Equilibrium
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Movie Reviews of Equilibrium
Movie Review: Huh? Did we watch the same movie?
Summary: 5 Stars
OK, I read a bunch of the reviews out of curiosity, while I was at the web site to buy the movie after my daughter sat me down and made me watch it. I am happy to see that so many reviewers liked the film. However, even in reading the positive reviews, I am often left wondering whether we both saw the same movie.
First, Equilibrium bears only a superficial resemblance to the Matrix, mostly, I suspect, because the Gun Kata sequences bear a superficial resemblance to the fight scenes in the Matrix. However, 1) the Matrix takes place in a "cyber-dimension" if you will. Neo can do extraordianry things because with the right programming anything is possible in a world where the laws of physics are just a series of zeros and ones. The fight scenes in Equilibrium, although extraordinary, supposedly take place in the real world without time dilation or other tricks, as someone else said, without the cheat codes on. More importantly 2) Matrix is a man against machine story more similar to Terminator (although stated vastly differently) than to the distopian universe of Equilibrium. In Matrix, the great danger comes from outside of humanity, from the machines. In Equilibrium, the danger is in humanity, in the struggle between the individual and the collective. Matrix is frightening, but only like, let's say, a vampire story is frightening. I can't bring myself to stay up nights worrying that my computer is going to turn on me, any more than I worry about werwolves. Distopia I understand, and, yes, I fear it very much. I doubt it will ever appear as portrayed in this film, but all the elements are there, and have appeared over and over again in the collectivist distopias of the real world, from the Soviet "worker's state" to the Third Reich. A matter of degree perhaps, but not much of a stretch. Thus, Equilibrium frightens me far, far more than the Matrix ever could, because it is possible. More trivially, 3) the fashion statements in the two films are not the same, although they use the same color scheme. In case nobody noticed, the clerics in Equilibrium dressed like priests. Which is why they are called clerics and are trained in a place called the monastery. The dictatorship in Equilibrium has obviously borrowed a lot of religious imagery from before the war. Note that I do not believe that the use of this imagery makes this an anti-religious film. There is nothing of christianity here except for the vestments, any more than the evil dictatorship is Khabalist because it calls itself the Tetragrammaton (which is YHWH, the unspoken name of God). I suspect "Father" made use of these symbols because they still had power, and their origin has been lost by the time of the movie. In any event, back to the point, the two movies do not remotely have the same dress code.
(If it makes any difference, I like the Matrix, but found its sequels, hmm, stupid is probably the right word. Between the first Matrix movie and Equilibrium, while the comparison is a bit like apples to oranges, I would take Equilibrium hands down.)
I also do not understand the constant comparisons to 1984. (OK, maybe I do. They are both distopias, and they both feature a Leader (Father, Big Brother) who seems to be electronically everywhere. So there are similarities) However, if there is one previous distopia to which Equilibrium can justly be compared, it is Bradbury's classic Fahrenheit 451. In both, the oppressor state targets specific cultural attributes and artifacts as much or more than the actual enemies of the state, believing that these objects in and of themselves are a threat. Thus books and puppy dogs are both in danger. More importantly, in Fahrenheit 451, and in Equilibrium, the dogs have their day. The state is unable to eliminate the threat, and, in the end, the oppressed outlast it and survive, though in slightly different ways. One must remember that 1984, brilliant as it was, had no remotely happy ending. It was, to paraphrase Orwell, a boot planted on the human face, FOREVER. That's what Orwell was warning us about, and why he is important. 1984 is a cautionary tale. Bradbury, and Equilibrium, choose to emphasize the resiliance of the human spirit even under grinding oppression. Despite the clerics, despite all the armed police, a resistance flourishes in the world of Equilibrium.
Of course Equilibrium is like other tales in its genre. Big deal. There ain't much new under the sun, as Solomon might say. I found it told in a startling, and very emotional, new way.
I generally am not interested in the names of actors. After seeing the movie, I still could not have told you it had Christian Bale and Sean Bean in it. When I was told it did, I could look back and say, yeah, that's Boromir and that's the guy from Reign of Fire, so it must be true. I still don't care. Whoever they were, they did a good job.
