Equilibrium [Blu-ray + Digital HD]

"Equilibrium" is a visually and psychologically stunning film that nearly puts "the Matrix" (which came out around the same time) to shame. Alas, due to a low-brow marketing campaign (no doubt stemming from lack of studio faith in the movie), Equilibrium is a sadly under-appreciated work. Equilibrium can be enjoyed on two completely independent levels, as either a fascinating, dystopian look at the future, or as an exquisite piece of action par-excellence. And it is this duality which allows the film to transcend both the standard sci-fi and action movie fare. Equilibrium combines the very best of both genres, whilst avoiding many of the stereotypes and pitfalls of either. Even the laziest viewers who are most unwilling to work their brains will thoroughly enjoy this movie at its "basest level", due to two words: "Gun Kata". Quite simply, Gun Kata is mesmerising and unbelievable. I cannot describe it to you in words; you have to see it for yourself. I don't know how the budget of this movie compares to the Matrix, but the special effects of this film compare favourably, and in some ways put Neo to shame. According to the film, super law-enforcers known as "clerics" have perfected a deadly, nearly invincible art of combat called "Gun Kata", which essentially does for guns what martial arts did for other more traditional weapons such as swords. Think of these clerics as Jedi-enforcers, but for an evil "Empire". By using statistical analysis of likely bullet trajectories, combined with full integration of the gun as a martial arts weapon, a gun kata master is able to take down dozens of armed opponents unscathed whilst seeming to not move from his original standing spot. Onscreen, gun kata will unavoidably earn comparison with bullet time from the Matrix. However, gun kata is presented in real-time, and that is its strength; it is far faster, more furious, and visceral than bullet-time could ever hope to be. Prepare to be amazed. Viewers with a bit more brain fluid to spare can ponder on the film's intriguing sci-fi premise and taut, well-paced plot. After the Third World War, most of civilisation was apparently destroyed, and the surviving government decided that humanity could not possibly survive a fourth. It was determined that emotion is the root of all evil and war. Thus, to eliminate war, humanity must eliminate emotion; by sacrificing the "good" emotions of love and euphoria, we gain peace and order because we have also eliminated hate, anger, and intolerance along with them. This starts to sound like a perverted version of the teachings of the Jedi Council from Star Wars. The citizens of this city state of "Libria" are thus forced to take an emotion-suppressing drug called Prozium. All works of art, literature, etc. (including the Mona Lisa, incinerated in the opening scene of the movie) which could potentially encite emotion are judiciously destroyed, and all "sense-offenders", those who either traffick these illicit items, or refuse to take their medicine, are hunted down by the clerics and "processed" (executed). Enter a pre-Batman Christian Bale, who portrays the top-ranking cleric of this police-state, whose Prozium capsule breaks one morning, and decides to skip a dose. This of course changes his life, and determines the plot for the rest of the film. Bale is perfect in this role, starting out as an (understandably) wooden "tin man" who slowly regains his "heart" through the course of the movie. Emily Watson, Bale's "obligatory" love interest, is likewise a strong addition to the cast. Their love story is done in a very subtle and undercut way, one that furthers both the plot and character development, which is more than I can say for most movies these days. Bale's partner is played by Taye Diggs, who is brilliant in this film, if for no other reason than his enigmatic, Cheshire-cat grin which makes you wonder how much he knows, and what he's up to. Diggs' arrogance grows throughout the film, until he too, like Bale's character, becomes "feeling", but with very different results. Character development is exceedingly strong in this film, and all of it is exceedingly delicious to watch. The world of "Equilibrium" is one filled with hypocrisy, lies, and dirtiness. However, like most dystopian scifi films, there is also hope behind the grime. In the end, the human spirit triumphs, and that is what gives this movie its heart and appeal. That and Gun Kata.

