Equilibrium

OK, I read a bunch of the reviews out of curiosity, while I was at the web site to buy the movie after my daughter sat me down and made me watch it. I am happy to see that so many reviewers liked the film. However, even in reading the positive reviews, I am often left wondering whether we both saw the same movie.First, Equilibrium bears only a superficial resemblance to the Matrix, mostly, I suspect, because the Gun Kata sequences bear a superficial resemblance to the fight scenes in the Matrix. However, 1) the Matrix takes place in a "cyber-dimension" if you will. Neo can do extraordianry things because with the right programming anything is possible in a world where the laws of physics are just a series of zeros and ones. The fight scenes in Equilibrium, although extraordinary, supposedly take place in the real world without time dilation or other tricks, as someone else said, without the cheat codes on. More importantly 2) Matrix is a man against machine story more similar to Terminator (although stated vastly differently) than to the distopian universe of Equilibrium. In Matrix, the great danger comes from outside of humanity, from the machines. In Equilibrium, the danger is in humanity, in the struggle between the individual and the collective. Matrix is frightening, but only like, let's say, a vampire story is frightening. I can't bring myself to stay up nights worrying that my computer is going to turn on me, any more than I worry about werwolves. Distopia I understand, and, yes, I fear it very much. I doubt it will ever appear as portrayed in this film, but all the elements are there, and have appeared over and over again in the collectivist distopias of the real world, from the Soviet "worker's state" to the Third Reich. A matter of degree perhaps, but not much of a stretch. Thus, Equilibrium frightens me far, far more than the Matrix ever could, because it is possible. More trivially, 3) the fashion statements in the two films are not the same, although they use the same color scheme. In case nobody noticed, the clerics in Equilibrium dressed like priests. Which is why they are called clerics and are trained in a place called the monastery. The dictatorship in Equilibrium has obviously borrowed a lot of religious imagery from before the war. Note that I do not believe that the use of this imagery makes this an anti-religious film. There is nothing of christianity here except for the vestments, any more than the evil dictatorship is Khabalist because it calls itself the Tetragrammaton (which is YHWH, the unspoken name of God). I suspect "Father" made use of these symbols because they still had power, and their origin has been lost by the time of the movie. In any event, back to the point, the two movies do not remotely have the same dress code.(If it makes any difference, I like the Matrix, but found its sequels, hmm, stupid is probably the right word. Between the first Matrix movie and Equilibrium, while the comparison is a bit like apples to oranges, I would take Equilibrium hands down.)I also do not understand the constant comparisons to 1984. (OK, maybe I do. They are both distopias, and they both feature a Leader (Father, Big Brother) who seems to be electronically everywhere. So there are similarities) However, if there is one previous distopia to which Equilibrium can justly be compared, it is Bradbury's classic Fahrenheit 451. In both, the oppressor state targets specific cultural attributes and artifacts as much or more than the actual enemies of the state, believing that these objects in and of themselves are a threat. Thus books and puppy dogs are both in danger. More importantly, in Fahrenheit 451, and in Equilibrium, the dogs have their day. The state is unable to eliminate the threat, and, in the end, the oppressed outlast it and survive, though in slightly different ways. One must remember that 1984, brilliant as it was, had no remotely happy ending. It was, to paraphrase Orwell, a boot planted on the human face, FOREVER. That's what Orwell was warning us about, and why he is important. 1984 is a cautionary tale. Bradbury, and Equilibrium, choose to emphasize the resiliance of the human spirit even under grinding oppression. Despite the clerics, despite all the armed police, a resistance flourishes in the world of Equilibrium.Of course Equilibrium is like other tales in its genre. Big deal. There ain't much new under the sun, as Solomon might say. I found it told in a startling, and very emotional, new way.I generally am not interested in the names of actors. After seeing the movie, I still could not have told you it had Christian Bale and Sean Bean in it. When I was told it did, I could look back and say, yeah, that's Boromir and that's the guy from Reign of Fire, so it must be true. I still don't care. Whoever they were, they did a good job.The fight scenes were impressive, but I've seen better. They were definitely novel. Gun and martial art deserve to be more closely related than they are always portrayed. But martial arts sequences are only props to a film. They can be as impressive as one likes, but without a plot I might as well go watch my son at the dojo. In this case, I liked the plot.Or maybe that's the wrong word. I FELT the plot, which, I suppose, makes me a Sense Offender. I'm not even sure I can watch the thing again, because of the deep emotion it produces in me. I would be too apt to cry in frustration or scream in rage. That's what makes a great movie.In conclusion, I can only say that the silliest scene was when Preston shot out a whole row of computer monitors and thus managed to "turn off" the presence of Father and begin the revolution. (As a computer tech, I am all too familiar with folks who think the computer is the monitor, and that box under the desk is merely the hard drive, but I didn't expect to see that in a movie. Of course, maybe in this world they did build the brains of the box right behind the screen. Who knows?) The best scene was immediately thereafter when you see Preston smiling and bloody. It is truly a s**t-eating grin. He FELT that one, alright. Oh, yeah. And so did I.

Made several years ago, this film is worth another look as we enter the age of artificial intelligence when mass surveillance is likely. Good story and good acting. Some interesting twists to keep you engaged.

I saw a clip recently, and didn't remember the movie, so I decided to rent it. Great older sci-fi movie. It took me a bit to remember seeing it years ago. I enjoyed watching it this time as well.

