Amazon.co.uk Review
A broad science fiction thriller in a classic vein, Equilibrium takes a respectable stab at a Fahrenheit 451-like cautionary fable. The story finds Earth's post-World War III humankind in a state of severe emotional repression; if no-one feels anything, no-one will be inspired by dark passions to attack their neighbours. Writer-director Kurt Wimmer's monochromatic, Metropolis-influenced cityscape provides an excellent backdrop to the heavy-handed mission of John Preston (Christian Bale), a top cop who busts "sense offenders" and crushes sentimental, sensual, and artistic relics from a bygone era. Predictably, Preston becomes intrigued by his victims and that which they die to cherish; he stops taking his mandatory, mood-flattening drug and is even aroused by a doomed prisoner (Emily Watson). Wimmer's wrongheaded martial arts/duelling guns motif is sheer silliness (a battle over a puppy doesn't help), but Equilibrium should be seen for Bale's moving performance as a man shocked back to human feeling. --Tom Keogh
Customer Reviews:
If only I could give this more stars!.......2008-02-24
This is one of those very rare films which isn't purely about entertainment but tries to portray an important message about society, while still remaining entertaining. It is set amongst a colony of people in a post-WW3 world, where everyone must take daily shots of an anti-feeling drug to supress their human emotions. This is all part of a plan to stop feelings like hate and anger, which in turn will stop war and violence. Unfortunately, it also stops people feeling love, happiness and any kind of enjoyment.
Rebels against the drug plan and 'contraband' like books and art, are sought out and destroyed by a team of specialists, headed by Christian Bale as the Cleric Preston, who after a series of events, begins to feel things himself. This film shows just how great an actor the man is for so many reasons, the chief one being the way he expresses his feelings as they begin to surface; his expression of childlike wonder looking at a rainbow, his need to touch different surfaces for the different sensations and being driven to tears from hearing music for the first time. It's beautiful and positively heart-warming. Equally amazing to watch is everyone else's reaction (or lack of) to events that are pretty much humanly impossible to misunderstand, such as Preston's partner being confused as to why someone would keep an animal if not to eat it.
As the majority of the colony remains emotionless, Preston faces a real challenge trying to keep his new-found feelings and his quest to further them a secret, made very difficult by the masses of watchful colleagues, in particular his suspicious partner, a man who, like Preston himself, has a keen intuition for those who might be 'sense offenders' aka those who are feeling feelings.
This film really makes you think, that while human emotion to a degree causes great harm to the world, life wouldn't be worth living without it; it's getting the balance right that matters. The brilliant cast, an excellent score and a perfectly paced plot that doesn't rely on action scenes to make it exciting (though the final part of the film is filled with some really great ones) make this an absolute must for everybody's collection.
my best.......2008-01-18
this film is my favourite film ever. the storyline ihas no match, the action is short but oh so sweet. the acting is second to none. though is it sci-fi so rent it then make up your mind.
"Tread softly, for you are treading on my dreams...".......2008-01-17
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and I know that people are calling Equilibrium a rip-off of The Matrix; but I really don't see how any such comparison could be made. This is a sci-fi film in and of itself.
Like the remake of a mix between Fahrenheit 451 and 1984, Equilibrium is set in a world where feeling, and anything that might produce such a sensation, are illegal. Anyone caught violating the law are apprehended because of their "sense offense," and usually, executed. There is also a man that is only seen on the telescreen, who could easily be considered a "Big Brother" type of figure. Everyone is forced to take a drug that deadens the emotions.
Enter the strange fighting style of gun-kata, and one of the top law enforcers, played by Christian Bale, who doesn't take his dose one day, causing his entire life to change.
How could anyone possibly say that this is a rip-off of The Matrix??? I don't get it. The fight scenes weren't the most original, but almost everything has already been used at one time or another, and that's not saying that the action sequences aren't entertaining. They are.
The setting of a dismal future where the government has full power is shown quite effectively as each scene unfolds. I really liked the idea of a drug that deadened the senses so that the government could be in control. It wasn't implausible.
