Logan’s Run is about a future society where people live perfectly, with all the pleasures available, enough food & toys & fun for everyone until age 30 when they’re “renewed”. Although they believe renewal means transference to a newborn body, it’s actually just plain death. But aside from that, everyone is blissfully happy.
I first saw the movie when I was a kid, loved it, but I didn’t understand any of the social statements being made. Now that I’m past my “renewal” date, I totally get it.
All the world’s problems are caused by people over the age of 30. To be specific, all our politicians, lawmakers, judges and dictators, not to mention all the billionaires, are old men with their outdated and usually corrupt, self-serving agendas. There isn’t enough food & fun for everyone because the rich (old men) are hoarding it. I do see hope in the younger generation, the generation that asks questions and isn’t content with the old system, but the young don’t stand a chance against an establishment that’s been cemented into place by old people. By the time the young have earned any power or voice of their own, they’re already the old ones themselves, most likely with views as outdated as the generation before. In short, welcome to the world kid, your life is run by rich old people.
Logan’s Run presents a society that has no old people and doesn’t seem to have any government, no one telling anyone what to do except for that deadline at age 30. Population is controlled so there’s plenty of resources and food for everyone, harvested from the sea by machines. Nobody has to work, and there is no division of classes, since work (money) is what divides people. Sure it’s implied that people are kinda on the stupid side, or at least clueless, but maybe stupid is a prerequisite to happiness and peace (another subtle theme of the film).
Well, one way or another, sign me up for that renewal machine. I’ve long overstayed my use in this world.