*** Official "EQUILIBRIUM" Discussion Thread (1 Viewer)

[Michael Pakula]

That just made my day hearing it will get a release
in canada on April 25th. I was thinking I would have
to wait til like the summer for the dvd. This is just
great now that I have a chance to see it on the big screen.

-Mike

 

[David Rogers]

April would rock, hope it hits the States then.

 

[Scott Weinberg]

Just got done watching the flick.
Anyone wanna know my opinions?

 

[Alex Spindler]

Finally!

Let's hear it, Scott.

And welcome back.

 

[Chuck Mayer]

Scott,
I bet you loved it, loved it, LOVED it!
Prove me wrong
Take care,
Chuck

 

[LennyP]

Of course he loved it! There hasn't been a better movie of its genre since Blade Runner and The Fifth Element!

 

[Scott Weinberg]

Ok, first off, let me preface my thoughts by stating that I look forward to seeing this one again once it hits DVD. (Watching the flick on a computer monitor leaves a little something to be desired.)
Truth:
For the first ten minutes, I thought I'd HATE this movie. Hate with a burning passion reserved only for movies that are clearly culled from ten earlier artworks. I rattled off about 6 different 'inspirations' in the opening scenes alone; stuff like Blade Runner, 1984, Logan's Run, The Matrix, Farenheit 451, Brave New World, and a few stray ones here and there.
To me the flick seemed like the 'coolest concepts' from those classics - all wedged into one slick little package and peppered with some cool camera angles and stylish action bits.
But once my educated mind cooled down and I stopped picking the flick apart for its inspirations...I had a really good time with Equilibrium.
Do I think it measures up to The Matrix? No way.
But it's hardly fair to judge a movie that way, even if it IS a clear offshoot of said source material.
First off, the cast rocks. Sure, Taye Diggs won't win an Oscar any time soon, but it's tough to knock a flick with this many cool actors in it. Bale and Bean! Watson and MacFadyen! Pertwee, Purcell, and Fichtner! All good names, all diving neck-deep into a pulpy sci-fi drama with almost visual glee.
Equilibrium comes this close to being an unintentional laff riot (ala Freejack) on more than one occasion, and there are a few moments of head-scratching silliness - but the good outweighs the bad here, particularly if you're a devoted sci-fi fan willing to overlook a few narrative speed-bumps.
Proof positive that a movie can be better than the overall sum of its parts, Equilibrium is a movie I half-expected to love. The other half expected to loathe it. I'm glad to say that the former perspective won out (for the most part), and while I'm not as enthusiastic about the flick as many of you are - I'm eagerly anticipating a revisit on DVD.
(My guess is that I grow to enjoy it even more after a few more visits. I've always been a huge sci-fi fan, though my brain's growing weary of brainless chaff like Impostor...and Equilibrium's about 20 times more entertaining than that misguided turkey.)

 

[Chuck Mayer]

Give it another whirl when you can see it proper, Scott That's no way to see a movie. And I agree about the first ten minutes. It has a very weak beginning, and it doesn't really START until Preston misses his dose. The beginning seems too overdone and sloppy. It has a neat action scene in there, but everything else is subpar. But once it kicks the story into high gear, it moves away from it's inspirations and becomes it own film.
It has remarkable depth on multiple viewings, and I could point out little nuances that would curl your toes, but I'll let you find them on your own, in your own time.
I am glad you finally saw it. Please give it a real whirl. The first ten minutes will still irk you (they still irk me to no end), and you'll worry you won't like it as much. But you will
FWIW, I don't think The Matrix comes close to this film, but that's personal taste. Everything inspired by The Matrix is done better (for much cheaper) in this film - by that the action and style.
Thanks for sharing...
Take care,
Chuck

 

[Scott Weinberg]

I do have a pretty good monitor, Chuck. I'm pretty sure there's not much I missed.
But in a purely visual way, you're right: the flick deserves a large scope. I've been recommending the flick so far, even to one critic friend who already saw it and promptly responded:
"Are you nuts?"