I hate to say too much to give away the plot, but there are some very cool parts, and the thought behind the film is intriguing. And if anyone else is wondering why Taye Diggs continues to smile even though he isn't supposed to have feelings, I really can't answer that, and it's probably one of the only problems I had with this movie.
I liked it. One of the best sci-fi movies I've seen in a long time.
Worth seeing but not worth buying on DVD.......2007-12-28
A reasonable film but the story line has been done before with a totalitarian state. I suppose it is always good to have updated versions of classic stories to appeal to new generations. However it is let down by the fact that it tries too hard to emulate the Matrix with the fight scenes. It is clear that the producers put these matrix style fight scenes in to try and ride on the tails of the phenomenal success of the Matrix. A big mistake in my opinion as any film that tries to be like the Matrix is going to fail trying to copy the format.
In essence a reasonable story line that makes for interesting viewing but could have done with a bit more originality.
A Vastly Underrated Movie.......2007-11-20
Unlike the Matrix, which quickly disappeared up it's own self-absorbed backside, and tried to be far, far too clever for it's own good, this is a vastly superior flick, more closely aligned to the worlds of Audlus Huxley and Orwell than Asimov and Clarke.
Inevitably it will suffer from being second to the Matrix, but to me, the issues under discussion were more profound, and intriguing to explore than the blunt 'what ifs' of the Matrix. Oh, and as an even bigger plus, you don't have to put up with Keanu Reeves' gormless expressions the whole time.
Visually, it's a stunning film, from the intense and acrobatic gun-kata fight scenes to the bleak concrete landscape of Libria. The costumes and set design are pulled off exceptionally well to give the exactly right feel for this type of film.
The plot too is reasonably straightforward, yet gripping, and providing enough twists and turns to hold interest right the way through.
The acting too, makes a real difference, the icey Christian Bale and Taye Diggs playing well of each other, with more emotive moments coming from Sean Bean and Emily Watson.
An excellent film all-round, and far, far better than the Matrix.
Amazon.co.uk Review
A broad science fiction thriller in a classic vein, Equilibrium takes a respectable stab at a Fahrenheit 451-like cautionary fable. The story finds Earth's post-World War III humankind in a state of severe emotional repression; if no-one feels anything, no-one will be inspired by dark passions to attack their neighbours. Writer-director Kurt Wimmer's monochromatic, Metropolis-influenced cityscape provides an excellent backdrop to the heavy-handed mission of John Preston (Christian Bale), a top cop who busts "sense offenders" and crushes sentimental, sensual, and artistic relics from a bygone era. Predictably, Preston becomes intrigued by his victims and that which they die to cherish; he stops taking his mandatory, mood-flattening drug and is even aroused by a doomed prisoner (Emily Watson). Wimmer's wrongheaded martial arts/duelling guns motif is sheer silliness (a battle over a puppy doesn't help), but Equilibrium should be seen for Bale's moving performance as a man shocked back to human feeling. --Tom Keogh
Customer Reviews:
If only I could give this more stars!.......2008-02-24
This is one of those very rare films which isn't purely about entertainment but tries to portray an important message about society, while still remaining entertaining. It is set amongst a colony of people in a post-WW3 world, where everyone must take daily shots of an anti-feeling drug to supress their human emotions. This is all part of a plan to stop feelings like hate and anger, which in turn will stop war and violence. Unfortunately, it also stops people feeling love, happiness and any kind of enjoyment.
Rebels against the drug plan and 'contraband' like books and art, are sought out and destroyed by a team of specialists, headed by Christian Bale as the Cleric Preston, who after a series of events, begins to feel things himself. This film shows just how great an actor the man is for so many reasons, the chief one being the way he expresses his feelings as they begin to surface; his expression of childlike wonder looking at a rainbow, his need to touch different surfaces for the different sensations and being driven to tears from hearing music for the first time. It's beautiful and positively heart-warming. Equally amazing to watch is everyone else's reaction (or lack of) to events that are pretty much humanly impossible to misunderstand, such as Preston's partner being confused as to why someone would keep an animal if not to eat it.