I plan on wearing it for a long time.If sci fi is your thing, give it a watch.

Okay, the first thing I want to say right up front is that �Equilibrium� is NOT some sad, skanky, �Matrix� knock-off. There�s no �Bullet Time,� no �Blue Pills� or �Red Pills,� no �Agent Smith,� no �Morpheus,� no �Neo,� no future-shocked Virtual Reality environment, and � sadly! � no �Trinity,� in full sprayed-on-PVC-fetish-gear mode! That the film is being promoted with the following blurb on the case, �Forget the Matrix!� does, I think, the film a HUGE disservice.Mind you, there ARE some similarities between the two; both films are set in the future, lots of people wear really cool black outfits, the good guys and the bad guys fight each other using martial arts, and there are, �Guns. Lots of guns!� That�s it. So PLEASE don�t pick this up expecting a �Matrix� clone, and you�ll give yourself a fighting chance of enjoying it on its own terms.�Equilibrium� is a Sci Fi film, just as �BladeRunner,� �1984,� �Soylent Green,� and especially, �Fahrenheit 451,� are Sci Fi films, in as much as the Sci Fi elements are but a framework within which the filmmakers explore the Human Condition. �Equilibrium� is set in a dystopian far future society, after the Third World War. A prologue sets the scene; to save Mankind, to prevent a Fourth World War, a war the species couldn�t possibly survive, the decision is made, by a �Big Brother� type world dictatorship, to tackle what it considers the root cause of Mans problems� his emotions.In this Brave New World of �Libria,� the population is regimented in the extreme, endlessly watching and listening to sermons from �Father,� in which he explains to them the horrors that have been caused by feelings and emotions. Every man, woman and child takes an emotion suppressing drug called �Prozium.� The ultimate crime in this society is a �Sense Offence,� in which the perpetrator stops taking their Prozium shots and allows their senses to resurface and explore the world around them; a painting, a piece of sculpture, a music recording, a scent. Everything that can possibly register an emotional response in the population has been savagely suppressed, works of art, literature, music, even pets; this is a drab, dull, gray, emotionally barren world.But human nature is still a force to be reckoned with, even in Libria, and there is an underground of malcontents, people who refuse to take their Prozium and live in a world rich in feelings and emotions. As far as Father is concerned, these are dangerous subversives that society cannot tolerate, and to combat them the State has created an elite corps of hunter/killer police, the �Clerics.� The elite of the elite is a Cleric named �Preston,� played by Christian Bale; cold and emotionless, Preston is like a Vulcan, but without their well-developed sense of humor! He carries out his duties for the State with clinical precision, disposing of both people and offending artifacts with complete equanimity. He is also a Master in the futuristic martial arts technique of �Gun-Kata,� in which all the Clerics are trained.And it�s �Gun-Kata� that gives the film its spectacular action sequences. Just as in the ancient martial art of Kendo, �The Way of the Sword,� the sword becomes an extension of the practitioner�s body, in �Gun-Kata� the guns the Clerics use - and even the rounds they fire! � become an extension of the Cleric himself. This is spectacularly showcased in a number of superbly choreographed fight sequences� I can safely say that you�ll not have seen anything like this before!But this is NOT just a mindless actioner dressed up in Sci Fi trappings. The film has a heart and a soul, and it�s the journey that Preston embarks upon when he accidentally misses one of his Prozium shots, his discovery of his own humanity, that is the core of this film. We watch as slowly but surely Preston wakes from his self-medicated emotional stupor. We see him as he really �hears� - for the first time - a piece of classical music, reads a book of poetry, feels the softness of a piece of silk, breathes in the scent of a long forgotten perfume, and experiences the emotional rush of a perfect sunrise. We also experience with him his abject horror, when he realizes what he, and the rest of the world, including his own two children, have been denied� the opportunity to be truly human.As the film progresses, and as Preston�s emotions return, he is charged by Father to discover, and destroy, the resistance. Where will his allegiance lie, with the State, which has given him all that he has, and has made him all that he is, or with the Sense Offenders he has dedicated his life to eradicating?Completely mishandled by the studio upon its release - I think it was shown on a couple of screens in Milwaukee one weekend! - this is intelligent Sci Fi on a human scale, in the grand tradition of �BladeRunner,� �1984,� �Soylent Green,� and �Fahrenheit 451.� As long as you don�t expect �Matrix� style pyrotechnics, there�s a great deal to be enjoyed in this film; a solid story, good performances, especially from Bale, excellent and well choreographed action scenes, and a satisfying ending. Go ahead, check it out, I�m sure you won�t be disappointed.

Nothing is written in the description nor shown in the photos about what region this Bluray is for. After gifting it to my brother in law, he finally went to watch it but couldn't because it isn't regioned for Australia. Disappointing and now can't return it as time is up to complain. Be careful what you buy!

Fantastic

Boa edição de colecionador.Christian Bale no seu melhor.O Matrix dos pobres!!!Recomendo

On compare ce film avec Matrix qui reste un pur produit de consommation pour teen-ager boutonneux. Erreur! Ici, on est plus pres de 1984 et d'un vrai film de SF qui pose de réelles questions sur nos societes presentes et a venir! Du bon cinéma, bien interprété, bien réalisé. Il est désolant que ce film n'est pas eu la carrière et le succès qu'il mériterait. Reste que le DVD lui donnera peut-etre cette chance !

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