World Famous Comics: Maria Pia Calzone Equilibrium
Maria Pia Calzone Equilibrium
Starring: Christian Bale, David Barrash, Sean Bean, Francesco Cabras, Maria Pia Calzone Average Rating: Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Audience Rating: R (Restricted) Binding: DVD Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Widescreen, NTSC Label: Dimension Number of Items: 1 Region Code: 1 Release Date: May 13, 2003 Running Time: 107 minutes Theatrical Release Date: 2002
Amazon.com: A broad science fiction thriller in a classic vein, Equilibrium takes a respectable stab at a Fahrenheit 451-like cautionary fable. The story finds Earth's post-World War III humankind in a state of severe emotional repression: If no one feels anything, no one will be inspired by dark passions to attack their neighbors. Writer-director Kurt Wimmer's monochromatic, Metropolis-influenced cityscape provides an excellent backdrop to the heavy-handed mission of John Preston (Christian Bale), a top cop who busts "sense offenders" and crushes sentimental, sensual, and artistic relics from a bygone era. Predictably, Preston becomes intrigued by his victims and that which they die to cherish; he stops taking his mandatory, mood-flattening drug and is even aroused by a doomed prisoner (Emily Watson). Wimmer's wrongheaded martial arts/dueling guns motif is sheer silliness (a battle over a puppy doesn't help), but Equilibrium should be seen for Bale's moving performance as a man shocked back to human feeling. --Tom Keogh
Description: Delivering awesome high-tech action in the power-packed style of THE MATRIX and MINORITY REPORT, EQUILIBRIUM stars Christian Bale (REIGN OF FIRE) and Taye Diggs (CHICAGO) in a thrilling look at a future where the only crime is being human! In an attempt to end wars and maintain peace, humankind has outlawed the things that trigger emotion -- literature, music, and art. To uphold the law, a special breed of police is assigned to eliminate all transgressors. But when the top enforcer (Bale) misses a dose of an emotion-blocking drug, he begins to realize that things are not as they seem! Also starring Sean Bean (THE LORD OF THE RINGS) and Emily Watson (RED DRAGON).
A brilliant, dystopian science fiction movie At the dawn of the 21st century, society was faced with a great Third World War, and knowing that something had to be done to prevent further problems, humanity was faced with the dilemma of solving all of man's troublels. As a result, they created a new enforcer of the law, the Grammaton Clerics, a collection of warriors who practice gun kata to improve their lethality while executing their sole task of eradicating any instance of feeling within humanity.
To control the general public, daily dosage of Prozium are self-administered, similar to the daily dosages of Soma in Brave New World, except this opiate of the masses elimites melancholy, rage, hate, and jealousy, as well as the suppressing positive feelings of pathos, joy, and love. Similarly, destruction of all that creates feeling, literature, art, all that gives us emotion, just like the firemen in Fahrenheit 451. Large-scale indoctrination is accomplished through the visualized, Apple commerical-esque, Big Brother screens of 1984 (used later in V for Vendetta). The combination of the three classic dystopian tales is flawless, each blending into the other, and the collective producing realism and fear for what could easily be a not-so-distant future.
Two Grammaton Clerics, John Preston (Christian Bale) and Errol Partridge (Sean Bean), have worked together to "protect" society. However, Errol has been confiscating sense offender material. Eventually, John catches Errol because he had been sneaking outside of the city to commit sense crimes. When he is eventually uncovered face-to-face, John must bring his partner in for justice. His partner would rather die than be captured or give up feeling, and in a final act of defiance he quotes a passage from his book and raises his book to cover his eyes.
Partridge's final words would later haunt John in a dream, as they serve as the catalyst for his finaly memory of his wife, the moment of her sense crime incarceration and eventual incineration, and he remembers with horror his still, emotionless inaction.
