Equilibrium

Today this is an almost cult-classic that makes the most of the excellent premise of a world devoid of emotions and the performance of Christian Bale, who’s incredibly cool in his role sporting a cold gaze that only a handful of actors can match. The Matrix-style action, however exaggerated and silly, is wonderfully entertaining and brisk, the story is lightning-fast, with a pace that doesn't let up for a moment. Of course, the term visual orgy fits this movie better than any other sci-fi flick, but director Wimmer did a great job, even with regards to the plot, which certainly does not disgrace Equilibrium, quite the opposite. In my list of sci-fi movies this one is ranked pretty high. (04/08/2012)

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. (11/15/2007)

Definitely a film for me that made me realize how scared filmmakers are of proper action sequences these days. Visual splendor, amazing music, great sets, and the final fight with the main bastard is a choreographed delicacy. I'll also mention the fast direction, the clever cinematography, and the really superb editing, especially of the action scenes. And yet the vision of a world without emotions – the filmmakers took on too much with that. From that perspective, it's quite a mess. That's why I’m not giving it a 5. (10/11/2004)

I'd take those nifty sleeves and pockets, too... What would the world be like if we couldn't feel? Like this? Better? Worse? Would it even be at all? No, I don't want to know. I feel. You feel. We feel. And that’s how it will be as long as the last person breathes. A very beautiful film. Makes me think a lot – once the credits start rolling, that is. Otherwise, I enjoyed the spectacle throughout. The shooting and the hidden emotions. I hate strict regimes; that is, unless they're breaking down. (05/25/2008)

The cult status of Equilibrium has indeed remained a bit of a mystery to me, because this film cannot deny its B-movie aspects even through a poor visual aspect, which in some passages literally stinks of a cheap action film, or with the script, which does develop a very interesting totalitarian Orwellian-Bradbury plot, but at the cost of cheap twists and not very convincing replicas. Even the choreographic aspects of Equilibrium cannot match the brilliance of The Matrix, the futuristic martial arts only look good in certain moments, while sometimes it looks like an excessively accelerated pub brawl. Kurt Wimmer really isn't a great director, and the strangled budget certainly didn't help him much, so his film gives off an uneven impression, cheap moments alternate with successful ones, and good pictorial compositions are alternated by crap. I liked Christina Bale the most in the main role. He does not dazzle, but he plays his role with an overview (albeit without Reeves charisma). Overall, Equilibrium seemed to me like a promising sketch, walled up by overly flashy B-movie crayons. (01/07/2007)