Equilibrium

Rating:
Summary: Surprisingly good
Review: You have the plot synopsis from the other reviewers, so I won't waste my time on that. All I'll say is that this is a good film..... much better than I expected it to be considering the fact that it never saw theatrical release (for some reason unknown to me).

The "Gun Kata" concept is brilliantly conceived. As a life-long martial artist and gun enthusiast, I have often thought that a martial art like this should be developed in real life to make military and law enforcement officers better gunfighters.

The only thing I thought was a little wrong about this flick is that the writer/director doesn't seem to have really thought through the guiding principle behind the totalitarian regime. In this film the totalitarianism is based around the supression of all emotion for the purpose of preventing war, violence, crime, greed, etc. So if the regime is so bent on ending war and violence, why do its law enforcement officials go about gunning down all its criminals without so much as a howdy do?

There are a great many things that this fictional totalitarian regime could have been centered on other than suppression of emotion, any one of which would have probably made this a better film. But as it is, this is a good film. This film borrows from other films/books like 1984, Farenheit 451, Brazil, etc. about the horror of technologically advanced totalitarian fascism. It's very disturbing to people who value freedom, because as our society becomes more densely populated and our technology becomes more advanced, we could very well wind up living with cameras and sensors watching our every move and law enforcement officers given the power to arrest, detain and interrogate people for even the slightest hint of disloyalty to the government.

I definitely recommend this film to anyone who liked Brazil, 1984, Farenheit 451, or any other movie about futuristic totalitarianism.

Rating:
Summary: BETTER than the Matrix ...but who's comparing?
Review: I knew nothing about this movie when i started watching it...actually I only started watching it by sheer fluke. Twenty minutes into the movie I had to turn around and give it my full attention. It does have a Matrix feel, but I agree with a few other reviewers; you can't comapre it to the Matrix...I would go so far as to say it's better than the Matrix - mostly because Keanu Reeves is a horrid actor who annoys me to no end (..."I know Kung Fu"...although this is not to say I don't enjoy all three Matrix films). Christian Bale is ten times a better actor, and possitively OOZES anger and frustration and uncertainty throughout his transformation. He remains a quietly commanding presence and positively kicks butt in the flick's stellar action scenes. The plot is a good idea - although slightly cheesy at times - but I think one has to look at the movie in terms of the overall message, to appreciate the film as it should be appreciated.

I only gave it four stars because the ending is kind of cheesy - I got the feeling that the director was trying too hard to give it a happy ending - it's a little TOO happy.

Rating:
Summary: For the 100,000,000th time, THIS IS NOT THE MATRIX!!!!
Review: ever since the matrix came out, anyone who wears long black coats and has gunfights is obviously trying to copy off that movie. no one seems to mention that the look of the Matrix is strikingly similar to the likes of the Crow and the first Blade movie, or that the idea that this world is not the real world was nicked from Jean Beaudrillard. No offence, the Matrix movies were good, but they are hardly the most original concept in the world.

Neither is Equilibrium, but that is part of what's cool about it. right througout the movie, you can see that director Kurt Wimmer loves movies like Fahrenheit 451, 1984 and Logan's Run, and has taken elements from them to create a universe which, if you think about it, is not all that impossible. so in essence, it has done the same as thing as the Matrix, but it could not be more different.

to begin with, the action is so different. whereas the Wachowskis action scenes were kung fu and gunfights slowed down, Equilibrium puts the two together with the fantastically high concept gun-kata, and uses it in tight little symmetrical bursts of violence that really grab the attention. the climax where John Preston (Christian Bale) goes to kill the main villain is an assault on the senses, and the prelude to the final fight adds in some unexpected but much appreciated gore to the mix.

The performances are great, with Bale kung fu kicking Keanu Reeves to death in the acting stakes. He is abley supported by Taye Diggs, whose smirking evil henchman is the perfect contrast to Bale's more emotional performance. Emily Watson is underused as the love interest and there is some great support from Sean Bean and Angus MacFadyen, and Wimmer keeps the pace going while adding some nice touches and unknowing references to other classic films (the Beethoven 9th from Clockwork Orange)

unfortunately because of the monster success of the Matrix, this was found to be playing second fiddle in theaters (it wasn't really released in mine), but it is a more than equal to the first Matrix, and is actually better in parts than the sequels. watch this before you take your Prozium shot and be moved by a rockin piece of action cinema.

Rating:
Summary: Don't compare, just watch
Review: I was tempted not to watch this because of all the "If you enjoyed the Matrix, you'll love this!" hype it received. I overlooked that, and watched it and I really enjoyed it. For the budget they had (20 Mil) and the short amount of time to film it, it stands up as a good film, and an even better film if you do not compare it to other films and enjoy it for what it is. I do feel the end was as climatic as it could have been, and there were a few plot holes, but over all I would watch it again.

Rating:
Summary: More Than Equal
Review: This movie is what the Matrix could have been if it actually had a quality lead actor and a story. The action scenes sting you with ferocity and originality, and you can't take your eyes off Christian Bale. When you watch this excellent movie you will know why Bale is the perfect choice to play Batman/Bruce Wayne in Christopher Nolan's upcoming film, Batman: Intimidation.

