Though provoking and intense fun!
Added 11/6/2009
One of my favorite. Easily in my top five, and one of the most underrated movies of all time. Great actors who really sell the role (Christian Bale should have won something for his part), along with a great story that makes you think, but leaves with a nice resolution. Granted, the action does force you to put your logic on hold for a second...but I really don't have a beef with that. So long as the characters actions and abilities have been explained prior to those actions being fleshed out on the screen (ala the Gun Karta training, which explains WHY he can stand in the center of a circle of bad thugs and still take them down) then I'm okay with it.
It was this movie that made me want to read 1984. Does a lot better job at the whole "government control" theme than V for Vendetta ever did.
The theme of the movie is brilliant, and Kurt Wimmer does a great job of showing why humans must feel, even if that leads to bad choices down the road.
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An action-packed character metamorphosis
Added 10/3/2009
Great action film with a couple slices of humanity thrown in. Christian Bale gives a great performance as John Preston, a secret policeman working for a emotion-banning totalitarian government. His job is to kill anyone who skips their daily dose of fluid that takes away all sensation, emotional and physical; but when Preston neglects to take the sense eradicating medicine, he begins to experience feelings and sensations... and doesn't want to let them go.
It is really heart warming to see Bale take his character from a calculated killer to a determined freedom fighter, especially during the puppy and sunrise scenes. His resolve to destroy the government that has denied everyone emotional freedom is powerful, and as a result the gunfight scenes are pretty satisfying.
The only peeve I have with Equilibrium is it's rushed climax; the main bad guys are defeated far too easily. Also, the special effects look a little dated for 2002 standards, but Bale's acting and the fight scenes more than make up for it. Aside from that, this film is a solid action/thriller in the vein of 1984 and V for Vendetta. Rent it!
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Fantastic Directorial Debut for A Young Talent
Added 10/3/2009
Several years ago I dated a girl who had an older brother with an expansive DVD collection. From time to time she would let me borrow some of his DVDs, and one time we watched a science fiction/action movie called Equilibrium. I so thoroughly enjoyed this movie that she bought me a copy of my own, and it quite possibly will go down as one of the crowning hallmarks of our relationship.
Receiving a limited theatrical release on December 6, 2002, Equilibrium is the directorial debut of Kurt Wimmer. Wimmer also wrote the script, and even invented the incredibly unique fighting style on display throughout the movie known as the Gun Kata.
Equilibrium is set in an Orwellian future where human emotion is outlawed. The film fills in the reasons for this drastic step for the audience over the opening credits, but basically after World War III ends humans realize that they cannot afford World War IV. As a means to an end, any sort of content that invokes emotion is outlawed, and the citizens of this new society take designer medication with robot-like precision several times a day to rid themselves of emotion.
Music, movies, television, paintings, and essentially art of any sort are rated "EC-10" for emotional content (a subtle jab at the MPAA ratings system) and are to be destroyed on sight. In the first scene, police raid the home of a group of resistance fighters and find the original "Mona Lisa," which they proceed to incinerate with a flame-thrower.
Christian Bale stars as John Preston, a member of the elite Grammaton Cleric. The Grammaton are practitioners of the aforementioned Gun Kata, and their job is to seek out and eradicate sense offenders, as they are called in the film. Bale really shines as he portrays a full range of emotions as Preston. He begins as a cold, emotionless (literally) servant of the state. As the movie progresses his human nature slowly takes over, and he manages to portray the onslaught of emotions quite well.
A good example is the scene when Preston hears music for the first time. Wimmer chose the first movement of Beethoven's 9th Symphony for this scene, and its powerful impact is readily apparent on Preston as well as the audience.
The movie has merits other than Bale's performance. The cinematography and music all help to set the proper tone. Taye Diggs and Sean Bean do not disappoint in supporting roles. The action is very tightly knit and well choreographed. On-screen combat is filmed in such a way that viewers can actually see what is happening. Despite some elaborate fight scenes, no wires were used for any of the stunts. This gives the finished product a classic B-movie feel, but this is definitely a good thing in this case.
One of the biggest problems with Equilibrium is a glaring example of unfinished visual effects late in the movie. I understand the movie was made on a budget, but such an oversight is just unacceptable in a major motion picture. There are a few minor plot holes towards the end as well, but these are definitely overshadowed by the technical flaw.
The DVD includes very meager special features, but there are two entertaining commentaries that are full of interesting information. Kurt Wimmer really poured himself into both writing and directing this film, and his passion is apparent even in his commentary track. There is one behind-scenes-featurette that is fun but not outstanding.
Equilibrium is a well-done sci-fi/action movie that is underappreciated. It has drawn comparisons to Gattaca and Blade Runner, but it is in no way a cheap derivative. The Gun Kata is a wholly original form of combat that will offer plenty of awe-inspiring moments. All things considered, this movie is definitely not offensive to the senses.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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Can emotions be taken away?