The fight scenes were impressive, but I've seen better. They were definitely novel. Gun and martial art deserve to be more closely related than they are always portrayed. But martial arts sequences are only props to a film. They can be as impressive as one likes, but without a plot I might as well go watch my son at the dojo. In this case, I liked the plot.
Or maybe that's the wrong word. I FELT the plot, which, I suppose, makes me a Sense Offender. I'm not even sure I can watch the thing again, because of the deep emotion it produces in me. I would be too apt to cry in frustration or scream in rage. That's what makes a great movie.
In conclusion, I can only say that the silliest scene was when Preston shot out a whole row of computer monitors and thus managed to "turn off" the presence of Father and begin the revolution. (As a computer tech, I am all too familiar with folks who think the computer is the monitor, and that box under the desk is merely the hard drive, but I didn't expect to see that in a movie. Of course, maybe in this world they did build the brains of the box right behind the screen. Who knows?) The best scene was immediately thereafter when you see Preston smiling and bloody. It is truly a s**t-eating grin. He FELT that one, alright. Oh, yeah. And so did I.
Movie Review: A Superb Exercise in Speculative Film Making
Summary: 5 Stars
I can understand the urge to compare "Equilibrium" and "The Matrix". Both films feature dark, foreboding cinematography. Both films are about rebellion against a warped reality. Both films feature a reluctant, messianic protagonist. And, finally, both films rely heavily on stylistic, hyper-kinetic combat scenes that can only be described as, well, reverent. That is where the similarity ends because while "Equilibrium" has a few moments of slow-motion it's action scenes are much more original than those of "The Matrix Trilogy". No Wires, just pure crazy choreography which makes the action feel all the more authentic. The environment is also a great deal more organic in contrast to the cryptic automaton of the Matrix."Equilibrium", in short, manages to be entirely its own movie. Where The Matrix relies on "bending" the rules of physics in an imaginary construct of a world, "Equilibrium" goes the other way and hypothesizes the "Gun-Kata", a martial arts ballet that allows it's practitioners to predict and anticipate close quarters gun fighting and hand to hand combat. Then, through a series of precise, dance like movements, a person can take on several combatants, using exacting, fluid actions to eliminate his attackers. Given a decidedly artistic presentation within the course of the film, these rapid-fire rhapsodies are exhilarating and oddly beautiful. They glamorize death as an abstract expression of powder bursts and shrieking projectiles. The film features some of the best choreographed shootouts I have ever seen, and ends up putting anything in The Matrix Trilogy to shame.
"Equilibrium" is a film that explores what it theorizes to be the root of all worldly chaos, human emotion. The movie takes place in the near future after a third world war that leaves Earth on the verge of total destruction. From the ashes arises a government that regulates everything and everyone through mind control. The drug Prozium is hailed as the elixir to the world's problems because it suppresses human emotion and thus eliminates the possibility war. All art, music, poetry and any emotion are considered contraband and must be destroyed upon discovery.
The primary clash is between individualism and collectivism -- the notion that each person is an end to him or herself and pursues his or her own happiness, and the theory that the individual exists only to further the interests of the state. In "Equilibrium", the side of "feelings" (the side that promotes painting, music, and literature) is the side of the sovereign individual.
The film clearly suggests that emotions -- the ability to "feel" -- are what make life worth living; yet they are also the source of violence and war. At some level, this is clearly true. The joy of art, the intensity of romantic love, the pleasures of a touch or the sight of a sunrise, the fascination of a great idea -- these are the things we live for. "Crimes of passion" such as murder, domestic violence, and assault generally involve uncontrolled emotions.
In "Equilibrium", murder and war among the civilian population have been wiped out. Of course, they have been replaced by state-sponsored murder and terror. Thus, the film points out the real purpose of deadening people's emotions is to perpetuate state oppression.
