Directed by:
Kurt WimmerScreenplay:
Kurt WimmerCinematography:
Dion BeebeComposer:
Klaus BadeltCast:
Christian Bale, Dominic Purcell, Emily Watson, Christian Kahrmann, Sean Bean, David Hemmings, Dirk Martens, Angus Macfadyen, Taye Diggs, Sean Pertwee (more)VOD (3)
Plots(1)
In a dystopian future, a totalitarian regime maintains peace by subduing the populace with a drug, and displays of emotion are punishable by death. (Netflix)
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Reviews (12)
Equilibrium is a sort of hybrid trying desperately to please. It would really like to be a philosophical sci-fi reflecting (not only) current affairs and at the same time eye candy full of cool things for the younger generation. In the first case, this effort leads to lame and smart sounding literality that’s enough to make you sick. There is not one originally presented thought here, or rather it has no thoughts at all. Fahrenheit 451°, Brazil and A Clockwork Orange can all continue to sit of their pedestals in peace. In this respect the creators really lost it. On the other hand, the action part works pretty well. If you take into account the movie’s low budget. Christian Bale is the only one holding everything together here with his charisma that also manages to hide his uninspiringly written character. So this is no second Matrix. Just a barely average B-movie playing hard to be something more than it is. And I don’t like that.
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A typical case where film critics and fans sharply disagreed; immediately after its release, I believe it had an 80% rating. I really liked it on the big screen. After leaving the movie theater, I would have given it a 75% overall impression, but I'm convinced that on a second viewing, my rating would drop by about 15%. Films like this are akin to meeting a charming girl who shows up to the second date without makeup... Decent acting and special effects, visually flashy, but the script and dialogue quality are nothing to write home about.
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A genre mix with a concept that not even the legendary 1984 managed to see through to the end. Where some passages here are missing action, that makes it better. It's a pity for the slow start, which instead of an exciting action sci-fi ride, resembled a tired post-apocalyptic story. The rest is visually attractive and intellectually engaging, on the second try even more abundant and complex.
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A slightly schizophrenic mix of 1984, Fahrenheit 451, Minority Report and The Matrix. Some may like it, but it doesn't work together for my taste. The beginning was promising, though, an oppressive vision of an Orwellian society, with the excellent Bale as a cleric discovering his feelings. It had atmosphere, it had depth, but as time went on it became more and more of a mess, kept afloat by the few scenes of Bale and Emily Watson together. I wish Wimmer would make a proper action flick next time, because the final action sequence was excellent. PS: My wish was granted 4 years later, unfortunately.
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The urban-industrial feeling is great, kind of retrofuturistic, it slightly reminds me visually of V for Vendetta. The action is great but lacks a bit of budget (but it still has a lot of energy and power), and the flashy explosion scenes are not exactly the great, but they are alright for an action B-movie with reasonable ambitions. Christian Bale is likeable and the idea is deep, although simple. There are some flaws, but nothing major. This film has pace and drive and knows what it wants to say and how. That's the main thing.
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Gallery (78)
Photo © 2002 Dimension Films
![Equilibrium - Photos](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w663/files/images/film/photos/165/933/165933444_67517e.jpg)
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