The 2000s R-Rated Dystopian Sci-Fi Action Thriller Is A Violent Cult Favorite, Stream Right Now Without Netflix
The 2002 sci-fi dystopian action film Equilibrium may have flopped at the box office, but it has become a cult classic. With a premise that borrows from other great dystopian works and a fantastic lead, it’s the kind of movie that found an audience in the DVD home release audience. Today, streaming makes the movie widely available for fans of dark but fun dystopian action.
Christian Bale In Equilibrium
Equilibrium has a great cast, that would have garnered more attention today than it did in 2002. The movie stars Christian Bale before the Dark Knight Trilogy made him an all-star, and Dominic Purcell before Prison Break made him a household name.
Other actors include Taye Diggs, Emily Watson, Angus MacFayden, William Fichtner, Sean Pertwee, Brian Conley, and Sean Bean fresh off his role in Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring.
Post-World War III Society
Equilibrium is set in a dystopian, post-World War III society where emotions have been banned. Citizens are required to keep themselves medicated and avoid emotionally charged art and literature.
Christian Bale plays a Cleric, a type of secret police who hunts and executes those who violate the laws around emotional display. When he accidentally misses a dose of his emotion-suppressing medicine, he feels guilty over his actions and begins to support the rebel underground.
Critically Panned At First
Critics panned Equilibrium and it was a significant flop at the box office. Critics derided how it felt derivative of classic dystopian stories like Farenhite 451 and generally gave it negative reviews, receiving a 40% on Rotten Tomatoes.
It lost money at the box office, earning only $5.3 million with a budget of $20 million making it a commercial flop as well.
Despite its initial poor reception, Equilibrium found an audience after its theatrical release. Through DVD sales, streaming, and TV airings the movie has found a home in the hearts of those willing to look past the flaws to focus on its fun action and enjoyable performances from great actors.
This fandom is evident looking at its 81% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Gun-Fu?
Equilibrium focuses heavily on its unique form of gunplay, which the movie calls gun kata.
A take on the term gun fu, which is often used to describe the combination of marital arts and gunplay made famous by Hong Kong action films, gun kata is director Kurt Wimmer’s take on the idea. Gun kata draws comparisons between gunplay and samurai swordplay, a point made clear when Christian Bale’s character wields a katana in the film’s climax.
Dystopian Story
Equilibrium also takes familiar ideas from popular dystopian stories and takes them to the extreme. While the Clerics destroying literature and the ever-present surveillance state evoke Farenhite 451 and 1984, the outlawing of emotion makes the movie feel unique in the genre.
Having the populace willingly drug themselves with emotion suppressants is a bit silly, but makes for an interesting setting nonetheless.
Stream Equilibrium
While it was a critical and financial failure at release, Equilibrium is a great example of a movie that was able to find its fans after the fact.
With a unique style of action and a phenomenal cast, it’s an underrated if flawed gem. Fortunately for curious fans, Equilibrium is available to stream today.