This nightmare is presided over by the Big Brother-like dictator Father, and enforced by a quasi-religious order of "Clericks," whose incredible combat skills are unleashed on "sense offenders" who have gone off the drugs that keep the populace docile.
John Preston (Christian Bale) is the perfect Grammaton Clerick (the government is known as the Tetragrammaton). He kills "sense offenders" without passion or guilt ... until he inadvertently fails to take his prescribed tranquilizer dose and events begin to catch up with him. Little by little, he finds himself drawn into "sense crime" and then into the resistance. I hesitate to reveal much more about the plot of "Equilibrium", jammed as it is with surprise and invention -- suffice to say, this is an intellectual rollercoaster ride, as cerebral as it is visceral; both a bleak glimpse into a possible future and a stirring tribute to the indomitable human spirit.
The creators of "Equilibrium" had to take some liberties with the very idea of emotion, of course. The drug really only eliminates the "highs" and "lows," leaving enough emotive strength for the characters to retain ambition and a visceral hatred of their enemies. Plot means conflict and human conflict is impossible without emotion.
The acting is excellent, and if you like Christian Bale as much as I do, he shines above all else. Bale is truly exceptional in bringing a real sense of emotional conflict to the character of Preston, and as the film moves on he gradually brings that emotion to the forefront. At the start of the film, and in it's many flashbacks, Preston is supposed to be this emotionless killer that doesn't realize he's actually feeling subtle emotions. Bale's performance keeps the perfect monotone voice of an emotionless character, but in his eyes shows the doubt, remorse and anger. Then as the films moves on he gradually starts changing his tone of voice, allowing the monotone to falter in key moments, until in the end he completely releases all of his emotions.
As you can tell, Equilibrium's plot draws from a rich variety of sources. There's a lot of Orwell's "1984" and Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World".
True, there are a few minor plot problems, but any movie that treats ideas and symbols seriously these days is a find, and one that pulls off a serious treatment of life's most fundamental questions in the context of a gripping story is a rare jewel.
"Equilibrium" is not science fiction so much as political speculation. It's that mainstay of movies, the cautionary tale, twisted into a decidedly dense and deceptive action thriller. While it may not always deliver in the thought department, we sure get some wonderful visual flourishes. And if a sci-fi film can stir your imagination, it's won most of the battle.
The creation of the enigmatic weapons battle dance, "Gun-Kata", makes the movie a see at least once exercise in speculative movie making.
Movie Review: Gun Fu
Summary: 5 Stars
People who call Equilibrium a Matrix rip off really bother me, not only because Equilibrium is a far better movie but because said people are implying that The Matrix was something new and original and different. Riiiiiight.I won't say that Equilibrium is the most original movie ever; indeed both Equilibrium and The Matrix are amalgams of various films, books, etc. that had come before. And as previous reviewers have stated, Equilibrium relies more on 1984 and Brave New World for inspiration, NOT The Matrix. The two films really have little in common, other than the anti-utopia and martial arts elements.
Personally, I think the future world presented in Equilibrium is a far more powerful and ironic piece of cinema. The thought of robots enslaving humanity is one of those truths that everyone pretty much accepts: "Worlds governed by artificial intelligence learned a hard lesson: logic doesn't care." Hand things over to the robots, and the human element so necessary in government is gone. We know this. Equilibrium, however, portrays the attempt to end man's inhumanity to man by making everyone inhuman and thereby perpetuating an even GREATER inhumanity. It's the thought of saving humanity by destroying it. In Equilibrium The Man not some soulless robot that can't understand feelings; instead He is another human being enslaving and dehumanizing His fellow man, trying to cure the disease by killing the patient.
The story is one of my personal favorite archetypal plots, that of a man who first serves an evil system, then realizes everything he has thought for so long is wrong and turns against said system and fights for its destruction. Christian Bale is incredible, and his character (John Preston of the elite Grammaton Cleric) is brilliantly dynamic. A few minutes into the film, he hunts down and without second thought puts a bullet in the face of a fellow cleric (Sean Bean) who has betrayed the standards of unemotionality the government has set, and all the while his face is perfectly placid and unfeeling, as if the traitor were no more than an insect to be exterminated. But by the end of the film he is the heart of humanity, beating strongly and indefatigably.