The following morning John drops his dosage of Prozium. His sone recommends a trip to Equilibrium for a replacement dosage. Only, John doesn't go, and he begins to feel, to sense and perceive all the wonderful feelings previously unknown. Soon, he enjoys the touch of an intricately designed vase, cries at the sound of Beethoven, and risks everything by protecting a puppy from extermination.
The gun battles are equisitely designed and choreographed, a little Matrix crossed with a little Jet Li action. Christian Bale delivers an impressive performance as a man who is initially wooden, and later severely troubled by his actions.
Eventually John must face the battle between his logic and his emotions, his allegiance and his freedom, as he comes to terms with what he has done, what he has become, and what he wishes for the future.
About the present, not the future Like all good sci fi, Equilibrium is about the world of today, not tomorrow. How much of our souls are we willing to trade for physical security? As our government continues to strip us of our freedoms in order to "protect" us, like the Cleric we need to seriously consider what we have lost.
When I first saw this film at its first release, I confess that I would have given it only maybe 3 stars. But it has haunted me over the years and when I watched it again just recently I saw so much more in it.
And the action sequences, especially the famous Gun Kata, have a terrible beauty.
Equilibrium - An Instant But Overlooked Sci-fi Classic! Being a sci-fi movie fan, I recently rented Kurt Wimmer's EQUILIBRIUM. Not expecting much I sat down to watch the picture and less than 10 minutes into the film I was convinced that this was going to be a GREAT MOVIE. By the time the movie ended I couldn't have been more right. EQUILIBRIUM, while not Academy Award material, is, nonetheless, an excellent science fiction film with a wonderful "classic sci-fi B-movie" feel. Set in a futuristic, post-World War III era, a new "war-less and peaceful" society has gradually risen from the ashes of a nuclear-decimated early 21st century world. Things, however, are not as peaceful as they may appear. The brave new world is not without its flaws. In an effort to prevent WW IV and to maintain "peace" at any cost, the entire population is under the control of Big-Brother Government through a zombifying, emotion-killing drug known as "prozium". The film chronicles the journey of one man - a high-ranking, highly trained, government enforcer known as John Preston - who comes to realize the serious errors (and crimes) of the supposedly "utopian society" which he's sworn to protect. In the vein of classic science fiction films like, METROPOLIS, 1984 and FAHRENHEIT 451, EQUILIBRIUM delivers the goods in terms of excellent film production, set and costume design, special effects and acting. A must-see film for any sci-fi fan that stands on it's own and apart from comparative films like MATRIX and MINORITY REPORT ( a much, much better film than Minority Report! ). A+ Highly Recommended!
Underrated Classic and dumb to compare this with "The Matrix"... First off, this tendency for comparing this film to the Matrix should cease. I feel that Equilibrium is a under-rated movie and deserves more of a better rating, i was surprised to discover that this movie came out in 2002, i heard about it only last year! I enjoyed watching the "Gun Kata" fight sequences and Christian Bale kicking pretty much everybody's rear with a Katana Sword. As far as the story goes, although there is nothing ground breaking, it was directed reasonably well, without being excessively cheesy and Chrisitan Bale as usual rocks.
Recommend to own. Good Movie.
---"Now the who the devil is Mr. Yochum ???"-- (check the last three reviewers)
H. Dandoy Mr Yochum's 13/14 Eng. Class In this movie from 2002, starring Christian Bale, It had the most creative fighting scenes ever! I loved the fighting scene at the end, where Christian Bale took on like 80 guys at once by himself and seems unhurt at the end. In comparing this movie to George Orwell's 1984, I found notable comparisons, from Christian BaLE'S CHILDREN, TO The Parson children in the novel. Both had children whom by apperances seemed loyal to the party, and willing to turn in thier parents. Likewise, the book and movie, have monitored coversations, i.e., through tvs. In both, the main character is drawn away from the desired living, and rebells. I like how Chrisitan Bale's character turns, when he accidently destroys a dosage of medicine he has to take. His orginal partner is like Syme or Julia, because they were also drawn to rebelion against the goverment.
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