Equilibrium (2002)

Director:

Kurt Wimmer

Writer (WGA):

Kurt Wimmer (written by)

Release Date:

26 February 2003 (Belgium)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

In a future where freedom is outlawed outlaws will become heroes.

Plot:

In a Fascist future where all forms of feeling are illegal, a man in charge of enforcing the law rises to overthrow the system.

Plot Keywords:

Future | Book | Underground | Death | Shot In The Back

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Dominic Purcell	...	Seamus
Christian Bale	...	John Preston
Sean Bean	...	Partridge
Christian Kahrmann	...	Officer in Charge
John Keogh	...	Chemist
Sean Pertwee	...	Father
William Fichtner	...	Jurgen
Angus Macfadyen	...	Dupont (as Angus MacFadyen)
David Barrash	...	Evidentiary Storage Officer
Dirk Martens	...	Gate Guard
Taye Diggs	...	Brandt
Matthew Harbour	...	Robbie Preston
Maria Pia Calzone	...	Preston's Wife
Emily Siewert	...	Lisa Preston
Emily Watson	...	Mary O'Brien
Mike Smith	...	Enforcer Commander
Florian Fitz	...	Gate Guard
Danny Lee Clark	...	Lead Sweeper (as Daniel Lee)
Francesco Cabras	...	Rebel Leader (as Francesco Calabras)
Kurt Wimmer	...	Rebel Victim
Anatole Taubman	...	Crematory Technician (as Anatole Taubmann)
Brian Conley	...	Reading Room Proprietor (as Brian Connelly)
Alexa Summer	...	Viviana Preston
Brian W. Cook	...	Dupont's Secretary (as Brian Cook)
Mehmet Kurtulus	...	Search Coordinator
David Hemmings	...	Proctor
Klaus Schindler	...	Interrogator
Oliver Brandl	...	Polygraph Technician
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Armin Marewski	...	Security Guard (uncredited)
Wolfgang Stegemann	...	Cleric (uncredited)
Dennenesch Zoudé	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
Kurt Wimmer

Writing credits (WGA)
Kurt Wimmer		(written by)

Produced by
Sue Baden-Powell	....	co-producer
Jan de Bont	....	producer (as Jan De Bont)
Lucas Foster	....	producer
Andrew Rona	....	executive producer
Ninon Tantet	....	associate producer
Bob Weinstein	....	executive producer
Harvey Weinstein	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Klaus Badelt

Cinematography by
Dion Beebe

Film Editing by
Tom Rolf
William Yeh

Casting by
Juel Bestrop
Jeanne McCarthy

Production Design by
Wolf Kroeger

Art Direction by
Erik Olson		(supervising art director)
Justin Warburton-Brown

Set Decoration by
Anne Kuljian
Alexander Liebenthron		(uncredited)

Costume Design by
Joseph A. Porro		(as Joseph Porro)

Makeup Department
Tanja Drewitz	....	makeup artist
Dorit Jux	....	hair stylist: second unit
Björn Rehbein	....	hair stylist
Luigi Rocchetti	....	makeup artist: Italy
Valeska Schitthelm	....	makeup artist: second unit
Carolin Spill	....	makeup artist
Mauro Tamagnini	....	hair stylist: Italy
Hasso von Hugo	....	key hair stylist
Hasso von Hugo	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Vito Colazzo	....	production manager: Italy
James Glander	....	executive in charge of production (as Jim Glander)
Kevin Hyman	....	executive in charge of production
Enzo Sisti	....	production supervisor: Italy
Dieter Stempnierwsky	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ian Cameron	....	first assistant director: second unit
Inti Carboni	....	second assistant director: Italy
Brian W. Cook	....	first assistant director
Paul Goldsmith	....	third assistant director
Harvey Harrison	....	second unit director
Luca Lachin	....	first assistant director: Italy
Andrew M. Robinson	....	second assistant director (as Andrew Robinson)
Tonja Schürmann	....	second second assistant director
Mark Taylor	....	third assistant director
Ruben Garcia	....	first assistant director: second unit (uncredited)

