This no-budget futuristic gangster-bash set in a 21st Century theme park overrun by robotic Untouchables earns high marks for conceptual bravado but a failing grade for overdosing on sci-fi jargon.
In the not-so-distant future, electronic wizard Dr. Greenstreet (David Leisure) upgrades the mainframe of his Donald 2000 computer, the backbone of his Gangster World Theme Park, where jaded fun-seekers act out aggressive fantasies with mobster-garbed androids. To prepare for the unveiling of
Donald 3000, his new model, Dr. Greenstreet relies on data technicians Garland Widmark (Gabe Dell Jr.) and Lita Hayworth (Bridget Flannery), and security chief Alan Huston (Lindsey Lee Ginter).
Unfortunately, technical glitches stress out the android-manufacturing system and create an aberration: The Outsider (Xavier Declie). Although ordered by the mysterious "Kingpin" to nail Garland Widmark, this assassin-robot comes to life with a mind of his own and seeks his Maker. Meanwhile,
someone has reprogrammed the Park's gangster-bots to lethally attack patrons with real guns and to kidnap Lita. Garland rescues Lita and befriends the Outsider sent to annihilate him. "Kingpin" cajoles the jealous Huston into turning against Garland, who is favored by Greenstreet. Accompanied by a
new ally, a gun moll android named Astor (Stacey Williams), Garland's cronies battle Huston's ambushes. They discover that "Kingpin" is Donald 2000, trying to prevent being downloaded and replaced. Short-circuiting Donald 2000's plan to rule the Park, Garland, Astor, Lita, and Outsider escape as
Gangster World is detonated by the spiteful Donald 2000.
With its recycled variations on WESTWORLD (1973) and FUTURE WORLD (1976), this modest film had potential as parodistic sci-fi. But instead of diverting viewers, GANGSTER WORLD glues them to a sticky molasses of fumbled suspense and numbing tech-talk. Not nearly enough energy is derived from the
juxtaposition of '30s Guys with gats with '90s Men with modems. Each successive confrontation with robotic Al Capone-iacs wears thinner in a sloppy production that relies too much on the audience's goodwill toward a Don't-Take-Us-Seriously approach. (Graphic Violence, profanity, substance abuse,
nudity) leave a comment
