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Equilibrium

In a post-World War III Earth, the potential for more chaos and destruction has led to the development of a fascist form of government, where human emotion, as well as all inspiration for it, has become a distant memory, controlled by a mind-numbing drug called Prozium. Art, music, literature, and movies are a thing of the past; those in illegal possession of them, dubbed "sense offenders," are immediately obliterated by an elite task force known as the Tetragrammaton, who operate under the control of the Father, the highest official in this totalitarian system of rule. ***

The plot hook of Kurt Wimmer's "Equilibrium" comes when one of the most highly-regarded soldiers, Cleric John Preston (Christian Bale), forgets his daily dose, and thus begins experiencing the foreign sensation of emotion. As if his feelings were a narcotic, Preston finds himself unwilling and unable to turn back to the dreariness of his previous existence, finding along the way a number of factors that will ultimately lead him to take a stand against the Father in favor of the underground rebels her later comes into contact with. There's his newly-appointed partner, Brandt (Taye Diggs), in whom he sees his former, darker self; the recently incarcerated Mary (Emily Watson), whose sensory crime and accusation mirrors that of his deceased wife, oh, and let's not forget the dog, because no movie would ever in its right mind kill off an animal once we've seen it face-to-face. ***

I'll be perfectly frank about the film: it's nothing new. There is so much uninspired material lurking within the depths of writer/director Wimmer's futuristic thriller that several comparisons to previous works like "Fahrenheit 451" and the more-recent Philip K. Dick-based films "Impostor" and "Minority Report" are inevitable. The special effects are acceptably mediocre, but better than most genre fare, and the action directly mirrors the works of dozens of Hong Kong action directors and "The Matrix," a film that seems to have singlehandedly created an entire subgenre all its own. When Christian Bale whips out his semis and starts blasting some opponent booty to smithereens, you're either going to cringe in disgust, or just enjoy the moment. ***

But what surprised me more than anything was how much fun "Equilibrium" was, mainly because unlike most sci-fi fodder, the characters aren't mere fodder for the kill. Bale shapes Preston into a man whose crisis we can identify with, and his unique charm and cooly-calculated mannerisms are right on target. The plot may be redundant, but it does have meaning behind the mayhem, and its central theme rings true in a time when oppression is something we strive to overcome each day (seeing the image of Saddam Hussein in the opening montage only serves to enhance this meaning). While our government may never take such drastic measures to advocate the prevention of war and crime, the film certainly deserves credit for crafting an eerily chilling vision of a future ruled by hypocrisy. That, and some pretty spiffy fight scenes, too.

The film's theatrical presentation of 2.35:1 looks simply terrific here. The subdued colors and monochromatic tones of Dion Beebe's cinematography are saturated accordingly for full effect; the only time colors are ever truly vibrant are during short instances of the retrieval of illegal materials, and in scenes involving bloodshed. Contrast plays a crucial part here as well, and looks wondrous, with great shadow detail that is near-flawless, and deep, dark blacks throughout. Detail and clarity are tip-top, with razor-sharp edges that are hampered in slight instances by intrusive edge enhancements. All things considered, this is a top-drawer transfer! ***

And speaking of top-drawer, the Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track isn't too shabby, either. With lots of bass-heavy explosions and gunfire to provide for ample use of the .1 LFE, the room is always shaking. Surround usage is impressive, both in terms of the score and the sound effects, brought to your rears by A+ Imaging, Inc. Dialogue sounds natural throughout, and dynamic range across the soundfield is nothing short of exciting. Be prepared to be throttled.