Equilibrium

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Action, Good Story
Review: I would describe this as Farenheit 451 meets John Woo (with some influence from Matrix and maybe even Total Recall).

The Gun-Kadas are what make the action so engrossing (basically a martial arts/statistic fighting style taught to the Grammaton Clerics - elite troops of the Librians - which teaches how to use guns to maximize the damage while keeping the clerics safe from return fire). Actually when you watch the fighting scenes you get the impression that it was also influenced by the fast-paced fighting within most Anime.
The whole thing with everyone being doped up on an ultra-prozac was a nice message about our current culture (using drugs as an easy way to solve the underlying problems).

This movie came out quite recently but the film 'looks' a bit older - not shiny but more grainy quality to it (looks like it was produced in mid-nineties I think), which actually makes it more effective. The casting was well done, all the actors performed admirably - I was quite surprised by the number of actors I could recognize in the film especially considering how little press it got.
I'm quite surprised by how little advertising was done for this movie. I'm sure it'll be a sleeper-hit but they should at least show some commercials first. I only heard of it through a friend, and I'm quite happy to have taken his advice and rented it (although I vaguely remembered seeing a commercial for this flick after watching the whole thing).

Anybody who likes action or dystopia type movies should watch this. It stands on its own, its got its own style which can't be said of all recent movies ... This was a fun movie that I will probably own soon.

Rating:
Summary: Feeling Good about Equilibrium
Review: Equilibrium is a brilliantly written story that shines beyond the veneer of gun battle sequences and flashy cinematography. Rather than resorting to comparison, it is a well written and intelligent screenplay in it's own right. The cold imagery and stylish characters are ingredients in the film that tempt comparisons with The Matrix and Minority Report. However, you must check the comparisons at the door because it's basically apples and oranges.

The story depicts a civilization that remedies hate and war with extreme measures. It is done with "Prozium II": a drug that eliminate's human emotion when taken in regular intervals. The problem being when feelings are squelched, the good ones as well as the destructive ones are eliminated. Ultimately, those who blantantly refuse to take the drug for the sake of feeling emotion and are labled "sense" offenders, which is a crime.

After four viewings of this film, I am confused and surprised by some reviews that I have read on the film (I refer to vocational critics) there are minute details that have been labeled as major mistakes by critics and movie goers alike, but pay attention closely! The "mistakes" that have people burning this screenplay "at the stake" so to speak are intentional.

The Cleric Brandt (Taye Diggs) unquestionably shows signs of emotion (little smiles) making it seemingly problematic for the premise of the film, right? but (if you watch the film again) listen to the line of questioning and comments directed at Cleric John Preston (Christian Bale) upon their first dialog in the white Cadillac:

"Were you and your partner close?" - A little to touchy/feely - not Prozium II material.

"I HOPE to be as uncompromising as you." - Aspiration/ambition?

"I like you, can SENSE emotion" - Opening questions about John ability to sense emotion that are never fully resolved since the death of his wife. Partridge's line before being shot directed at John Preston - "...what do you dream about?"

Carelessness? I beg to differ! In light of how the story develops/unfolds, we're finding out from the start the biggest clue that Brandt isn't even taking Prozium II himself. We have to remember that Brandt was never trying to find an opportunity to "bust" Preston, the opportunity was to "use" Preston to infiltrate the resistance then get Preston in the end. Another thing to ponder, If Prozium II is a way of life from birth, how can you sense emotion? How can you sense that which you have never felt or experienced? The film is repleat with clues that DuPont (Agnus MacFadyen) and Brandt (Taye Diggs) aren't taking Prozium II. Touching the desk without gloves, yelling in public and in closed quarters, etc.

Then the Prozium system is implied not to work, because there is a need for a select few not to take the drug to ferret out those who should take it. Then the paradox is who monitors those in leadership who don't take it for the sake of indulging the pleasures of life and what's to prevent them from becoming the very enemy this drug was intended to stamp out?

Sean Bean as Cleric Partridge is his usual reliable and steady as ever in his limited role, fabulous actor. Emily Watson is excellent as Mary O'Brien, and is ultimately the factor that makes Preston "unable" to turn back to Prozium II. Watson has great chemestry in her interaction with Christian Bale. Bale does an commendable job going from cold (While on Prozium II) to learning to deal with his newly developing senses.

One of my favorite scene's underscoring that transition is when Preston first hears music during a raid. The camera panning into his eye then panning out of the horn of the phonograph was brilliant; as to imply a transition of just seeing this machine to hearing was it was desinged to do. Preston's reaction of being moved by the brilliance of Beethoven is excellent.

Speaking of music, I thought the soundtrack was hit and miss. Though parts were truly wonderful, the analog synthesized strings (perhaps intended to bring a colder, unfeeling sound) ultimately comes across dated and low budget (even though the film was relatively low budget).

Libria has a sense of a futuristic Hitleristic Germany with the futuristic zeppelins, symbols and attire. I thought that there was an opportunity for more development of Libria/the "empire" as a war machine. I wasn't totally sold of how menacing an adversary the resistance was facing. By the same token not much was done to warm you to the resistance either, it was difficult to make a connection with Mary O'Brien and her collegues though they had a common cause. I think it would have been beneficial to show some enjoyment of life's pleasure in the form of books, music, art from the people in the resistance perspective. All these items were mere props throughtout the film most of the time.