Okay, the first thing I want to say right up front is that �Equilibrium� is NOT some sad, skanky, �Matrix� knock-off. There�s no �Bullet Time,� no �Blue Pills� or �Red Pills,� no �Agent Smith,� no �Morpheus,� no �Neo,� no future-shocked Virtual Reality environment, and � sadly! � no �Trinity,� in full sprayed-on-PVC-fetish-gear mode! That the film is being promoted with the following blurb on the case, �Forget the Matrix!� does, I think, the film a HUGE disservice. Mind you, there ARE some similarities between the two; both films are set in the future, lots of people wear really cool black outfits, the good guys and the bad guys fight each other using martial arts, and there are, �Guns. Lots of guns!� That�s it. So PLEASE don�t pick this up expecting a �Matrix� clone, and you�ll give yourself a fighting chance of enjoying it on its own terms. �Equilibrium� is a Sci Fi film, just as �BladeRunner,� �1984,� �Soylent Green,� and especially, �Fahrenheit 451,� are Sci Fi films, in as much as the Sci Fi elements are but a framework within which the filmmakers explore the Human Condition. �Equilibrium� is set in a dystopian far future society, after the Third World War. A prologue sets the scene; to save Mankind, to prevent a Fourth World War, a war the species couldn�t possibly survive, the decision is made, by a �Big Brother� type world dictatorship, to tackle what it considers the root cause of Mans problems� his emotions. In this Brave New World of �Libria,� the population is regimented in the extreme, endlessly watching and listening to sermons from �Father,� in which he explains to them the horrors that have been caused by feelings and emotions. Every man, woman and child takes an emotion suppressing drug called �Prozium.� The ultimate crime in this society is a �Sense Offence,� in which the perpetrator stops taking their Prozium shots and allows their senses to resurface and explore the world around them; a painting, a piece of sculpture, a music recording, a scent. Everything that can possibly register an emotional response in the population has been savagely suppressed, works of art, literature, music, even pets; this is a drab, dull, gray, emotionally barren world. But human nature is still a force to be reckoned with, even in Libria, and there is an underground of malcontents, people who refuse to take their Prozium and live in a world rich in feelings and emotions. As far as Father is concerned, these are dangerous subversives that society cannot tolerate, and to combat them the State has created an elite corps of hunter/killer police, the �Clerics.� The elite of the elite is a Cleric named �Preston,� played by Christian Bale; cold and emotionless, Preston is like a Vulcan, but without their well-developed sense of humor! He carries out his duties for the State with clinical precision, disposing of both people and offending artifacts with complete equanimity. He is also a Master in the futuristic martial arts technique of �Gun-Kata,� in which all the Clerics are trained. And it�s �Gun-Kata� that gives the film its spectacular action sequences. Just as in the ancient martial art of Kendo, �The Way of the Sword,� the sword becomes an extension of the practitioner�s body, in �Gun-Kata� the guns the Clerics use - and even the rounds they fire! � become an extension of the Cleric himself. This is spectacularly showcased in a number of superbly choreographed fight sequences� I can safely say that you�ll not have seen anything like this before! But this is NOT just a mindless actioner dressed up in Sci Fi trappings. The film has a heart and a soul, and it�s the journey that Preston embarks upon when he accidentally misses one of his Prozium shots, his discovery of his own humanity, that is the core of this film. We watch as slowly but surely Preston wakes from his self-medicated emotional stupor. We see him as he really �hears� - for the first time - a piece of classical music, reads a book of poetry, feels the softness of a piece of silk, breathes in the scent of a long forgotten perfume, and experiences the emotional rush of a perfect sunrise. We also experience with him his abject horror, when he realizes what he, and the rest of the world, including his own two children, have been denied� the opportunity to be truly human. As the film progresses, and as Preston�s emotions return, he is charged by Father to discover, and destroy, the resistance. Where will his allegiance lie, with the State, which has given him all that he has, and has made him all that he is, or with the Sense Offenders he has dedicated his life to eradicating? Completely mishandled by the studio upon its release - I think it was shown on a couple of screens in Milwaukee one weekend! - this is intelligent Sci Fi on a human scale, in the grand tradition of �BladeRunner,� �1984,� �Soylent Green,� and �Fahrenheit 451.� As long as you don�t expect �Matrix� style pyrotechnics, there�s a great deal to be enjoyed in this film; a solid story, good performances, especially from Bale, excellent and well choreographed action scenes, and a satisfying ending. Go ahead, check it out, I�m sure you won�t be disappointed.

