City Limits

City Limits

Year: 1984

Runtime: 86 mins

Language: English

Director: Aaron Lipstadt

ActionScience Fiction

Bordering adventure and peril, teenage gangs clash in a near‑future cityscape. Their rivalries intensify until a ruthless corporation, led by CEO Robby Benson, threatens to dominate everything. Forced to set aside their differences, the youths unite to battle the corporate tyranny and protect their world.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – City Limits (1984)

Explore the full timeline and setting of City Limits (1984). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Near future

Fifteen years after a plague wipes out almost all adults, society fractures into scavenger factions and fortified enclaves. A fragile no-kill, no-guns truce coexists with brutal power grabs, while improvised technology and motorcycle culture define everyday life. The setting blends ruined urban landscapes with pockets of revived industry and resilience.

Location

Los Angeles ruins, Albert's Farm, Sunya Factory

Los Angeles is depicted as a ruined, fenced-off metropolis where rival factions vie for control. Albert's Farm serves as a rare sanctuary and a refuge from the wasteland, while Sunya's Factory represents the encroaching corporate power. The Clippers territory marks the rebellious heart of the city, a battleground for rides, clashes, and shifting loyalties.

🏚️ Post-apocalyptic city 🧭 Walled-off zones 🏭 Corporate-industrial complex

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 13:05

Main Characters – City Limits (1984)

Meet the key characters of City Limits (1984), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Lee (John Stockwell)

Raised by Albert after the plague, Lee grows into a capable, compassionate survivor with leadership instincts. He seeks belonging with the Clippers but questions the violence it entails, and his bond with Wickings tests loyalties and desires as he helps lead the fight to retake the city.

🏍️ Rider 🎯 Determined 🛡️ Loyal

Yogi (Rae Dawn Chong)

Lee's fierce companion who escorts him into Clippers territory. Resourceful and capable in combat, she forms a wary alliance with Lee and becomes a key ally in the struggle to survive and reclaim the city.

🗡️ Fighter 💫 Independent 🧭 Resourceful

Mick (Darrell Larson)

Leader of the Clippers, pragmatic and tough, he commands respect and drives the group's strategy. His decisions shape the arc of the battle to retake the city and stabilize the Clippers' future.

🔥 Leader 🗡️ Warrior 🤝 Loyal

Wickings (Kim Cattrall)

Sunya Corporation's representative, she uses wit and charisma to press the Clippers toward Sunya's aims. She becomes romantically involved with Lee, complicating loyalties as she navigates corporate interests and personal bonds.

⚡️ Strategist 🧩 Manipulator 💖 Complex

Carver (Robby Benson)

Sunya's ruthless enforcer, he makes brutal calls to enforce corporate directives. His presence underscores the threat of industrial power running roughshod over the city and its people.

🧊 Ruthless 🎯 Strategist 💼 Authoritative

Sammy (Don Keith Opper)

Clippers ally who contributes practical tactics and grit to the group's plans. His pragmatism helps the team navigate betrayals and the fight to retake their home.

💡 Tactician 🤝 Loyal 🎭 Wry

Albert (James Earl Jones)

Fath er figure and guardian of the group's safety, he provides sanctuary at his farm and guidance in the struggle to rebuild. His wisdom anchors the survivors as they plan a future beyond the wasteland.

🌿 Mentor 🗺️ Sage 🕊️ Guardian

Ray

Leader of the DAs who negotiates, challenges, and sometimes clashes with both sides. He embodies the harsh realities of power struggles in a fractured city.

⚔️ Rival 🕳️ Opportunist 🧭 Influencer

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 13:05

Major Themes – City Limits (1984)

Explore the central themes of City Limits (1984), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🏛️ Corporate Power

Sunya Corporation exerts overt influence, recruiting workers and steering the city with tacit government approval. Private interests shape public fate, revealing how power can masquerade as reconstruction. Loyalty is tested as coercion and profit blur ethical lines. The narrative investigates whether corporate rule can be tempered by collective action.

🤝 Community Unity

Survivors from different gangs learn to cooperate to reclaim the city. Albert's Farm becomes a hub for planning, trust-building, and mutual support. Personal bonds, including Lee's connection with Wickings, show how loyalty can cross factional boundaries to unite factions for a common goal.

🛠️ Rebuilding & Resistance

Resourceful improvisation and tech-savvy planning drive the assault on Sunya. The uniting of Clippers and DAs leads to a new, if fragile, order—an emergent Clippers Corporation intent on reclaiming the city. Rebuilding is framed as both political ambition and a fight for survival, where strategy and grit matter as much as sheer force.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 13:05

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Unlock the Full Story of City Limits

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City Limits Summary

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City Limits Summary

City Limits Timeline

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City Limits Timeline

More About City Limits

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City Limits (1984) Plot Summary & Movie Recap

City Limits (1984) Scene-by-Scene Movie Timeline

City Limits (1984) Spoiler-Free Summary & Key Flow