Art Department
Pablo Alza	....	on-set painter (as Pablo 'Picasso' Alza)
Markus Bendler	....	assistant property coordinator
Ute Bergk	....	assistant set decorator
Mark Lambert Bristol	....	storyboard artist (as Mark Bristol)
Keith Charles	....	supervising plasterer
Michael Fechner	....	property coordinator
Antonio Fraulo	....	stand-by props: Italy (as Tony Fraulo)
Patrick Funk	....	set dresser
Carlo Gervasi	....	set decorator: Italy
Stephan O. Gessler	....	draughtsperson (as Stephan Gessler)
Mark Gleisberg	....	stand-by props (as Mark 'Rambo' Gleisberg)
Richard Gordon	....	scenic artist
Mario Grech	....	on-set carpenter
Brian Groves	....	supervising painter
Paul J. Hayes	....	construction coordinator (as Paul Hayes)
Frank Herzog	....	set decorator production assistant
Robert Hill	....	paint department head
Björn Holzhausen	....	on-set dresser: second unit
Björn Holzhausen	....	on-set props: second unit
Sarah Horton	....	draughtsperson
Margaret Hungerford	....	buyer: U.S.
Ulli Isfort	....	buyer: Germany (as Uli Isfort)
Peter King	....	scenic artist
John Kirsop	....	construction department head
Roxy Konrad	....	art department coordinator
Bruno Lamprecht	....	set dresser
Greg Lennox	....	carpenter
Michael Lindsay	....	on-set props
Jana List	....	construction secretary
Francis Livingston	....	carpenter
Ginger McCarthy	....	rigging department head (as Steve 'Ginger' McCarthy)
Caroline Meyers	....	art department production assistant
Bernadino Nardoni	....	construction coordinator: Italy (as Dino Nardoni)
Stefano Maria Ortolani	....	production designer: Italy (as Stefano Ortolani)
Giuliano Pannuti	....	assistant production designer: Italy
Robert G. Pearson	....	carpenter (as Robert Pearson)
George Richardson	....	draughtsperson
Jan Rott	....	key set dresser
Michael Schawaller	....	laborer
Alexander Stolle	....	assistant props
Rob Sutton	....	supervising carpenter
Paul Taggart	....	plaster department head (as Paul Taggert)
Steve Werblun	....	storyboard artist (as Stephen Werblun)
Greg Waddle	....	swing gang (uncredited)

Sound Department
Charlie Ajar Jr.	....	sound recordist (as Charles Ajar)
Michael J. Benavente	....	supervising dialogue editor (as Michael Benavente)
Dean Beville	....	adr editor
Peter Brown	....	supervising sound editor
Lane Burch	....	foley recordist
Matthew Dettmann	....	foley artist (as Matt Duttman)
Donald Flick	....	sound effects editor
Stephen Hunter Flick	....	supervising sound editor
Dana Gustafson	....	sound effects editor
Jamie Hardt	....	first assistant sound editor
Gary A. Hecker	....	foley artist (as Gary Hecker)
Dirk Homann	....	cable person
William Jacobs	....	sound effects editor
Fred Judkins	....	dialogue editor
Ryan Juggler	....	assistant sound editor
Shawn Kennelly	....	foley recordist (as Shawn Kenelly)
Frank Kruse	....	sound mixer
Samuel Lehmer	....	sound re-recording mixer
Martin Lopez	....	sound effects editor
Jon Mete	....	sound effects editor (as Jon I. Mete)
Byron Miller	....	sound designer
Byron Miller	....	sound effects editor
Harry B. Miller III	....	dialogue editor (as Harry B. Miller)
Jeffrey Perkins	....	sound re-recording mixer
Brian Ruberg	....	foley recordist
Cameron Steenhagen	....	dialogue editor
Edward M. Steidele	....	foley artist (as Edward Steidele)
Greg ten Bosch	....	sound effects editor
Bernd von Bassewitz	....	boom operator (as Bernd V. Bassewitz)
Erin B. Lillis	....	sound intern (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Renato Agostini	....	special effects foreman: Italy
Karl-Heinz Bochnig	....	special effects foreman: second unit (as Karl Heinz Bochnig)
Danilo Bollettini	....	senior special effects technician: Italy
Gerd Feuchter	....	armourer department head
Rolf Hanke	....	special effects production manager (as Rolfe Hanke)
Till Hertrich	....	senior special effects technician
Torsten Knapp	....	special effects assistant: second unit
Stefan Knauer	....	additional special effects construction
Uwe Lehmann	....	armourer assistant (as Uwe 'Püppi' Lehmann)
Sylvio Lienert	....	special effects assistant (as Silvio Lienert)
Armin Moritz	....	special effects technician
Uli Nefzer	....	special effects supervisor
Daniel Olberg	....	special effects assistant: second unit
Peter Orthmaier	....	special effects technician: second unit (as Peter Ortmaier)
Franco Ragusa	....	special effects technician: Italy
Bernd Rautenberg	....	armourer
Jens Schmiedel	....	senior special effects technician
Uwe Sichtling	....	armourer assistant
Anke Teuber	....	special effects production assistant
Christoph von Lengerke	....	senior special effects technician: second unit
Roland Weder	....	special effects technician
Olaf Will	....	special effects technician (as Olaf Wills)

