The Gladiators

The film opens with an interviewer asking contestants from different countries why they are fighting in the games. The responses reveal diverse motives and tensions behind the Peace Game. The scene sets the global stakes of the ICAROS-system.

Officers and colonels from multiple nations arrive at a castle near Stockholm to organize Peace Game 256 using the ICAROS-system. The atmosphere is tense as the high-level coordination unfolds. The Swedish Army takes the lead on the logistical setup.

A French student code-named B-3 infiltrates the Games with the intent to destroy the system from within. He silently moves toward the battlegrounds, scouting for vulnerabilities. His mission is unknown to many but hints at subversion.

Despite his intent to sabotage, B-3 is allowed entry into the battlegrounds and begins to observe. The authorities weigh the risk but decide his participation is legitimate.

When the game commences, the Allied Team is given a two-hour window to reach the Control Room. They can earn points along the way, while the Communist Team tries to obstruct them. The countdown heightens the tension.

As the Allied Team delays their actions, points are deducted and bombs are set off to provoke a reaction. The environment becomes more dangerous as time pressure mounts.

The team moves through the building and is ambushed by machine-gun fire. They capture a female Chinese member from the opposing side, shifting the balance of control.

In another encounter, the crew faces a group of scantily dressed hippie-ladies, resulting in the injury of one teammate. The event is later rewarded with points by the officials, framing it as a tactical gain.

A Swedish police officer questions B-3 about his plans after destroying the system. B-3 explains his desire to replace it with a new system, sparking a conversation about ends and means.

During the Communist advance, an Allied team member begins speaking with the female prisoner, an act seen as a grave threat to the stability of the world-system. The authorities press for an honorable tie.

The ICARUS-system is put on autopilot as policemen are dispatched to dispose of perceived traitors. The system begins to misbehave, signaling a breakdown of control.

B-3 finally reaches the Control Room and speaks with the operator about replacing the current system with one that does not exploit people. He asserts his non-exploitative vision, though the operator challenges the premise.

The operator reveals that the system exploits everyone, including B-3. Because B-3 reactivated the system to find the way to the Control Room, the traitors—who posed the real danger—are doomed by his intervention.

The operator concludes with a nihilistic note that all systems are basically the same, regardless of intent. The clash exposes the fragility and redundancy of power structures.