Equilibrium - 1984 (but with guns)

'1984' - George Orwell's classic novel about one every day man's struggle in a dystopian future.  Now, what if that every day man wasn't just a mid-level clerk in a giant office, but a gun-totting, kick-a$$ tough guy, hell bent on enforcing this fascist regime?  But, wait, there's more!  This one-man instrument of death rebels against the status quo, where the population are forced to erase their own emotions by taking a daily dose of medicine, then goes on a murderous rampage to overthrow the population's oppressors?  This is basically 'Equilibrium.'

There's probably a lot of negative things I could say about this film.  Yes, the 'setting' seems straight out of the book '1984' (complete with 'Big Brother-esque' face, 'lovingly' ordering the masses around via huge TV screens.  Yes, it also came out only a few years after 'The Matrix' and therefore has a similar style of martial arts/gun-play when it comes to action scenes.  And, yes, it could easily be lost among similar sci-fi B-movies.  I think these are all fair comments if you're in the mood to hate on it.  But, on the other hand, it's just so much fun.

Christian Bale seems born to play the cold-hearted 'cleric' whose icy heart slowly melts as he becomes more and more in touch with his emotions.  And it's his show all the way.  There are a few other faces you may - sort of - recognise, but (like 'American Psycho') this is Bale through and through.

If you like your dystopian thrillers with more than a little hint of kick-a$$ action (or 'gun-fu' as I believe it's technically called) then you should definitely give this one a try.  I know people call it a 'discount 'Matrix' rip-off, but it really isn't.  The combat is actually quite different with no 'bullet time' effects that I can remember.  Plus it's more science-fiction than straight out action.  Alternatively, if you want to take a peek into what a totalitarian, authoritarian regime would look like, then just take a look out of your window during 2020-and beyond.

Oh, and also, Sean Bean is in it.  Is that a 'spoiler?' Anyone who knows anything about Sean Bean's fate in movies will know what I mean with that one!

7/10 if I woke up on Groundhog Day and had to watch this again, I could live with that