My review is one on Christian Bale rather than the movie per se. His going from stone-cold to an emotional man is simply flawless. He gets to transmit everything the story needs at the right time. Bale is the greatest actor of his generation and never afraid to get his hands REALLY dirty. He's played a highly controversial psycho (in an admittedly light version of a really crude and insightful novel... But you realise after you watch him, every time you read the novel again HE IS Patrick Bateman), a LITERALLY starving and tormented loner (please see The Machinist if only for his PERFECT, ground-breaking work of art, which includes both his acting skills and his beyond-emaciated body), a hopeful gay teenager turned hopeless adult (Velvet Goldmine, where he's amazingly accurate in a minor -as length goes- role and you really believe he's a shy and lively teenager and minutes later you believe he's a weary, melancholy adult), a conflicted superhero (the best Batman by far, followed by Michael Keaton of course) and all sorts of middle-of-the-road characters. He's not your average mainstream star and he'll never be, I hope... He's too much in love with his work to become that. Good for him.

Equilibrium is a very fine movie. Highly entertaining, the score was more than okay, the casting does a really good job (I liked The Matrix -although I prefer Equilibrium's sobriety and rhythm, which many may find boring-, but come on... The actors were inferior and I'm sorry but Keanu Reeves just can't make it. Where Bale is all complex, nuanced and charismatic, Reeves is just handsome wood) and the fight scenes are beautiful to look at. Cons are the Father, who seemed too weak to me, and the ending which doesn't do justice to what comes before. In any case, this is an above-average sci-fi flick. Take a look.

Although I am late to the game in checking this out, I really found a lot to enjoy with Equilibrium. Taking place in a dark, dystopian and repressive future, Equilibrium as a sci fi action film checks a lot of boxes. The film looks great and was tightly directed. The cast is fantastic with some really great and talented British actors like Christian Bale, Sean Pertwee and Sean Bean. Equilibrium brings to mind classic dystopian science fiction like 1984 and Farenheit 451 and mixes it up with crazy Hong Kong/John Woo styled action scenes. Equilibrium does all of what it does really well and if you are a fan of science fiction or action, this flick will not disappoint. Equilibrium has both style and substance and as such is supercharged cerebral entertainment.

A strong film with plenty to recommend it, EQUILIBRIUM was released to the noise of "not another MATRIX rip-off" and similar sentiments. This instant decision is a little unfair, because – although obviously inspired by the Keanu Reeves blockbuster in places – EQUILIBRIUM is a decent and intelligent science fiction thriller with a pleasing change of pace. Once again we're in an Orwellian style future of grab greys and mundane apartment-block buildings, where emotion is suppressed and evil henchmen in motorbike helmets go around shooting little dogs. In this world we meet Christian Bale, a martial arts superhero who goes around murdering all those emotional and artistic folks.

Sure, it's an old story, but it works well here. CGI cityscapes aside, there are no fancy special effects robots or monsters; instead the basis is on good old-fashioned characters, and with a supporting cast that includes Sean Pertwee, Sean Bean, Taye Diggs, William Fichtner, and Emily Watson; you can't go wrong. Much of the story is predictable and there are a couple of sappy moments, but for the most part this is suspenseful, exciting stuff. A handful of violent, ultra-stylish action sequences (displaying originality, even in this day and age) add to the impact and help make the underlying dreariness rather enjoyable. Very entertaining viewing that deserves to be given a chance. A lot of this works thanks to Bale; once again, he's excellent in the part. I'd go so far as to say that this is actually better than THE MATRIX; whereas that film was all action, this one makes you think in a moral sense, and the action supports the story – rather than the action being the story.