 

[LennyP]

I'm sure he doesn't mean that your monitor is bad, but that the quality of the pirated file is bad, some mono pan&scammed pale camera work or telesync.

 

[Andy Sheets]

FWIW, I don't think The Matrix comes close to this film, but that's personal taste. Everything inspired by The Matrix is done better (for much cheaper) in this film - by that the action and style.

I especially like the hallway fight sequence in Equilibrium more than the one in The Matrix. And of course if we're comparing Keanu Reeves to Christian Bale it's no contest - Bale massacres the little wooden boy
I keep thinking Equilibrium is going to be like the new millenium's equivalent to Highlander in the 80s. Highlander was another b-movie that stretched its budget to good effect and yet completely baffled most critics who to this day can't figure out how the hell it ever earned a cult following (well, the Highlander sequels don't help either).

 

[David Rogers]

I guess that was a positive review Scott, but you took a lot of shots at it.

 

[Darren Davis]

Scott, I'm pretty much in the exact same opinion as you about the film. When I first saw it I started off by playing the "reference game" in which I named every book/story/movie that was being ripped off but then I stopped and realized I was having a really good time watching the movie. This one better have a good DVD!

 

[Chuck Mayer]

According to our friends at Amazon, the second full week of May will be IT for action this year.
May 13th is the scheduled release date for Equilibrium. No doubt Dimension and their marketing monkeys are trying to cash in on the superficial (but present) similarities between EQ and The Matrix.
Action fans, take note. Enjoy the EQ DVD Tuesday night. See The Matrix Reloaded Wednesday at Midnight. That's a week of kickass action, my friends.
Hopefully, Dimension will do a decent job with the ball they dropped in December.
Take care,
Chuck

 

[Scott Weinberg]

I already have this one pre-ordered. I'll watch it once or twice all the way through, dig through the extras and then decide if it deserves to join my DVD Shelf.
If not, it's eBay time.
According to the always-reliable www.DavisDVD.com :

 

[Paul_D]

I couldn't really look past these moments, as there are so, so many. I really like Christian Bale and Emily Watson, but they couldn't save it for me. I don't need a film to be completely original to be entertained, but Equilibrium was ripped off so completely from every possible source that I found it very difficult to take it seriously. But to those that loved it I say, Enjoy the DVD!

 

[Iain Jackson]

I finally saw this today after months of waiting and I'm glad to say that it's probably the best film I've seen so far this year.
I would agree that the first ten minutes or so aren't too promising, especially the narration, but after that the film just got better and better. Thankfully it manages to avoid several clichés, such as:
Emily Watson being executed - they could so easily have made it so that she lived and there was a nice happy ending, but they didn't, and I'm glad of that.

The action scenes were superb - I would rank them above The Matrix, to be honest.
I'm just glad that Equilibrium is getting a better release over here in the UK, and is doing better - it's opening weekend was nearly as much as the entire US gross! Just a pity the critical reaction is similar to that of the US... :frowning:

 

[PS Nystrom]

Just got done watching this on DVD, thought it rocked and wanted to read what others had to say. Through most of the film I was enjoying the story and acting more than the action, but once the final sequence of events began to unfold I was on the edge of my seat and begging for more.

That final hand/gun to hand/gun battle with Preston and Father was especially cool. I've never seen anything like that before and do not eagerly await the day when it is copied mercilessly in films to come.

Taye Diggs' turn of the head was indeed unnecessary - reminded me of another film that hasn't been mentioned here: Resident Evil - where half the team gets sliced and diced by lasers.

4 out of 5 stars from me.

Pieter

 

[Joshua_Y]

I just bought the DVD today without seeing it and all I have to say is..."Wow!"

 

[Mike_Stuewe]

Awesome flick. Constant comparing to the matrix does not give this film credit.