Logan's Run Remake

Last night I had a Logan's Run double feature, I watched the movie and I read what I think is one of the screenplays for the remake in 2010 (it didn't have the correct name attached but it felt right). What did I think? And I'm going to try and do this without any real spoilers.

Well first we should refresh our memory on the 1976 version. Logan our sandman protagonist encounters a runner that has a special symbol around his neck. The controlling computer sends him on a mission to seek out Sanctuary. He follows up some leads most notably Jessica who he found on the sex circuit. With her reluctant, at first, help he sets out to find Sanctuary and meet those that help the runners find it. They end up in a ruined earth and meet an old man and his cats. Logan transforms he is no longer the sandman seeking Sanctuary, he has been freed. After killing Francis, the antagonist (or at least his helper) he goes back to free everyone.

A long time ago I read the book Logan's Run. I don't remember many of the details but I do remember it was very different from the movie. The new screenplay for Logan's Run is not as different from the original movie (it is obviously inspired by the movie not the book) but at the same time it's radically different. I liked it but at the same time I missed some of the stuff that was removed.

I guess I could tell you what was removed, technically that isn't a spoiler. You won't see any of the following in the remake.

No Box, they don't meet on the circuit, no romance, and no old man and his cats.

As a matter of fact, the new script has changed so much that some of the characters have even switched sides. Plus there is the introduction of new characters that must be there to offset the removal and changes in the old characters. The biggest change is the location, the remake happens in space. Yes, in space. And the habitat has cats.

This next section doesn't really tell you anything specific about the script but does include my interpretation of how the three main characters have changed. Logan in my opinion is not the protagonist in this script, he is a main character but he does not undergo a transformation and his goal never changes. For this matter, I don't really think Jessica's undergoes a transformation either but I think she is more likely as the protagonist. Francis does undergo a transformation in this script, he goes from antagonist's helper to protagonist's helper during the course of the story. This is one of the biggest changes in the remake and is offset by a newly introduced sandman character.

The remake relies much more on plot than the original did and it also has much more fast paced action. It has a pretty solid structure and in my opinion it is a much better script than the original. I'm looking forward to seeing the remake when it comes out, even though they'll probably muck things up a bit during production.