Visual Effects by
Romulo Adriano Jr.	....	visual effects coordinator: Pacific Title & Art Studio
Jamie Baxter	....	matte artist: 2d & 3d, Digital Firepower
Bryce Brecheisen	....	visual effects coordinator: Digital Firepower
Melissa Brockman	....	digital effects producer: R!OT
Kelly Bumbarger	....	digital compositor: R!OT (as Kelly Burnbarger)
Bill Coffin	....	lead inferno artist: Post Logic Studios
Ken Dackermann	....	digital compositor: Pacific Title & Art Studio
Charles Darby	....	digital matte artist: 2d & 3d, Digital Firepower
Charles Darby	....	digital matte supervisor: 2d & 3d, Digital Firepower
Michael Degtjarewsky	....	digital compositor: R!OT
Chris Flynn	....	digital compositor: Pacific Title & Art Studio
Mark Freund	....	digital supervisor: Pacific Title & Art Studio
Joe Gareri	....	visual effects producer: R!OT (as Joe Gerari)
Rocco Gioffre	....	senior matte painter: R!OT
Brian Hanable	....	senior inferno compositor: R!OT
Max Harris	....	inferno artist: Post Logic Studios
Heather Hoyland	....	digital compositor: Pacific Title & Art Studio
Grant Janssen	....	data manager: Post Logic Studios
Ken Lam	....	digital compositor: R!OT
Kim Lavery	....	visual effects producer: Digital Firepower
Jennifer Law-Stump	....	digital compositor: Pacific Title & Art Studio
Don Lee	....	inferno artist: Post Logic Studios
Matt Linder	....	animator: 3d, Pacific Title & Art Studio
Erin May	....	visual effects producer: Post Logic Studios
Tim McGovern	....	visual effects supervisor
Scott McLain	....	inferno artist: Post Logic Studios
Mike Minkow	....	opticals: Custom Film Effects Bipack
Rodney Montague	....	visual effects producer: Pacific Title & Art Studio
Tim Norman	....	inferno artist: Post Logic Studios
Maureen O'Connor	....	visual effects producer: Post Logic Studios
Rob Ozaeta	....	inferno artist: Post Logic Studios (as Robert Ozaeta)
Patrick Phillips	....	senior inferno compositor: R!OT
Jean-Pierre Ron	....	matte artist: 2d & 3d, Digital Firepower
Adam Rote	....	digital artist: 2d & 3d, Digital Firepower
Rasha Shalaby	....	matte painter: Pacific Title & Art Studio (as Rasha Shalaby Montague)
Johanna Silverthorne	....	digital artist: 2d & 3d, Digital Firepower
David Sosalla	....	visual effects supervisor: R!OT
Lou Talamo	....	matte artist: 2d & 3d: Digital Firepower (as Lou Talamo)
Andrew Tucker	....	tracker: 3d, Digital Firepower
Mike Uguccioni	....	compositor: Digital Firepower (as Michael Uguccioni)
Kristian Coleman	....	CG artist (uncredited)
Edward Helmers	....	digital artist (uncredited)