Rating:
Summary: Slightly reserved
Review: What a strange movie. I really liked it. I think. I'm pretty sure I enjoyed it. Well, it made me think quite a bit, which is a sure indication that I got something out of it. And I really like to think, which I guess means I liked it.
Really, this was a pretty decent movie, (scince when has Dimension Films had a budget like this, or did they finally learn how to use it?) with a fairly convincing storyline.
To begin with I am wondering why everyone thinks it was "silly" to defend and kill for the puppy. There are two reasons that I can see that are valid for him doing this. Generally when an Emotion is felt for the first time it is pretty strong because it is new to you. (Think of the saying " She was my first love"). Now imagine feeling joy for the first time when you are seeing a puppy (especially this extra cute Swiss Mountain pup), and horror knowing what is expected of you to do to it. Not only do you feel strongly for the pup, but you also want to keep that emotion. Second, there is anther emotion he is feeling that could drive him to behave this way. Fear. This is what I believe he was feeling when arguing abuot opening his trunk. It wasn't so much fear about them hurting the puppy, but more because in case you hadn't noticed, animals didn,t seem to be part of this world. We are not introduced to them until we find these dogs being raised by sense-offenders. Therefore he feared he would be taken as one of them and be captured and incenerated.
I also liked near the end when he confronts his former boss. The contrast to the world he was controlling , and the world he was living in were very well done. The room was colored quite beautifully compared to the outside world of cold, grey, lifeless buildings.
Problems.
1.My biggest problem (although this is personally just a matter of taste. It worked well for the story itself.)was with Sean Bean's role.He has been one of my favorite actors scince I first seen him in Patriot Games doing his best to knock off Harrison Ford and clan. But the role that was truly made for him, (or him for it) was as Boromir in the Lord of the Rings. Out of all the characters his was the closest (almost tying with Ian McKellan as Gandalf) to how I had envisioned him. So why kill him off in the first few minutes of the movie? Of course he was the only one showing emotion in the movie which is what they were fighting against. (Imagine if they had cast Keanu Reeves instead. He wouldn't need to take the Prozium injections. Of course maybe that is what they meant on the DVD cover by saying "Forget the Matrix".)
2.The fight scenes. While interesting they did seem a little unrealistic. I thought the matrix was more belivable, giving an explanation for Neo's god-like powers. The gun battles were pretty cool, but the scene where he and his partner spar each other seemed a bit choppy and fake. Although I must admit the last fight where he and his former boss clack each others guns for a few minutes while only firing a few shots was highly entertaining.
3.When he kills his new partner near the end of the movie happened way to fast for me. The whole movie seemed to be building up to it, the ten seconds later its over.
4.Well not quite over. After he falls to his knees he sits there for a few more seconds. Then the whole front of his face slides off. A bit unrealistic and gratuitous for me.
5.I have always had troule with movies that have this kind of scope but don't seem to realize it. They say that Prozium has brought the world peace. Where is the rest of the world. They show it like the city and surrounding settlments encompass the whole world.
6. It would have been nice to show the chaos that ensues when Prozium is no more and emotions run rampant.
For me this movie was worth watching once, and if you are in the mood for some good science fiction then check this one out.

Rating:
Summary: Some similarities
Review: I would just add to my last review of this today - to the guy who said that people who said its a Matrix rip-off should be shot (anger management issues?) Peter, and Ian who said what the hell does this film have to the matrix let me try to enlighten;

- The lighting
- The wearing of all in one dark long coats
- The martial arts
- The gunplay
- The agents of the state concept
- An oppressive unseen master
- The post holocaust world
- Rebellion against the illusion the masses live their lives uner

Is that enough.....?

The storyline that everyone keep saying was fantastic was thin. The "final battle" was a complete anti-climax.

Look, its an moderately entertaining couple of hours in a low budget B movie kind of way. Lets not try to pretend its Lord Of The Rings, or even the Matrix!

Rating:
Summary: Calm Down Its Not That Good
Review: Come on everyone, calm down. This after all is an average/ok film. Its not better than the Matrix, its not even in the same league. It is however ridiculously derivative of the Matrix, lets face it, it would not exist if the Matrix had not been made.

Yeah its ok - Bale is good but then he's a good actor. The fight scenes are sometimes a bit silly, but sometimes entertaining. Its a low budget Matrix wannabe. If you view it like that then you may enjoy it.

Its like every Steven Seagal or Van Damme film, rips off a genre and never quite makes it out of the B-List, straight to DVD category.

Rating:
Summary: such a good film
Review: what the hell does this film have to the matrix why do people keep going on about that dont get me wrong i loved all of them but they have nothing to do with this film. the only similaritys that i can see are one the are both/all sci fi films the other is well coriagraphed fight scenes.

any way this film was superb all of it the concept the fight scenes the storyline fantastic.

i read one of the reveiws where someone thought it was a little extreme that john preston killed several guards over a puppy but he didnt kill the guards to defend the puppy he killed them because once they found the puppy they realized he was felling so he had to kill them to defend him self.

sorry that i didnt use any punctuation and didnt check my spelling but i couldnt be bothered.

Rating:
Summary: Forget The Matrix=Understatement.
Review: Damnit, this film ROCKS.

I got dragged to the cinema to see Equilibrium and when I did it changed my perspective on films. Its deep, well thought out AND has awesome action to boot.

This film is SO much better than The Matrix its unbeleivable. Now, I like the Matrix (the first... the sequels sucked), but this film blew me away.

To anyone who likes either emotional or action films, I seriously recommend this to you.

And, just so you know, anyone who says this is a Matrix Rip-Off should be hunted down and shot.

Thank you for your time...

Now go watch Equilibrium.