Added 9/18/2009
Can you imagine having your emotions banned from society? Well, if you can't, then you'll have to watch Equilibrium to see for yourself. Here, we see a Fascist regime that has banned all forms of human emotions. Christian Bale is John Preston, a man of the highest rank for this notorious empire. At first, he sees human emotions as a plague upon humanity, but after he doesn't take his medicine due to an accident, he beings to experience emotions. Here, we get to see the good things in life, like music and color. But that's not the only thing that makes this film so recognizable. We also have some tense action sequences. They may not be very realistic, but they're still so spectacular to look at. The cast is a great ensemble, though I did find Emily Watson to be a bit wooden at times (for a person who actually HAS emotion in this movie). Overall, I tried hard to love this movie, but I ended but only liking it. It is a very good film, but it's not one of my favorites (mostly due to the slow pace in the middle of the film, and some unnecessary choral music).
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Great Scifi Movie with Christian Bale
Added 9/12/2009
A story,basically,about what happens after WWIII,and the establishment of a futuristic city where people are injected with a drug to stop them from feeling emotions(the leader believes that this was the cause of mans agression).Christian Bale plays a cop who hunts down,and mostly kills "sense offenders",but one day he accidentally breaks the vile of his dose of the drug,and he starts feeling emotions(he does a good job of showing emotion and what he tries to do to mask it from everyone).He joins the resistance-kills the leader of the city,and the resistance wins.Story in a nut shell.
The fight scenes are really cool. I recommend this movie if you like Christian Bale(Sean Bean is featured in the first 10 or 15 minutes),and if you like a great scifi movie!!!
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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Fine performances all the way around, but...
Added 10/21/2009
I'm not quite sure what to say about this film, really. On paper, it looks excellent - great cast, potentially interesting story line, pretty solid reviews. But there is nothing that comes as a surprise in this film; it's all way too predictable. Loose, ex-hippie record producer mom, tense son who's become a psych student because his mom raised him in such a chaotic home, absurdly intelligent and equally absurdly attractive girlfriend who's naive to the ways of the world and is ripe for the plucking by a herd of hedonists, self-absorbed rock musicians who live in a parallel universe of sex and drugs...it goes on and on. Every event's outcome is telegraphed a mile away, every plot twist is obvious and stereotypical, every character behaves exactly the way you think they'll behave. Honestly, I'm not sure why an actor the caliber of Frances McDormand would choose to take on this role, but perhaps she just enjoyed the chance to play sexy and bohemian while she still can. Ultimately, it was a nice film to look at - and, as I said, the cast is exceptional - but it's much ado about nothing.
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great character movie
Added 5/17/2009
I discovered this film as I have been going through Frances McDormand's body of work. I only began to really pay attention to her after Fargo (loved her, mostly hated the film - just not my cup of tea), and recently went completely nuts over her in "Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day." After Pettigrew, I started watching every one of her films I could get my hands on. I can't say enough about how powerful she is on the screen, and I am way at the back of a long line of admirers.
In this movie, McDormand plays Jane, a semi-famous record producer in LA, and Christian Bale plays her son, Sam. He has been at Harvard finishing medical school and gets a position at a medical institute in Los Angeles (LA). Bringing his rather sheltered East Coast girlfriend Alex (Kate Beckinsale) along, he goes to LA thinking his mother will be at her beach house so he and Alex can stay at her Laurel Canyon residence until they get set up with a place of their own.
Unfortunately for the plan, the record Jane is producing is taking longer than she thought it would, and the young couple find themselves in the midst of Jane's world of sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll. Needless to say, all manner of comedic and personality fireworks ensue.
This is a good character driven film, with lots of interesting, although somewhat predictable, situations as each person "goes through their changes," as a friend of mine who lived in LA used to say. The characters seemed familiar and quite real, and reminded me of more than a few people I have known. I found it all quite believable and immediately cared about the characters and the story.
There is nudity (including McDormand's sweet body), drug use, and serious swearing, so be forewarned. If that bothers you, then you probably won't like this movie. There are all manner of emotional conflicts and "cognitive dissonance" as the two worlds collide, including parent/child issues, fidelity issues, forbidden fantasy issues, and so on. It is a rich tapestry and it is all handled rather well, which is a nice change from most films, with their predictable mainstream Hollywood preaching.
Of course, I could rant on and on about McDormand, having become quite smitten of late with her and her work, but I won't bore you with that. Everyone does a great job: Alessandro Nivola as Jane's new lover and musical find, Nastacha McElhone as a resident at Sam's new workplace with designs on Sam, and the musicians, who are an actual band. The music was really played by the band, and Nivola really did the singing, which added a great deal to the realism.
The extras on the DVD, including writer/director's commentary and making-of featurette, are interesting and fun.
A great film, highly recommended.
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Unfunny Home Video
Added 4/23/2009
The film begins by using a body double for a shocking sex scene that covers up body parts. Symbolism? The couple talk about rentals. There is an academic party with small talk. [No gossip?] The couple fly over Los Angeles on a clear day. Houses are sprinkled over the hills among the trees. [What happens during a fire?] We see a strange household and hear strange conversations. They are working at home to avoid expenses for rented business space. [Acoustics?] The conversations reveal their personalities and quirks. Is that a crazy business? Polite isn't her thing. The boring conversations roll on. Are they tedious? "It was nice meeting you." Sonic ooze?
I couldn't watch it for more than 30 minutes. Was it meant as a joke? The music doesn't add value.
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