| Stylish sci-fi thrillers seems to be in vogue after the success of The Matrix Trilogy and Equilibrium is a fine example of the genre.
In the world of Equilibrium there is no crime, conflict or war. The apparently benevolent fascist state suppresses the entire human race's emotions with drugs and indoctrination. Greed, jealousy and anger have been eradicated at the expense of joy, love and hope. All things that could provoke emotion are prohibited; there is no art, literature, music or religion, only obedience and the common good.
Of course there are those unwilling to give up the very things they believe makes them human. This resistance movement struggles to preserve their emotions against the ruthlessly efficient elite police group assigned to the task of eradicating them - The Clerics.
The story centres on the most feared and respected Cleric as he starts to question the entire basis of his society and starts to discover, after a lifetime of numb compliance, that emotion and rebellion is not always a bad thing and his benevolent masters are not all they appear to be.
The plot is gripping, the premise thought-provoking and very relevant to these times of Ritalin and Homeland Security. The acting is competent and convincing which is no mean feat when many of the characters are required to show little or no emotion. The fight scenes are stunning without relying on CGI trickery.
Although Equilibrium wears it's influences on it's immaculately tailored sleeve, being an obvious hybrid of The Matrix and Orwell's 1984, it has been made with enough panache to slide into
inspired by rather than ripped off territory.
What it lacks in originality it easily makes up with high production values, credible acting and an overdose of style and visual flair.
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