Equilibrium
01/12/2003 . Source: Geoff Willmetts 
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 
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