Someone strap me down - I'm bouncing off walls over this movie!!! I haven't had so much fun watching a movie in years! This beats Matrix 2 hands down and makes it look like a right royal sissy. The action is fantastically choreographed and, unlike Matrix 2, isn't there simply for the heck of it. It's got an original storyline, a great new take on "martial arts" tactics and one awfully catchy feel good conclusion. It has tones of Matrix/Minority Report/Logan's Run and probably a number more classic sci-fis that you can name. BUT, this is not a rip off, nor a poor relation. It is a great film in its own right and I have to say it is miles better than most of the so called blockbusters thrust at us in this genre recently. Christian Bale is superbly cast as "Cleric John Preston" - a kind of law enforcer assigned to take in hand those rebelling from the new world regime....... In the future, it is quite literally a crime to FEEL - feelings give birth to emotional action and that gives birth to such traits as rage, anger, lust etc. and that is seen as man's and civilisation's true downfall. The population are forced into a life of emotionless drudgery - imposed by "Father" (their leader) through the enforced use of an emotion suppressing drug. The "police force" merely supports the true "crimefighters" - known as Clerics; reminiscent of the famous fighting monks, only more Keanu style than Lhama style. These Clerics have fierce and awesome fighting skills - none better than the "Gun Kata", a method where the weapon is an "extention" of the body and used (in conjunction with a finely tuned psychie) to exact "maximum damage, to maximum targets in a maximum range" - without getting wounded in the process. Result???? Amazing fight scenes that leave Matrix's rather worn out "bendy man dodges nasty bullets" trump card looking lame and frazzled. The way in which Bale's character develops is handled masterfully and you really get under his skin. The storyline is intriguing and entertaining throughout and the build up towards the end (which has some of the very best fight scenes) actually had me yelling and cheering. It's also good to see Taye Diggs finally being given more centre stage and he plays the foe very well - even if he does "lose face" at the end. Good also to see the ever great Sean Bean, Sean Pertwee and David Hemmings providing support roles. Beautifully shot, the movie makers make full use of current SFX techniques without insulting your intelligence and fobbing you off with tacky, over the top FX like recent movies I can think of. Ahem! I can't fault this movie. I know someone, somewhere will do so soon enough as everyone has different tastes. I hated Titantic with a vengence but they Oscar'd it nonetheless. Just sit back, get the headphones on for maximum sound definition (especially for the scene where the screen goes black and silent for and endless age!!!) and get dragged along by it by the scruff of your neck. It's fun!!

Arrived with the case very badly damaged. Told no replacement is available. Extremely disappointing.

Buenísima película de ciencia ficción inédita en España. La versión UK sólo incluye inglés, pero si el idioma no es un problema, esta película se ha podido comprar en amazon.es a 7 euros. Gran precio.

Ce film avec son budget réduit est un chez d'oeuvre qui n'a rien d'un pseudo Matrix avec des scènes d'actions interminables, comme l'affiche essaye de le vendre ! Déjà l'histoire, se définissant dans un futur post-apo mais dans un pays inconnus qui pourrait être n'importe lequel se qui rend l'impression d'intégration au film plus fort, ça pourrait se passer en France voir le début avec la Joconde. Parle d'une société a la fois religieuse et pseudo Nazi (voir le symbole du partie) qui prône le fait de ne pas ressentir d'émotions pour mieux contrôler ses concitoyens en les obligeants a prendre une drogue qui inhibe toute volonté personnel. Et pour cela ils condamne toute formes d'émotions au travers des arts, la littérature ou encore la musique. Le concept de l'individualisme face a la collectivité est un catalyseur hyper répétitif au cinéma, mais ce film va plus loin que ça mais j'en parlerai en dernier. Sans abusé sur les scènes d'actions l'intro en moins de 1mn nous montres les capacités des "Ecclésiastique" comme on les appelles dans le film, capable de ressentir les sentiments des personnes qui ne prennent pas leurs drogues et qui font parties pour certains de la résistance. Les guerriers les plus doués sont formées pour devenir les meilleurs combattant possibles grace a un entrainement qui mélange art martiaux et utilisation des armes a feu, ce qui explique les tenus d'origines chinoise traditionnelles avec un tout petit côté futuriste. La découverte des sentiments par le personnage de C.Bale, a cause d'un incident sur sa dose journalière, se fait de plus en forte et de plus en plus tragique. Les décors sont d'une froideur représentant le monde cynique dans le lequel tout est censé être parfait alors pourquoi se battent les rebelles a l'extérieur de la ville, surnommer l'Enfer, pour protéger des oeuvres d'arts, des meubles et mêmes des animaux tous ça pour vivre comme des clochards ?! C'est ce que notre père de 2 enfants et veuf (pourquoi ?) va découvrir a ses dépends dans un flots d'émotions qui prennent une très grande valeur a ces yeux, quand on le voit regardé au travers d'une fenêtre ce monde soi-disant "parfait" disparaître comme une des plus belles chose qui l'est ressentie dans sa vie, mais ça c'est la fin du film (Désolé Spoil). Sortie en 2002 ce film sous estimé par beaucoup et surtout incompris par d'autres, n'est pas une avalanche d'effets spéciaux et de scènes d'actions, et cela qu'elle soi réussit et impressionante (surtout a la fin) n'y change rien. Ce n'est pas un pseudo-Matrix, pour moi c'est le film qui as révélé Christian Bale, et je pense que son double jeu dans se film a dut incité certaines personnes pour le choix de l'acteur principal dans Batman Begins. 1er film d'un trilogie qui fera de l'acteur une star international et lui permettra de jouer aux côté des plus grands !

ガンカタが格好いいの一言、むしろそれを見るための作品といっても過言でなく言葉なんかわから無くても十分面白い。