Equilibrium - Review - Empire |
Source: Empire Online
In the future, citizens are compelled
to take emotion-destroying drugs purportedly
to guard against war. One forgets to take his medicine and seeks
out the underground
resistance.
Matrix knock-offs have been oddly sparse
considering the gargantuan success of the
original, probably something to do with the mind-bending expense
of flo-mo. Still,
it was inevitable they’d turn up eventually, and Equilibrium
has enough daft energy
and bargain-basement spectacle to make up for the obviousness
of its source of
inspiration.
All the usual B-movie sci-fi elements
are satisfyingly present and correct, including
a fascistic ruling elite who like nothing more than gunning down
puppies (they’ll be
the bad guys, then).
Christian Bale hones the unexpected talent
for action heroics he demonstrated in
Reign Of Fire, as well as delivering his apparently contractually
demanded sweaty
torso shot.
Meanwhile, the dippy contrivance of gun-based
martial art ‘gun-kata’ provides
pleasingly nerve-shattering firefights (a gun massacre illuminated
only by the
flash of the muzzle flare is an atmospheric standout).
Enjoyable hogwash, boasting some inventive
carnage, as well as the truly terrifying
notion of an entire planet ruled by Sean Pertwee’s head.
ADAM SMITH
Issue 166 April 2003
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