pub: Momentum MP240V. Price: varies around £11.99. 102 minutes). Stars: Christian Bale and Taye Diggs.

Although the hype on the box wants you to compare this film to 'The Matrix', 'Equilibrium' holds a much stronger influence from the films 'Fahrenheit 451' and '1984' and even a little dash of 'Logan's Run'.

After a nuclear war, peace is administered by drug called Prozium that suppress creativity and emotion - books, art and music are banned and anything pertaining to such is destroyed and perpetrators are shot by firing squad.

The logic being that if people are incapable of arguing then they won't be capable of war. This is a sterile world that would be any SF fan's deepest nightmare to live in.

The law is enforced by a religious-like order of Fascist policemen called Clerics. One of their number, John Preston (actor Christian Bale) eventually turns, having in the past seen his wife killed by breaking the law and killing a partner he discovers reading a book.

He joins the underground determined to bring his unseen boss down (a literal 'on-screen' appearance by actor Sean Pertwee). They in turn actually wanted Preston to infiltrate the underground so they could wipe it out. A game of cross and double-cross with Preston using this as a need to show the occasional use of emotion.

When I was watching it, I thought Christian Bale was displaying nothing at all between being non and emotional but his performance subtlety was an asset to the film. The rest of the Clerics also seemed a tad emotional but I suspect that's because they enjoy their work so much.

This is a grim murky world that any SF fan is going to end up regarding as a cult classic with multiple re-watching. Director Kurt Wimmer is definitely going to be someone to watch for in the future based on this material. Did I mention the ultra-violence? Don't leave your guns in your holsters. These Clerics are faster.

GF Willmetts