A Minor Classic.

My own opinion is this post apocalyptic flic deserves to be right up there with the best of the Mad Max films, and I suspect an indifferent ad campaign doomed it from the start. I love it when a film delivers a lot more than I expected, which is what you get here. Rutger Hauer and Joan Chen are the primary players on a team of roving 'athletes' who play a brutal game involving two sides, each of which is attempting to win by being the first to spike the skull of a dog on the opposing team's post (don't ask - the origin of this 'sport' is never revealed). The winning team gets room and board, and maybe a cut of the betting. Think of it as a variation of baseball's farm system and minor leagues. Sully, Rutger's character, reached the 'major leagues' before the film begins, but due to poor judgement in choosing his bed partners, was cast all the way down to the bottom, and he's trying to make it back. The teams that get to the top are allowed to commingle with this future society's one percenters who hold all the wealth and power. They also get a vicarious thrill watching their 'sports heroes' bleed playing the game, hence the title.

The film is well paced but sparse, you get to learn just enough to understand what's happening and why. Because of the context in which it is portrayed, it seems to never get dated. Almost no romantic moments, but violence? Oh, yeah. If for no other reason, the film's ending scene where Sully instructs Kidda (Joan Chen's character) what her next actions should be, elevates this above most other films in the genre. Let me put it this way - I gladly re-watch this one every chance I get. My vote - 4 and 1/2 stars.