Equilibrium (2002)

linktr.ee/CatchingUpOnCinema This week, Trevor and Kyle review Kurt Wimmer's, Equilibrium (2002)! A stylish actioner, Equilibrium is a fine dystopian sci-fi film that occasionally punches above it's budgetary weight class in terms of action design and presentation. Perhaps written and pushed into production as a result of the success of The Wachowski's, The Matrix (1999), as well as drawing inspiration from classic genre fiction, like 1984, Fahrenheit 451, and Brave New World, the story of Equilibrium is set against the backdrop of Libria, a near future city that has opted to forcibly suppress the emotional capabilities of its populace. Fascist and totalitarian, everything from the policies, to the wardrobe and architecture of Libria, are very intentionally evocative of Hitler's Nazi party. Starring Christian Bale, and featuring strong supporting performances from capable actors such as Emily Watson, Sean Bean, and Taye Diggs, on paper one would expect Equilibrium to be an actor's film, however in actuality, the film's action design and aesthetics prove to be its most memorable elements. Making use of a fictional martial art referred to as “Gun Kata,” the film features several brief, but dynamic and cleverly staged action sequences that manage to wow, in spite of the more technical aspects of their execution being formulated via clever editing rather than raw athleticism and performance. With sincere performances, and an efficient, if not somewhat plodding script, Equilibrium is not essential viewing for fans of the genre or it's numerous stars, however it maintains minor cult status and remains highly capable scratching any potential itches one might have for the very specific flavor that is “early 2000's action.” A fine and well considered genre film that would likely fail to live up to expectations if one has them going in, but may potentially surprise or impress viewers going in blind. Follow us on Instagram @catchinguponcinema Follow us on Twitter @CatchingCinema Like, share, subscribe, and we'll catch you next time!