Equilibrium

[PopHistorian]

Can anyone pick or pan this one for me?

"Equilibrium (2005) -- In a futuristic world, a strict regime has eliminated war by suppressing emotions: Books, art and music are strictly forbidden, and feeling is a crime punishable by death -- a rule that's enforced by feeding the denizens a mood-limiting drug. John Preston (Christian Bale) is a top government official responsible for destroying those who resist the rules. But when he misses a dose of his own medication, he experiences a pang of conscience."

 

[mlkh]

i quite liked it. it's very 1984-esque, but a little more fairy-tale. plus the action scenes (i think are very good).
i'd recommend it, what's the harm?

 

[moonwalker]

Enjoyable. About one-third of the movie is all about Cleric Preston's (Bale) change from a non-emotional bad guy to a good guy and the change from non-emotion to full-emotion is impressive, Christian Bale plays his role well. I personally enjoyed every step to this movie, the characters were well thought out and the actions scenes especially the gun kata were very cool. For an action movie the story remains full of depth.

 

[Mikey]

Just watched it. It's a really good movie IMO and very similar to V for Vendetta. In both movies, the system is overthrown by the achievements of one skilled man (of course with help from other characters and lucky circumstances). While V remains in the underground, main character Cleric John Preston is a government official. By first accidentally and later intentionally leaving out his daily dose of sedative drugs (which all of the population has to take), his "awakening" is initiated. Because of his innate ability to feel and the newly gained ability to see the cruelties of the militant, killing regime, he receives one shock after the other, but quickly learns to develop a strategic enclosure to keep his position and save his life. He meets other people in the resistance movement that play this strategic game too.

With some unexpected turnarounds, the movie is thrilling until the very end. The actors are perfectly suited for the main characters: Cleric Preston (Christian Bale) as a man of conscience and the vice-chancellor as perfect psychopath, who says in one of the last scenes (paraphrasing), "don't take away my dreams."

So, the movie is worth the money -- at least, that is -- because it presents a handy metaphor for the process of awakening, seeing, receiving shocks, building of a strategic enclosure and "acting for one's destiny", regardless of the difficulties. The shock for the audience of the movie is to see how our reality is slowly turned into that presented in Equilibrium...

Get it and spread it around!

 

[PopHistorian]

I did eventually rent and watch this one. Hard to know what to say about all its features, but I thought, as entertainment (which includes the intellectual-stimulation component) it was pretty good. Interesting in its approach, though low on realism/believability, but of course it's all semi-metaphoric. Glad I saw it.

 

[Guest]

GREAT movie, especially if you were lucky enough to see it when it came out.

Less impact when stacked against v for vendetta (equililbrium came first but was underrated), but still a powerful film.

 

[RflctnOfU]

Just one interesting point that noone has mentioned yet...the official organization, ie the "bad guys", for whom the clerics work, is called tetragrammaton - alluding to the four letter name of the psychopathic "yaweh". All in all, I think this film is worth a see for those who haven't

update: just discovered that "tetragrammaton" is what the greeks called the four letter "name"

kris

 

[GRiM]

I saw it in 2002 or maybe 2003, I really liked it (then) I still think its good but It a bit of a fairytale in a way. It does not see the system as a problem, only the leader.

I read a review of it and found it to be somewhat accurate in my opinion.
_http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/equilibrium/articles/825384/

 

[JonnyRadar]

i can echo these other sentiments, it's a VERY good film, OSIT... at the time that i saw it, i think i can say it had the same effect for me as V for vendetta did when i saw that film. one more point of awakening along the journey - a reaffirmation infused with some entertainment as well =)

It does not see the system as a problem, only the leader.

it seemed to incirminate the system as well though didn't it? it was preston's very cessation of taking prozeum that was his "fist in the air" so to speak against the system that was enslaving him.

one of my favorite scenes is when they're giving him a lie detector test to see if he's a "sense-criminal" and puts out emotions. the needle begins to go wild on the paper and everybody thinks they have him caught, then he scrunches his face and says "NO." (a la neo in the matrix) and the needle stops moving completely and the controller, looking terrified, mutters "oh sh**..."

 

[Masamune]

I just saw this and I think it was a good movie. It is eerily similar to how our society is today where people are increasingly shut off from their feelings and look down on people who express their emotions. The only things I didn't like were the large amounts of horrific violence and killing throughout the film - seems misplaced in a movie about someone waking up their emotional center. Also I would have liked to see a more developed ending which would show how the society starts to get in touch with their feelings and how that improves the world for the better. Overall I would recommend watching this one.

 

[deleven]

Wow. Gives new meaning to an "army of one"

 

[Denis]

I remember this conversation between Mary and John Preston (the "Cleric") halfway into the movie that really stood out to me and I find it to be memorable (quote copied from imdb):

Mary: Let me ask you something.
[Grabs his hand]
Mary: Why are you alive?
John Preston: [Breaks free] I'm alive... I live... to safeguard the continuity of this great society. To serve Libria.
Mary: It's circular. You exist to continue your existence. What's the point?
John Preston: What's the point of your existence?
Mary: To feel. 'Cause you've never done it, you can never know it. But it's as vital as breath. And without it, without love, without anger, without sorrow, breath is just a clock... ticking.