A thread throughout the film that is intriguing to consider is the issue of trust. All of the characters not taking Prozium II at one point or another demonstrate times of having to wear the facade of no emotion which is a cover for not taking the drug. There is an issue of controlling emotions which some are better at than others which seems to be alternative to taking Prozium II to begin with, only lack of control has immediate consequences under their present system. The only real flaw in the plot is why not put your trust in Preston by not allowing him to take Prozium II (they way they did with Brandt) then use him to infiltrate the resistance to begin with? The movie proved without a shadow of a doubt Preston was the best man they had. The only logical reason I could think of is that Libria feared the history of a dead wife (Preston allowing them to arrest and execute her) would come back and bite them, it did anyway.

The action sequences were spectacular and only a part of this excellent film. For the record, I saw a critic review on the poster (and DVD box) make a reference to the Matrix. This movie is not intended to be The Matrix. Equliibrium is an wonderful film in it's own right with an excellent story. This would have been a spectacular big budget film.

Rating:
Summary: NOT like the Matrix
Review: I am not sure how people started camparing this movie to The Matrix. Outside of a few nifty fight scenes, this movie is completely different. GREAT flick! Check it out!

Rating:
Summary: It's a great action movie, but leave your mind at the door
Review: I am not surprised this movie was panned by the critics. It is a haphazard cautionary tale of the future, but not as good as the things it borrows from, like Atwood's "Handmaids tale." The premise, of a society that takes an emotion numbing drug each day, but this usage is not tracked or controlled, seems counter-intuitive. All the main characters end up emotional, and the underground resistance isn't fully developed. Basically, if movies that have dumb or undeveloped premises annoy you, like "The Core", then this movie will fit right into your garbage basket. There is more than enough to be annoyed with from start to finish. Blah!
But... The stylistic approach to Gun combat, reminiscent of John Wu's "Killer", where the Gun Kata (A cool concept) allows the main character to become an unstoppable killing machine is breathtaking. The martial arts scenes are good, although there is a spurious swordfight scene that is so typically Western and silly that you may laugh a bit. Still, if you are in love with the Gun, and martial arts, there is much to enjoy.
I did lament that the mass firefights weren't envigorating, but the personal combat scenes were sweet.
It's no matrix, nor is it particularly well written, but the fight choreographer was masterful.

Rating:
Summary: Can we say "knock-off"?
Review: Honestly, I don't have much to say, except for that was the biggest waste of my time ever! Such a knock-off movie! Remind you of The Matrix at all? Un-humanly people (i.e. agents), underworlds (i.e. Zion), and a hero who can handle them all (i.e. Neo)... Yeah, Christian Bale should never attempt an action figure/hero role again! Biggest piece of crap ever made!

Rating:
Summary: Simply Awesome.
Review: Don't walk, run to get this movie. If you like the Matrix, you'll love this. It's twice as good. I started to write a review and it was turning into a small book so I've decided to go with the "less is more" approach and simply say that this movie is amazing. It makes no sense that this wasn't a major blockbuster. It's the best sci-fi film since Aliens. GET THIS FILM NOW!!!

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Movie!
Review: I'm not going to detail the plot, but this has honestly become one of my favorite movies of all time. Christian Bale manages to portray a man attempting to hide his emotions and yet racked with newfound feelings, sensuality, and guilt in a way that is both heartwrenching and joyous. This movie reminds us to be more aware of the beauty, art, pain, and even ugliness that surrounds us. It reminds us that without expression, interpretation, and awareness we are not really living, that we take for granted our senses and the things we enjoy and also dislike. Regardless of the flimsyness of certain parts, or the borrowing of familiar themes from novels and movies, this is a fantastic and honest attempt to make us aware of our lives, to renew discovery without and within ourselves. It emphasizes the yin & yang idea that there is a balance, and you can't rid yourself of evil completely without also losing what it is that makes things good. free speech and expression goes both ways, and the good can not be extracted from the bad as if it were some seperate entity.
Beautiful movie.

Rating:
Summary: Word of mouth
Review: I heard about this DVD from a fellow nurse at work. She saw it and couldn't stop raving about it, she in turn heard about it from a friend who had heard about it from a DJ in Chicago, who announced on his radio show that this movie was better than the Matrix.
So I being the skeptic and a big fan of the Matrix decided to rent this with my husband. I was all set to dislike this movie but ended up watching it twice that night. My husband loved the gun-kata scenes...and the scene with the puppy -yes i fell for it. So we liked it so much we bought it.
Yes, this story has been told many different times, yes the effects were borrowed from other movies, but what movie hasn't ben inspired by a previous work? Regardless, it's the way the story is told and acted that works.The movie just pulled you in and made you care for this character - John Preston. This movie works for both males and females - It has just enough action,drama, puppies,and men dealing with their feelings-what woman wouldn't want to watch that!
I have to admit i didn't know who the heck Christian Bale was, but now I can't wait to see more of his work.
Hopefully word of mouth will make this the hit it should have been!!!

Rating:
Summary: Must See Sleeper Hit
Review: I'd never heard of this movie but a friend of mine told me to watch it. I wasn't expecting much but was instead blown away. The story is interesting and thought-provoting. The action sequences are unique and very cool. It is a sort of Fahrenheit 451 meets Brave New World meets The Matrix. You have to see this movie.

Rating:
Summary: Brave New World Meets 1984 and Mates with Kiss of the Dragon
Review: If you've read Brave New World and 1984 you understand the premise of this movie. If you haven't, go to a library and check them out now you hooligan. The movie has some dull parts yes, but these are not only outshined, but blown out of the stratosphere by action scenes. The action sequences in this movie really wore out my rewind button on my DVD remote, because I had to know HOW THE HELL DID HE DO THAT? Absolutely incredible, sets a new standard for action.

Fun movie, most definetly. Not for the squemish in some parts. (hey did he just break someones leg and snap their arm in half? Why, yes he did!). But definetly worth it.