use of futuristic 3D computer graphics).

The cast doesn’t particularly shine: the Fonda/Danner relationship doesn’t work well, while the legendary Yul Brynner is relegated to an impromptu cameo.