Oh, speaking of that scene, sorry, Bean fans; I myself wish Sean Bean had more of a role. I'll tell you, though, the five or ten minutes of screen time he gets is great stuff, especially his reading of Yeats' "He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven".
Heading up the rest of the cast are Taye Diggs, Emily Watson, Angus MacFadyen, and William Fichtner. Diggs plays Brandt, a subordinate cleric who becomes Preston's new partner and hounds him mercilessly when he begins to suspect that Preston has stopped taking prozium (the government issue anti-emotion drug). Diggs' performance is deliciously insidious, and his unblinking eye and subtle accusations keep Preston on the hop constantly.
Emily Watson is Mary O'Brien, a "sense offender" who helps Preston on his journey to discover his true humanity. She is very sincere and quite unsettling, and her pointed arguments stab deep into what Preston had thought to be his most important values.
Angus MacFadyen plays Vice-Council DuPont, head of the Grammaton Cleric and a member of the ruling Council of Libria (which seems to be a government covering the entire world...which is much changed from the world we know after World War III ripped everything up; for the observant among you, look for the globe of the new Earth, I think it's in DuPont's office somewhere; continents shattered, lots more ocean, it's nifty). DuPont is my favorite character. He is a master martial artist, a brilliant politician, a clever spymaster, and...well...much more. You'll see.
William Fichtner is a cool actor usually, though he doesn't shine too much in Equilibrium, not through his fault but through the fault of his character, Jurgen, leader of the resistance. The role just isn't particularly interesting and really serves to drive the story rather than standing on its own.
The kung fu is absolutely amazing. The Grammaton Cleric created a form of eastern style martial art that specifically relates to the use of and combat against firearms. By analyzing thousands of gun battles, the Cleric determined that the distribution of attacking gun wielders could be statistically predicted. Clerics are taught to know instinctually when they must duck, dodge, shoot, etc. You can't dodge a bullet once it's left the gun, but by knowing who is likely to shoot at you and when and where, you can anticipate the attack and move to avoid a shot that hasn't even been fired yet. It's a fascinating concept. I am told the United States military teaches something like it to elite soldiers.
Anyway, needless to say there are several major scenes of Preston dual wielding pistols and blowing the poop out of tons and tons of people. It's incredible to watch. There's even a scene where Preston and DuPont fight hand to hand, using their pistols like melee weapons. I can't really describe it, but it's ... amazing. And there're a couple good sword fights in the film, too. And a sequence where Preston bashes a bunch of cops using the butts of his pistols. You have to see this jank to believe it.
Lastly, I'd like to mention that the wardrobe is SWEET. The highest ranking clerics wear these black leather cassocks when they're in the office and awesome black suits with high mandarin collared jackets that extend to knee length when they're in the field. I can't decide whether Christian Bale is hotter dressed or undressed (you get to see him naked from the waist up, ye gods, the muscles!!) cuz those suits are just gorgeous.
Anyway, see this film. It's got anything you could possibly want: great plot with twists, compelling characters, awesome clothes, the most creative martial arts work EVER, interesting philosophical issues, a bit of romance, and even a very, very cute puppy. Oh, and did I mention Christan Bale's pecs? Hehehe.
Movie Review: A must see for anyone who enjoys sci-fi action.
Summary: 5 Stars
P>Equilibrium features a terrific premise: the film is set sometime after WWIII (the year is unspecified) in a city called Libria, which is headed by a man called "Father" (Sean Pertwee), who only appears to the citizens via hologram. All citizens are required to take a daily dose of prozium, a drug that dulls the emotions, which is what's believed to be the source of man's inhumanity to man. To ensure people continue their dosage, examples are made by law enforcers called clerics. These clerics are warrirors trained in a unique style called gun-kata, which teaches the fighter to stand in the position where they're least likely to be hit by enemy fire and to use a gun as an extension of the fighter itself. In the opening scene, we see how such a concept works.But similar to Logan's Run, our hero, cleric John Preston (Christian Bale), comes through an awakening when he misses his dose. He experiences emotions for the first time and finds himself conflicted with everything he'd believed in and fought for and what he now believes is the right thing to do. He wants to contact and join the rebel forces against "Father," but finds this isn't an easy task, especially with his new partner, Brandt (Taye Diggs), watching his every move and a massive army backing "Father."
