It’s no secret that some sci-fi films are destined to flop at the box office, only to later go on to become wildly beloved cult classics. And that was very much the case with this movie. It boasted a stacked cast and an interesting premise—but even with all that, it fell flat with critics at the time. Casual audiences, however, had a much better view of the film, giving it an audience score that was 41 points higher than their critic counterparts. But starting tomorrow, this wacky, gun-fu sci-fi will be streaming for free on Pluto TV, and you can decide for yourself if it’s so bad it’s good, or just really, really bad.
Equilibrium, which stars Christian Bale, Sean Bean, and Emily Watson, is set in a distant futuristic world where those in power have eliminated war by dulling people’s emotions via a special medication. They’ve banned books, art, and music, and made the act of feeling a crime punishable by death. Cleric John Preston (Bale) is one of the government agents responsible for destroying those who break this law, the last line of defense against emotion, but when he misses a dose of the government-mandated medication, everything changes, and Preston realizes he’s one of the few people now capable of toppling the oppressive regime he works for.
Critics found Equilibrium to be little more than plots from other stories cobbled together in a style-over-substance sort of fashion. Critic Wally Hammond sums up the general critical consensus, saying, “Bale is too self-conscious an action hero, and although the script may have the virtue of transparent plagiarism, it teeters both dramatically and conceptually.” And while some found it to be a homage to similar films that came before it, others found it to be thinly veiled theft of genre heavy hitters like The Matrix.
Audiences, however, thoroughly enjoyed Equilibrium and found that it stood on its own, not warranting comparisons to other sci-fi films of the time. “It’s made on a budget, and it shows, but it has some serious talent, solid acting, characters with a bit of depth, and some excellent one-liners. Plus it looks pretty cool. Just don’t overthink it,” said one viewer. Another added, “It’s John Wick crossed with 1984 – dystopian future, government control, gun-focused kung fu, rebels. It is easy to watch with a high body count and expertly led by Christian Bale with some great British actors backing him up. The budget feels low; the acting and scripting make up for it.”
What are your thoughts on Equilibrium? Is it misunderstood genius, or deserving of the absolutely lashing that the critics gave it? Let us know what you think in the comments. And don’t forget to check out the ComicBook forum to see what other sci-fi fans are saying.
