"MUST SEE" Movies & T.V. (Post #1: "Equilibrium"

Equilibrium (2002)

Have you ever wanted to overthrow a system of laws that you're sworn to uphold or obey? Come on! You know your answer is, "YES...almost every day! In this incredible film, lawman John Preston,(Christian Bale), does just that! Set in the future and post WWIII, a new superpower regime has taken over and deemed humans "unfit" to handle the gift of free-will as they fear our species will not survive a 4th World War. Those in power decide that all human emotion must be eliminated. Books, Art, Music, and anything else that may be tied to our most basic & innate emotions is outlawed. The simple act of "feeling" is a crime punishable by death. A daily dose of a substance known as Prozium is required by citizens each day on cue. Prozium alters brain chemistry and prevents outlawed emotions from hindering our now "perfect" society! Cleric John Preston is top government agent in charge of finding, capturing, and eliminating anyone who dares to defy the laws set forth. He is well trained in the art of Gun-Kata and can dodge almost anything that comes near him; to include bullets! Not in the "Matrix" sense, of course...but close! After missing a dose or so of Prozium, Preston begins to see the error of his ways. His emotions, if you will, begin to take over and he rages on his own personal mission to take down his dictatorship government and save humanity!

I feel this is one of those much unappreciated movies that could easily be dubbed a "cult classic." In fact, this is the movie where I personally discovered Christian Bale for myself and he moved to the top of my "Favorite Actors" list...where he has remained ever since! Great acting, excellent fight scene choreography, and...well....Christian Bale!

What I would change: Perhaps an ever-so slightly longer fight scene between Preston & Cleric Brandt toward the end. Aside from that, perhaps an EQ-2 that documents the after-effects of Preston's actions in taking down the corrupt government structure and how a newly freed society handles their sudden influx of emotions.

A few other great cast members include: Taye Diggs, Emily Watson, Angus Macfadyen, Sean Pertwee, Sean Bean, and William Fichtner.

Director & Writer: Kurt Wimmer