Equlibrium (2002)

Director/Writer: Kurt Wimmer

Appearing on the scene with nary a whimper and a bum’s rush theatrical release, Equilibrium by all accounts should have been stamped with a 5$ price tag and completely forgotten besides "Encino Man". It was only thanks to a huge wave of praise from Ultra-Geek Film Sites like CHUD and AINTITCOOL that the film became a minor cult smash on DVD.

“In a futuristic world, a strict regime has eliminated war by suppressing emotions: books, art and music are strictly forbidden and feeling is a crime punishable by death. Cleric John Preston (Bale) is a top ranking government agent responsible for destroying those who resist the rules. When he misses a dose of Prozium, a mind-altering drug that hinders emotion, Preston, who has been trained to enforce the strict laws of the new regime, suddenly becomes the only person capable of overthrowing it.”

This tale of dystopia isn’t anything we haven’t seen before. It’s a lumbering monster of all the best parts from 1984, Brave New World and Fahrenheit 451 by way of the John Woo gun-fight. It’s not re-inventing the wheel. It’s just a stripped down mini-budgeted actioner with a solid performance from the dour as always Christopher Bale. The whole “Gun-Kata” phenomenon that was trumpeted to the high heavens is nothing more then a few show-off gymnastic moves thrown into a gun-fight. It isn't eye-openingly awesome in the few short action scenes that pepper the last act. It's just a nifty novelty. I loved this film when it first came out, but over time I’ve found it hasn’t stood up to repeated viewings. The generic futuristic world probably has something to do with it.

NOTE: Avoid at all costs the director’s follow up “Ultraviolet” which was promised to be his ultimate cinematic vision but ended up being hodge-podge producer’s cut mockery of an action film.

Oddly enough, the most hated filmmaker alive UWE BOLL admits to stealing the concept of the in-the-dark gun battle for his film ALONE IN THE DARK.