Equilibrium is a film that can be viewed as thought-provoking entertainment. Writer/director Kurt Wimmer conveys this emotionless world with great attention to minute details (I never noticed the cars were entirely white, even inside, until my second viewing), incredible sets and production values that display the sterile feel of the environment. Whoever constructed the sets should be applauded, especially considering the modest budget the film had to work with. The look and feel of this city, along with Preston's erupting emotions, are nicely backed by Klaus Badelt's brooding score.
Simultaneously, the film has an utterly fabulous story, engrossing in its ability to convince you of this terrifying future and take you along for the ride beside our protagonist. Are there plot holes? Yes, but none that couldn't be reasonably explained, which means they're closer to being contrivances. For instance, the soldiers Preston face obviously display some fear, but I think prozium is only a suppressant; it doesn't completely rid the person of emotions. Plus, when someone has a shotgun pointed straight at his face, it'd be pretty difficult not to show some concern.
Much of what makes Equilibrium's story so suspenseful is it's unpredictability; Wimmer is so skillful in his delivery that it isn't until the conclusion we figure out the surprises and it's revealed who truly has the upper hand in this constantly twisting plot (possible spoiler: I will say this, I am quite glad the villains didn't turn out as dumb as they may have initially seemed).
Equilibrium's future claim to fame will be the gun-kata sequences, which are, for lack of a better word, breathtaking. There are other terms I could use; innovative, exhilarating, exciting, thrilling, heart-pounding, but I think breathtaking most accurately captures the complete surprise and delight I felt while watching the film (on the big screen, no less). There are five sequences that display gun-kata (along with two "ordinary" gun battles, a well-done sparring sequence, and some terrific swordplay), and each setpiece almost always tops the one that came before it in both innovation and excitment. I hesitate to go further, as I feel your enjoyment will be heightened if you don't know exactly how the action plays out (suffice to say the one-on-one jaw-dropping climactic duel is, bar none, the best fight scene I've seen all decade long).
Of course, as with almost all thrillers, action sequence only take up a minor portion of the running time (in this case, about twenty minutes in all, still a hefty amount, with a large portion of that in the climax). So what keeps our attention to the screen isn't just the story, the stylish cinematography and production design, but also the performances. At the center of the story is Christian Bale, an always superb actor who delivers one of his best performances as Preston. This immensely difficult role is made entirely believable and moving by Bale, whose captivating turn ensures we have a rooting interest from beginning to end.
Taye Diggs doesn't get the opportunity to shine nearly as much as Bale, but is solid as Brandt, though his constant smiling has been a source of complaint. (spoiler) By the end of the film, it's still questionable whether or not he was taking prozium. He is Dupont's underling, which suggests he, too, might not have been taking his prozium. Emily Watson is good, though underused, as Mary O'Brien, a woman Preston takes interest in. William Fichtner has an intriguing role as a somewhat mysterious but passionate rebel leader and Angus Mcfadyen is suitably chilling as the head cleric Dupont.
Equilibrium's action sequences have raised the bar for future competition, and not even the just released The Matrix Reloaded can compete (not that their action is similar) with what Wimmer has crafted. But just as important, the movie engages our mind, our emotions, and pulls us through all 107 minutes without a hiccup in pacing or momentum.
Movie Review: NOT a Matrix knock-off!
