Though the cliche dark, dreary future is evident here, Equilibrium is a stylish cerebral approach to a future that believes the state knows how to control man's impulses, policed by a black-clad religious 'cleric' priesthood that could mistaken for the Nazi SS, true believers with no remorse. This film is a mixture of The Matrix, Gattaca, and 1984.
Christian Bale is terrific in his lead role, a step away from his American Psycho personae. He has to carry forth the balance of being both a cleric leader and secret rebel, each tearing at the fabric of what passes for his soul. Emily Watson is underutilized, much to my disappointment. Spielberg future vision is evident here in this movie as well, where the future is 'white' with the obvious exemption of the Taye Diggs character.
Interesting contradictions do abound: why is that 'citizens' and 'clerics' are not allow to express emotion yet the 'leader' and the Taye Diggs character quite obviously express their anger? Did they not take their daily doses, they very thing they are policing against? Additionally, where are the women -- is the future masculine? Where are the old people? Do they get fed into the state machinery, as in Solyent Green or does their time run out as in Logan's Run?
Some little cinematic homages to Fritz Lang's Metropolis, the 1984-inspired Apple McIntosh computer commercial, Blade Runner, Escape From New York, and Soviet propaganda machinery.
Watch this if you want to be entertained in a cerebral manner; do not watch it if you are looking for visceral, emotional reactions.
Christian Bale is terrific in his lead role, a step away from his American Psycho personae. He has to carry forth the balance of being both a cleric leader and secret rebel, each tearing at the fabric of what passes for his soul. Emily Watson is underutilized, much to my disappointment. Spielberg future vision is evident here in this movie as well, where the future is 'white' with the obvious exemption of the Taye Diggs character.
Interesting contradictions do abound: why is that 'citizens' and 'clerics' are not allow to express emotion yet the 'leader' and the Taye Diggs character quite obviously express their anger? Did they not take their daily doses, they very thing they are policing against? Additionally, where are the women -- is the future masculine? Where are the old people? Do they get fed into the state machinery, as in Solyent Green or does their time run out as in Logan's Run?
Some little cinematic homages to Fritz Lang's Metropolis, the 1984-inspired Apple McIntosh computer commercial, Blade Runner, Escape From New York, and Soviet propaganda machinery.
Watch this if you want to be entertained in a cerebral manner; do not watch it if you are looking for visceral, emotional reactions.
