Equilibrium....a stupid movie that's pretty fun...provided you don't think too much. (as spoiler free as possible)

[kali o.]

<div style='font: 9pt ; text-align: left; '>Now, Equilibrium is an interesting flick because ten minutes into the film you'll most likely be thinking:

a) This movie is a ripoff of The Matrix

b) This script was conceived by an unimaginative child...ie; the New Order's uncanny resemblance to the Nazi's, etc.

c) This movie is trying way too hard to make me "feel"...

Provided you make it past the 15 minute mark, an intriguing thing happens...the movie actually seems to find it's stride...where, despite it's idiocy, it is suddenly tolerable and entertaining.

The action scenes, while fairly sparse, are pretty entertaining...The last scene - the sword fight - is brief but sweet...

If you don't dwell on the obvious, uninspired and pathetic attempts at involving you in the characters 'awakening feelings' (geeze, use his past or his current family situation as a platform...not animals...or incidental, unexplained meetings...or a "friend" he didn't even care about to begin with)....

And

If you don't actively look for parallels with The Matrix (and yes, they are there)...

And

If you don't rub two-brain cells together to figure what is around the next predictable corner (the only surprising scenes were the one during the "search"... which ultimately framed the main character as that much more idiotic...and one near the end of the film...which should have been "The End". That would've been cooler *sigh*)

And

You don't spend your time, in ANY way, asking "why?" to anything....

Basically...if you don't use your brain whatsoever...then you'll find Equilibrium to be a surprisingly entertaining film...and worth the price of admission.

KO-</div>

[Zeus]

<div style='font: 9pt ; text-align: left; '>You paid for a movie?</div>

[kali o.]

<div style='font: 9pt ; text-align: left; '>Figure of speech...

Where the hell is Nemisis and LotR: TT damn it.....?

KO-</div>

[Ishamael]

<div style='font: 14pt "Sans Serif"; text-align: justify; padding: 0% 15% 0% 15%; '>

Now, Equilibrium is an interesting flick because ten minutes into the film you'll most likely be thinking:

a) This movie is a ripoff of The Matrix

The Matrix comparisons are justified on a superficial level. And I mean THE most superficial. Let's see, in both movies, everyone who kicks ass wears all black, occasionally accessorizing with cool sunglasses. In both movies, the ass kickers kick ass in cool ways you've never seen on film before. And I guess you could make a hackneyed comparison in the way both societies are being kept blind to "The Truth".

b) This script was conceived by an unimaginative child...ie; the New Order's uncanny resemblance to the Nazi's, etc.

Yes, it was uncanny. You know how the Nazis all wore black leatheer and black motorcycle helmets.

c) This movie is trying way too hard to make me "feel"...

Not really. None of these guys felt anything before. So every little thing that a normal person would ignore as being in the background, would come as a new awakening to people who've had their emotions supressed their entire lives. I thought this was a cool spin, but one that was apparently wasted on some of us. ;)

Provided you make it past the 15 minute mark, an intriguing thing happens...the movie actually seems to find it's stride...where, despite it's idiocy, it is suddenly tolerable and entertaining.

OK, so burning the REAL Mona Lisa was a bit much, but nothing is perfect.

The action scenes, while fairly sparse, are pretty entertaining...The last scene - the sword fight - is brief but sweet...

If you don't dwell on the obvious, uninspired and pathetic attempts at involving you in the characters 'awakening feelings' (geeze, use his past or his current family situation as a platform...not animals...or incidental, unexplained meetings...or a "friend" he didn't even care about to begin with)....

But they did use his past family situation. Obviously it affected him, but even that was supressed by this society. And what's wrong with the dog scene? For the first time in his life, he actually empathized with another living being. Yes, in most movie situations, that's cheezy. But in this one, it's justified because of the way it's setup.

And

If you don't actively look for parallels with The Matrix (and yes, they are there)...

As I said, only on a superficial level.

And

If you don't rub two-brain cells together to figure what is around the next predictable corner (the only surprising scenes were the one during the "search"... which ultimately framed the main character as that much more idiotic...and one near the end of the film...which should have been "The End". That would've been cooler *sigh*)

And I'm sure you knew The Girl was going to die or that the Underground was literally under their feet, right? Riiiiight. :) I'm thinking you thought the whole movie was predictable because you knew who Father really was 30 minutes into the film. So did I, but who cares? It's the garnish, not the meal itself.

So yeah, some of it was predictable, but so was the Matrix and no one has a problem with that because it was executed so well. Same thing with this...

And

You don't spend your time, in ANY way, asking "why?" to anything....

Hey, that's what sequels are for!

Basically...if you don't use your brain whatsoever...then you'll find Equilibrium to be a surprisingly entertaining film...and worth the price of admission.

Well, obviously some of us are better off NOT using our brains. The rest of society may get a kick out of it. ;)

KO-

</div>

[kali o.]

