"An original sci-fi idea? Why, the video store will be full of them.” That’s what writer/ director Kurt Wimmer must have thought to himself before pillaging from Fahrenheit 451, THX 1138, 1984 and The Matrix for this po-faced, redundant addition to the sci-fi genre.
In a world where feeling is forbidden, gun-toting ‘clerick’ John Preston (Christian Bale) brutally enforces the law. Then a missed dose of emo-anaesthetic and a cute puppy turn him against the system. Awww.
Sporting pretentious car-ad production design, clunking imagery and an overblown score by Klaus Badelt, Equilibrium never finds the emotional kick it’s stretching for. The specially crafted ‘Gun-Kata’ action scenes impress but a finale face-off against Angus ‘Two Chins’ MacFadyen won’t cost The Wachowskis any sleep.
DVD Extras:
Trailers, prod notes.
