Why hadn’t I heard of Equilibrium (2002) before? Apparently, it was a regular movie release back in 2002, but they must have given it so little publicity that I never heard of it. But the DVD came out about the time of Matrix Reloaded, and I heard a number of people mention it (including Ebert) saying that if you wanted more cool action, check it out. So I did, and hot damn! Some of the action scenes in this movie are so cool that everything else pales in comparison. If you had just watched one of those kick ass shootouts, and then Fonzie walked into the room, you’d beat him up for being a nerd. Yeah, they’re that cool.
Basically, Christian Bale is this guy called a cleric, and they practice gun-katas, the turning of fighting with two handguns into an actual martial art. It’s just something that has to be seen to believe. And, they actually save the best for last, a final fight with one man against dozens of others with machine guns, ending with a gun-kata vs. gun-kata battle at close range which is half martial arts fighting, half gun battle. Again, it just has to be seen to understand how cool it is. Oh, and in their dress uniforms, they carry katanas, so there is a gratuitous katana fight at the end as well. It’s like they said, “This movie already has lots of awesome action, but let’s throw in a katana fight just to make the film more appealing to Frank J.”
Oh, yeah, the plot. It’s about emotions being repressed in people so that war and conflict will be avoided. Christian Bale does an awesome job acting, but I think it just can’t help but be a B film. The villain, to me at least, is just too cheesy. Maybe other’s will like the plot better, but it was hard for me to care when the action was that cool. If Gattaca had tons of awesome shoot outs, I probably wouldn’t have cared so much about the whole genetic issue because it just got in the way of the action.
Anyway, if you’re like me, and you occasionally pop in the Matrix DVD and skip straight to the lobby scene, then the best thing I can say about Equilibrium is that after watching it the first time, you’ll soon want to pop it back in and skip straight to the final battle sequence.
Four out of five stars.
I’ll have to watch it. I’ve got a thing for katanas. I even own one.
Ok, so it’s a Ninja Turltes katana, but that still counts, doesn’t it?
That’s tough. You did read the last “Frank Answers” right? According to that, the Turtles don’t fill the requirements to be real ninjas, so a TMNT katana may not fill the requirements to be a real sword. Might qualify as a reeeeellllllyyy sharp butter knife, though.
Ah, but Confucius say: “Nature of wielder does not affect nature of weapon. Only affect soul!”
So basically, what you’ve got, Michele, is a really REALLY frustrated katana.
I use the Lobby scene from the Matrix when I’ve messed with my system and want to test the surround sound.
Michele,
Mike the Marine and Emperor Misha I give some good opinions on the subject, but I, Frank J., who owns an actual katana and takes classes in swordsmanship, shall be the sole judge of whether your weapon in worthy. We shall meet in a field and battle to death.
I like that description on IMDB “In a facist future where all forms of feelings are illegal…”
Thats a direct stab at Conservatives who want people to stop doing the “If it feels good to insert a lightbulb in my ass, do it!” crowd and get some sense or morality back to the country.
Hey, I am a conservative and I look at boobies on the Internet as much as any Liberalatarian. I just don’t want my kids to be exposed to sex scenes on TV at 7 P.M. or a Gay dating show (what on earth made them think a Lesbian dating show would not have insane ratings? All they would need to show would be the two women kissing a bit for 5 minutes and get 30/40 share!).
My kids understand that there are “grown up” words and that Daddy uses them, a lot. We don’t do religion, but they know about God and Jesus. They don’t see race as a good/bad thing. My oldest wants to be Veterinarian (I hope she doesn’t think thats a political party) and will probably be conservative.
And Deity-willing I will never be watching “Girls Gone Wild 2015” and have someone point at the 3D display screen and say: “Isn’t that your daughter?”
If that is being facist to Liberalatarians, then so bet. Get your buddies together and colonize Canada or something. Geeze.
I got this movie because they compared it to the Matrix. Just today I read a bunch of reviews of EQ and many whined about plot or direction or whatever. Hell, I had a blast watching it the first 10 times and I’m sure the next 10 will be equally impressive. It’s perfect training material for fighting off ninjas or monkeys or whomever you nemesis might be!
( and as in all great Hollywood productions they have those 200 round magazines that look like your standard garden variety type…some sort of warping of space to make the bullets fit or something.. )
I think that even if the TMNT’s don’t count as actual ninja’s, they do carry the right equipment, Mike. So michele, it probably does count under Frank’s odd rule system.
For the record the movie had nothing to do with genetics.
But it did frequently bash the idea of a “Great Society”, a not so subtle reference to LBJ’s power tool.
And a dig against Hate Crime legislation, too, if you’re paying close attention.
Anyway, if you’re like me, and you occasionally pop in the Matrix DVD and skip straight to the lobby scene, then the best thing I can say about Equilibrium is that after watching it the first time, you’ll soon want to pop it back in and skip straight to the final battle sequence.
Hey, Frank J.! Been there, done that…
…with both movies! (I completely agree)
THis is one of the most action packed parable fairytales in ever. THis movie is one to watch over and over if you are intelegent enough to see past the action adn understand its iew of human nature
Yeah I saw this movie,and it kicked a$$.It’s like watching the Matrix for the first time.And afterwords you want to buy it to see all those amazing fight sequences again.Trust me,you’ve never seen anything like it before.
I also liked the action, but was mesmerized by the depth of examination of the human question: Reason(or its counterfeit) vs. Emotion; Independent Thought vs. Blind Obedience; Faith in self-evident truths vs. lemming-like “faith” in unquestioning compliance with the masses.
The fact that Preston, after missing consecutively more doses of Prozium, begins to not only feel, but also to think for himself and ask the Vice Consul tough, probing questions, implies that Prozium numbed not only emotions but higher cognitive function as well. This, I think, was the truly desired effect of the drug by the leadership, its ability to turn a whole society into docile slaves. What do you think?
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