With a few notable exceptions (Eight Men Out, The Karate Kid, Rocky III), sports movies usually suck. Too often they stick to the same old tired formula of young upstart/washed up former champ winning against the odds. BORING! The following movies do something far more interesting with the sports movie, whether it’s locating the action in space or inventing entirely new sports for a post-apocalyptic future. Let the games commence! Words: Matt McAllister

Rollerball (1975)
Probably the most famous sci-fi sports movie. Set in a crime-free near future in which corporations rule the world, the brutal titular sport involves rollerskating players attempting to whack the ‘rollerball’ into the opposition’s goal – by any means necessary. See also John McTiernan’s 2002 remake – or rather don’t, it’s diabolical.

Salute of the Jugger (aka Blood of Heroes, 1989)
In a post-apocalyptic society people amuse themselves with a game called, rather cleverly, The Game, in which armed ‘juggers’ play an American Football-style sport to win a dog skull. Bafflingly, the film has inspired a cult real life sport known as ‘Jugger’.

Arena (1989)
Possibly the greatest idea for a movie ever. A wrestling picture…with monsters…in space! This title, from the heyday of Charles Band’s Empire Pictures, sees a heroic human face off against a variety of alien foes in the corrupt sport of space station wrestling. Great fun.

Robot Jox (1989)
Before Transformers there was Robot Jox! In the future instead of going to war, countries nominate contestants to fight battles inside giant robots. If only our real life leaders invested in giant robots to resolve their differences, we’d be one step closer to world peace.

Star Wars: The Phantom Menace (1999)
The undoubted highlight of this entry in George Lucas’s space saga is the extended pod racing sequence in which young Anakin competes for his freedom and – yes! -wins. For more Star Wars sporting prowess see Luke’s gladiatorial showdown against the Rancor monster in Return of the Jedi.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)
In addition to the Quidditch World Cup, the sportiest of the Potter entries features the Triwizard Tournament. Said tournament involves three tricky tasks - retrieving a golden egg from a dragon, diving into Hogwarts Lake to locate important “objects” and navigating a massive magical maze. If only real school sports days were more like this.

Death Race 2000 (1975)
“Let’s all meet up in the year 2000/Won’t it all be strange when we’re all fully grown?” warbled Pulp back in the 1990s. Paul Bartel’s cult classic offered an entirely different prediction of the turn of the century – ‘Let’s all take part in a violent car race/It involves mowing down pedestrians for points’. Paul W.S. Anderson’s remake arrives later this year.

Solarbabies (aka Solar Warriors, 1985)
In a bleak future in which Earth’s water has run out, a bunch of plucky teen orphans bond through playing a rollerhockey-inspired game. Naturally, they use their skills of, like, being really good at skating to bring down the quasi-Fascist government. For more post-apocalyptic rollerblading cheesiness see 1991’s Prayer of the Rollerboys.

Santo Vs The Zombies (1962)
Legendary Mexican wrestler Santo faced off against some formidable foes in his time, but none more terrifying than the zombie criminals of this movie. Who needs to shoot a zombie in the head when you can just wrestle them to the ground?

Teen Wolf (1985)
High school student Scott Howard (Michael J. Fox) is a pretty underwhelming basketball player…until he becomes a werewolf which, naturally, turns him into a BASKETBALL CHAMPION. Infinitely more moving than Hoop Dreams.