As the majority of the colony remains emotionless, Preston faces a real challenge trying to keep his new-found feelings and his quest to further them a secret, made very difficult by the masses of watchful colleagues, in particular his suspicious partner, a man who, like Preston himself, has a keen intuition for those who might be 'sense offenders' aka those who are feeling feelings.
This film really makes you think, that while human emotion to a degree causes great harm to the world, life wouldn't be worth living without it; it's getting the balance right that matters. The brilliant cast, an excellent score and a perfectly paced plot that doesn't rely on action scenes to make it exciting (though the final part of the film is filled with some really great ones) make this an absolute must for everybody's collection.
my best.......2008-01-18
this film is my favourite film ever. the storyline ihas no match, the action is short but oh so sweet. the acting is second to none. though is it sci-fi so rent it then make up your mind.
"Tread softly, for you are treading on my dreams...".......2008-01-17
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and I know that people are calling Equilibrium a rip-off of The Matrix; but I really don't see how any such comparison could be made. This is a sci-fi film in and of itself.
Like the remake of a mix between Fahrenheit 451 and 1984, Equilibrium is set in a world where feeling, and anything that might produce such a sensation, are illegal. Anyone caught violating the law are apprehended because of their "sense offense," and usually, executed. There is also a man that is only seen on the telescreen, who could easily be considered a "Big Brother" type of figure. Everyone is forced to take a drug that deadens the emotions.
Enter the strange fighting style of gun-kata, and one of the top law enforcers, played by Christian Bale, who doesn't take his dose one day, causing his entire life to change.
How could anyone possibly say that this is a rip-off of The Matrix??? I don't get it. The fight scenes weren't the most original, but almost everything has already been used at one time or another, and that's not saying that the action sequences aren't entertaining. They are.
The setting of a dismal future where the government has full power is shown quite effectively as each scene unfolds. I really liked the idea of a drug that deadened the senses so that the government could be in control. It wasn't implausible.
I hate to say too much to give away the plot, but there are some very cool parts, and the thought behind the film is intriguing. And if anyone else is wondering why Taye Diggs continues to smile even though he isn't supposed to have feelings, I really can't answer that, and it's probably one of the only problems I had with this movie.
I liked it. One of the best sci-fi movies I've seen in a long time.
Worth seeing but not worth buying on DVD.......2007-12-28
A reasonable film but the story line has been done before with a totalitarian state. I suppose it is always good to have updated versions of classic stories to appeal to new generations. However it is let down by the fact that it tries too hard to emulate the Matrix with the fight scenes. It is clear that the producers put these matrix style fight scenes in to try and ride on the tails of the phenomenal success of the Matrix. A big mistake in my opinion as any film that tries to be like the Matrix is going to fail trying to copy the format.
In essence a reasonable story line that makes for interesting viewing but could have done with a bit more originality.
A Vastly Underrated Movie.......2007-11-20
Unlike the Matrix, which quickly disappeared up it's own self-absorbed backside, and tried to be far, far too clever for it's own good, this is a vastly superior flick, more closely aligned to the worlds of Audlus Huxley and Orwell than Asimov and Clarke.
Inevitably it will suffer from being second to the Matrix, but to me, the issues under discussion were more profound, and intriguing to explore than the blunt 'what ifs' of the Matrix. Oh, and as an even bigger plus, you don't have to put up with Keanu Reeves' gormless expressions the whole time.
Visually, it's a stunning film, from the intense and acrobatic gun-kata fight scenes to the bleak concrete landscape of Libria. The costumes and set design are pulled off exceptionally well to give the exactly right feel for this type of film.
The plot too is reasonably straightforward, yet gripping, and providing enough twists and turns to hold interest right the way through.
The acting too, makes a real difference, the icey Christian Bale and Taye Diggs playing well of each other, with more emotive moments coming from Sean Bean and Emily Watson.
An excellent film all-round, and far, far better than the Matrix.
DVD Review:
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- Mirrormask [2005]
- Night Watch [2005]
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- Stardust [HD DVD] [2007]
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