Summary: 5 Stars
Okay, the first thing I want to say right up front is that Equilibrium is NOT some sad, skanky, Matrix knock-off. Theres no Bullet Time, no Blue Pills or Red Pills, no Agent Smith, no Morpheus, no Neo, no future-shocked Virtual Reality environment, and sadly! no Trinity, in full sprayed-on-PVC-fetish-gear mode! That the film is being promoted with the following blurb on the case, Forget the Matrix! does, I think, the film a HUGE disservice. Mind you, there ARE some similarities between the two; both films are set in the future, lots of people wear really cool black outfits, the good guys and the bad guys fight each other using martial arts, and there are, Guns. Lots of guns! Thats it. So PLEASE dont pick this up expecting a Matrix clone, and youll give yourself a fighting chance of enjoying it on its own terms.
Equilibrium is a Sci Fi film, just as BladeRunner, 1984, Soylent Green, and especially, Fahrenheit 451, are Sci Fi films, in as much as the Sci Fi elements are but a framework within which the filmmakers explore the Human Condition. Equilibrium is set in a dystopian far future society, after the Third World War. A prologue sets the scene; to save Mankind, to prevent a Fourth World War, a war the species couldnt possibly survive, the decision is made, by a Big Brother type world dictatorship, to tackle what it considers the root cause of Mans problems his emotions.
In this Brave New World of Libria, the population is regimented in the extreme, endlessly watching and listening to sermons from Father, in which he explains to them the horrors that have been caused by feelings and emotions. Every man, woman and child takes an emotion suppressing drug called Prozium. The ultimate crime in this society is a Sense Offence, in which the perpetrator stops taking their Prozium shots and allows their senses to resurface and explore the world around them; a painting, a piece of sculpture, a music recording, a scent. Everything that can possibly register an emotional response in the population has been savagely suppressed, works of art, literature, music, even pets; this is a drab, dull, gray, emotionally barren world.
But human nature is still a force to be reckoned with, even in Libria, and there is an underground of malcontents, people who refuse to take their Prozium and live in a world rich in feelings and emotions. As far as Father is concerned, these are dangerous subversives that society cannot tolerate, and to combat them the State has created an elite corps of hunter/killer police, the Clerics. The elite of the elite is a Cleric named Preston, played by Christian Bale; cold and emotionless, Preston is like a Vulcan, but without their well-developed sense of humor! He carries out his duties for the State with clinical precision, disposing of both people and offending artifacts with complete equanimity. He is also a Master in the futuristic martial arts technique of Gun-Kata, in which all the Clerics are trained.
And its Gun-Kata that gives the film its spectacular action sequences. Just as in the ancient martial art of Kendo, The Way of the Sword, the sword becomes an extension of the practitioners body, in Gun-Kata the guns the Clerics use - and even the rounds they fire! become an extension of the Cleric himself. This is spectacularly showcased in a number of superbly choreographed fight sequences I can safely say that youll not have seen anything like this before!
But this is NOT just a mindless actioner dressed up in Sci Fi trappings. The film has a heart and a soul, and its the journey that Preston embarks upon when he accidentally misses one of his Prozium shots, his discovery of his own humanity, that is the core of this film. We watch as slowly but surely Preston wakes from his self-medicated emotional stupor. We see him as he really hears - for the first time - a piece of classical music, reads a book of poetry, feels the softness of a piece of silk, breathes in the scent of a long forgotten perfume, and experiences the emotional rush of a perfect sunrise. We also experience with him his abject horror, when he realizes what he, and the rest of the world, including his own two children, have been denied the opportunity to be truly human.
As the film progresses, and as Prestons emotions return, he is charged by Father to discover, and destroy, the resistance. Where will his allegiance lie, with the State, which has given him all that he has, and has made him all that he is, or with the Sense Offenders he has dedicated his life to eradicating?
Completely mishandled by the studio upon its release - I think it was shown on a couple of screens in Milwaukee one weekend! - this is intelligent Sci Fi on a human scale, in the grand tradition of BladeRunner, 1984, Soylent Green, and Fahrenheit 451. As long as you dont expect Matrix style pyrotechnics, theres a great deal to be enjoyed in this film; a solid story, good performances, especially from Bale, excellent and well choreographed action scenes, and a satisfying ending. Go ahead, check it out, Im sure you wont be disappointed.