<div style='font: 9pt ; text-align: left; '>>>> The Matrix comparisons are justified on a superficial level. And I mean THE most superficial. Let's see, in both movies, everyone who kicks ass wears all black, occasionally accessorizing with cool sunglasses. In both movies, the ass kickers kick ass in cool ways you've never seen on film before. And I guess you could make a hackneyed comparison in the way both societies are being kept blind to "The Truth".

--------------------------------------------

Come now...how about when he's fighting his new partner? You didn't get flashes of the "training" scene in Matrix? Or howabout as he cartwheels over those gun clips? C'mon...I felt the Matrix's influence everywhere...

_____________________________________________

>>>Yes, it was uncanny. You know how the Nazis all wore black leatheer and black motorcycle helmets.

---------------------------------------------

No, how about their symbol, the protected holo image spouting his rhetoric to a crowd of brainwashed citizens, or the constant background propaganda like "One life, One race. Unity among people"...?

_____________________________________________

>>>Not really. None of these guys felt anything before. So every little thing that a normal person would ignore as being in the background, would come as a new awakening to people who've had their emotions supressed their entire lives. I thought this was a cool spin, but one that was apparently wasted on some of us. ;)

---------------------------------------------

No, I was referring to the idiotic visual additions...such as the child militant directing to big helmetted guards, etc. A pathetic attempt to get the audience to somehow "hate" this new order...with nothing of substance to back it up.

_____________________________________________

>>>But they did use his past family situation. Obviously it affected him, but even that was supressed by this society. And what's wrong with the dog scene? For the first time in his life, he actually empathized with another living being. Yes, in most movie situations, that's cheezy. But in this one, it's justified because of the way it's setup.

---------------------------------------------

No they didn't...a vague memory of his wife...that didn't manifest itself at all except in a VERY poor connection to sarah or whatever her name was. His connection with his kids is not fleshed out AT ALL, except in that stupid search scene that shows his kids are not only smarter than him...but they are adept liers and actors...
Now had the son really been a good cleric-in-training and turned his sister in or something...that would have been an understandable and cool setup.
And the dog scene was stupid...no matter what. Somehow surpression of emotions negates reason in the context of species, their interplay in the ecosystem and a general rule of "sanctity of life" (which seems was the whole reason the drug was introduced in the first place...)? And why in gods name did the director have to be so infantile as to make the dog a Puppy....A PUPPY! If that's not a desperate attempt to tug heart-strings, then what is?

_____________________________________________


>>You don't spend your time, in ANY way, asking "why?" to anything....

>>>Hey, that's what sequels are for!

----------------------------------------------

No, what I mean is more of the: "Why, when all the drug factories are blown up, everybody EXCEPT the black helmet boys are immediately 'cured' and on the side of the rebellion? And therefore, why should I in anyway feel sympathetic as they mass murder the exbrainwashed guards? And what the hell is the Mona Lisa doing in this dudes house? And if the New Order's influence of control is so limited (ie; doesn't seem to extend beyond thier gates), how the hell is this the new structure of humanity? Did we all move to this one city? Why are the clerics allowed to wear different outfits...which seems to deviate from the "one as all policy"? Blah, blah...

________________________________________

I understand why you liked it...not thinking is a non-issue with you. But regardless, turning off the brain is absolutely needed for anyone to enjoy this movie.

KO-</div>

[Ishamael]

<div style='font: 14pt "Sans Serif"; text-align: justify; padding: 0% 15% 0% 15%; '>

>>> The Matrix comparisons are justified on a superficial level. And I mean THE most superficial. Let's see, in both movies, everyone who kicks ass wears all black, occasionally accessorizing with cool sunglasses. In both movies, the ass kickers kick ass in cool ways you've never seen on film before. And I guess you could make a hackneyed comparison in the way both societies are being kept blind to "The Truth".

--------------------------------------------

Come now...how about when he's fighting his new partner? You didn't get flashes of the "training" scene in Matrix? Or howabout as he cartwheels over those gun clips? C'mon...I felt the Matrix's influence everywhere...

Ok, yeah that was Matrix-like and I did think of the Matrix. But can one call it a Matrix ripoff if the Matrix ripped it off of something else? Heck, Lion-O had to defeat the other Thundercats before he was accepted, but no one calls The Matrix a Thundercats ripoff.

_____________________________________________

>>>Yes, it was uncanny. You know how the Nazis all wore black leatheer and black motorcycle helmets.

---------------------------------------------

No, how about their symbol, the protected holo image spouting his rhetoric to a crowd of brainwashed citizens, or the constant background propaganda like "One life, One race. Unity among people"...?

True, the symbol thing definitely looked like a modified swatztika.

But the brainwashing business is old hat in cinema and literature.

_____________________________________________

>>>Not really. None of these guys felt anything before. So every little thing that a normal person would ignore as being in the background, would come as a new awakening to people who've had their emotions supressed their entire lives. I thought this was a cool spin, but one that was apparently wasted on some of us. ;)

---------------------------------------------

No, I was referring to the idiotic visual additions...such as the child militant directing to big helmetted guards, etc. A pathetic attempt to get the audience to somehow "hate" this new order...with nothing of substance to back it up.

I felt more creeped out than insulted. Why didn't someone just wring his little neck, damn the guards?

But I think they did a good job of backing it up. It's apparent some people are more in tune to the emotions of others and the kid was probably one of those.

_____________________________________________

>>>But they did use his past family situation. Obviously it affected him, but even that was supressed by this society. And what's wrong with the dog scene? For the first time in his life, he actually empathized with another living being. Yes, in most movie situations, that's cheezy. But in this one, it's justified because of the way it's setup.

---------------------------------------------

<div class=msg-quote>No they didn't...a vague memory of his wife...that didn't manifest itself at all except in a VERY poor connection to sarah or whatever her name was. His connection with his kids is not fleshed out AT ALL, except in that stupid search scene that shows his kids are not only smarter than him...but they are adept liers and actors...
Now had the son really been a good cleric-in-training and turned his sister in or something...that would have been an understandable and cool setup.
And the dog scene was stupid...no matter what. Somehow surpression of emotions negates reason in the context of species, their interplay in the ecosystem and a general rule of "sanctity of life" (which seems was the whole reason the drug was introduced in the first place...)? And why in gods name did the director have to be so infantile as to make the dog a Puppy....A PUPPY! If that's not a desperate attempt to tug heart-strings, then what is?</div>

I thought he felt remorse for his wife, especially after he got off the Prozium. And it seemed to me he was lying to Father about the affect of his wife's death to him and it seemed like Father didn't believe his answers anyway.

And for the love of cimeny, leave the puppy alone! I don't even know what "surpression of emotions negates reason in the context of species, their interplay in the ecosystem and a general rule of "sanctity of life" means. OK, I know what you mean, but I like poking fun at that statement. :)

It's just plain old empathy for another creature. You only feel that if you have emotions. Yeah it's an obvious attempt to tug at the heart strings, but come on! Admit it. You felt sorry for the puppy. And was it just me, or did that seem like a really fucking huge puppy?

_____________________________________________

>>You don't spend your time, in ANY way, asking "why?" to anything....

>>>Hey, that's what sequels are for!

----------------------------------------------

No, what I mean is more of the: "Why, when all the drug factories are blown up, everybody EXCEPT the black helmet boys are immediately 'cured' and on the side of the rebellion? And therefore, why should I in anyway feel sympathetic as they mass murder the exbrainwashed guards? And what the hell is the Mona Lisa doing in this dudes house? And if the New Order's influence of control is so limited (ie; doesn't seem to extend beyond thier gates), how the hell is this the new structure of humanity? Did we all move to this one city? Why are the clerics allowed to wear different outfits...which seems to deviate from the "one as all policy"? Blah, blah...

I don't think so. The rebellion guys were the only ones shooting up the place at the end. Every other drone is going about their emotionless business as usual.

And you shouldn't feel sympathy for the "murder" of the guards, but you have to accept that their are casualties of war and people aren't going to join hands peacefully in some magical understanding in the end. Now THAT would have been the ultimate cop-out...but even that wouldn't have killed this movie. The gun fights wouldn't let it.

hehe, and you bring up the Mona Lisa. Yeah, that was nuts and I rolled by eyes at it. I almost giggled when he whipped out the Gameboy Advance, scanned it over the painting, and declared it the REAL Mona Lisa. But it was early and they more than made up for it. I didn't dwell on it.

And as far as the uniforms are concerned, come on. Who cares? Even the people walking down the street had varying of light blue and tan. This didn't really even cross my mind...honestly.

________________________________________

I understand why you liked it...not thinking is a non-issue with you. But regardless, turning off the brain is absolutely needed for anyone to enjoy this movie.

bwah, asshole!

KO-

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[Ishamael]

<div style='font: 14pt "Sans Serif"; text-align: justify; padding: 0% 15% 0% 15%; '>Spoilers galore up there btw, but you knew that.</div>

[kali o.]

<div style='font: 9pt ; text-align: left; '>Fine, we disagree...but I still can't help but feel you are just making excuses for poor writing... Needless too, since despite it's silliness, it is damn entertaining.</div>

[Zeus]

<div style='font: 9pt ; text-align: left; '>Nemesis is this weekend, LOTR is next week. I'll be done my exams in time, goin' to see both. And I can start seeing some of the lesser movies that don't deserve my money soon, hopefully (hint, hint)</div>

[Imakeholesinu]

<div style='font: 10pt Arial; text-align: left; '>It was like a blonde, all looks no personality.</div>