Stunts
Kai Ahlswede	....	stunts
Eugen Albert	....	stunts
Giorgio Antonini	....	stunts
Paolo Antonini	....	stunts
Joachim Paul Assböck	....	stunts (as Joachim Assböck)
Andreas Augsburg	....	stunts
Leon Boden	....	stunts
Marko Böhme	....	stunts (as Marco Böhme)
Brad Bovee	....	assistant stunt coordinator
Rob 'Sluggo' Boyce	....	stunts (as Rob Boyce)
Byron Briscoe	....	stunts (as Byron Brisco)
Carol Campbell	....	stunts
Keith Davis	....	stunts
Christian Dell'Acqua	....	stunts
Ivonne Dietzel	....	stunts
Michael Gast	....	stunts
Alessandro Gaudio	....	stunts
Ives Grasnicke	....	stunts
Matthias Günther	....	stunts (as Matthias Gunter)
Alexander Hardt	....	stunts
Udo Harnach	....	stunts
Tomas Jester	....	stunts (as Thomas Jester)
Elke Juraschek	....	stunts
Stefan Kaufman	....	stunts
Mike Luft	....	stunts
Udo Lüttich	....	stunts (as Udo Luttich)
Riccardo Mioni	....	stunts
Stefano Maria Mioni	....	stunt coordinator: Italy (as Stefano Mioni)
Alessandro Novelli	....	stunts
Emiliano Novelli	....	stunts
Thorsten Rapst	....	stunts (as Thorsten Papst)
Antje Rau	....	stunts
Urs Remond	....	stunts
Russo Rocco	....	stunts
Paul Röll	....	stunts
Jochen Rubner	....	stunts
Armin Sauer	....	stunts
Thomas Schauer	....	stunts
Bernhard Schirmer	....	stunts
Rene Schobes	....	stunts (as Rene Schober)
Andreas Schulz	....	stunts
Adreas Schwartz	....	stunts
Mike Smith	....	assistant stunt coordinator
Mike Smith	....	stunt double: Christian Bale
Stephan Thiede	....	stunts
Ralf Tillmann	....	stunts
Bruno Verdirosi	....	stunts
Jim Vickers	....	fight choreographer
Jim Vickers	....	stunt coordinator
Vladimir Vilanov	....	stunts (as Vladimir Vilanow)
Rainer Werner	....	stunts
Oliver Wiesner	....	stunts
Lucas Wolf	....	stunts
Dennenesch Zoudé	....	stunts
Massimiliano Ubaldi	....	stunt player (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Mik Allen	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera, second unit (as Mik Allan)
Armin Bach	....	electrician
Dieter Bähr	....	key grip
Oseé Bechstedt	....	second company grip: second unit (as Osee Bechstedt)
Richard Blanshard	....	still photographer
Simon Blasi	....	video operator: second unit
Reiner Böhm	....	electrician: second unit
Chris Britton	....	clapper loader: second unit
Jan Brun	....	grip
Matteo Carlesimo	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera, Italy
Paul Cave	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera and Steadicam
Maurizio Cremisini	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera, Italy
Alessandro Di Meo	....	camera loader: "a" camera, Italy
Sally Eccleston	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Michael Egger	....	electrician
Stefano Fenocchi	....	assistant camera: "c" camera, Italy (as Stefano Fenocchio)
Philipp Gerhardt	....	rigging electrician (as Phillip Gerhardt)
Harald Gliesche	....	rigging electrician
Stefan Grandinetti	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera, second unit
Volker Haase	....	electrician: second unit
Harvey Harrison	....	director of photography: Italy
Jochen Hermann	....	video playback operator
Holger Joos	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Glenn König	....	best boy grip
Peter Kosel	....	gaffer: second unit
Ralph Kulike	....	electrician: second unit
Massimiliano Kuveiller	....	camera loader: "b" camera, Italy
Timm Lange	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera, second unit (as Tim Lange)
Sebastian Lindner	....	rigging electrician
Dennis Locasso	....	electrician (as Denis Locasso)
Dennis Locasso	....	generator operator (as Denis Locasso)
Hartmut Lowak	....	electrician
Gianmaria Majorana	....	camera operator: "b" camera, Italy (as Gian Maria Majorana)
Colin Manning	....	key grip: second unit
Stefano Marino	....	gaffer: Italy
Daniele Massaccesi	....	camera operator: "a" camera, Italy
Giuseppe Meloni	....	best boy: Italy
Sebastian Meuschel	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Sebastian Meuschel	....	steadicam operator
Nic Milner	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Roland Moses	....	rigging electrician
Peter Raby	....	electrician (as Peter Raabe)
Christian Scheibe	....	grip
Karsten Schüle	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera and steadicam
Ronald Schwarz	....	gaffer (as Ronnie Schwarz)
Reinhard Stöckl	....	rigging gaffer (as Reinhard 'Reini' Stoeckel)
Peter Taylor	....	camera operator: "a" camera, second unit
Marco Teuchert	....	best boy electric (as Marko Teuchert)
Karsten Tietz	....	electrician
Doriano Torriero	....	key grip: Italy
Michael J. Walsh	....	electrician: second unit (as Michael Walsh)
Markus Zucker	....	clapper loader

Casting Department
Annette Borgmann	....	casting: Germany
Iris Müller	....	extras casting
Lucinda Syson	....	casting: Europe

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Costanza Bastanti	....	wardrobe: Italy
Jackie Cheng	....	additional wardrobe
Johanna Gartlgruber	....	costume production assistant
Nina Hess	....	set costumer
Barbara Jäger	....	costume supervisor: Germany
Najad Kirchberger	....	wardrobe: second unit
Barbara Koeppl	....	additional wardrobe (as Barbara Köppe)
Mirjam Muschel	....	additional wardrobe (as Miriam Meuschel)
Kara Owens	....	additional wardrobe
Jean Rosone	....	costume supervisor
Alex Rothe	....	wardrobe: second unit
Alex Rother	....	costume production assistant
Swenja Selphmann	....	additional wardrobe
Maurizio Torti	....	assistant costume designer: Italy
Lisa Wong	....	key costumer
Antje Schulze Zur Wiesche	....	tailor

Editorial Department
Brian Addie	....	apprentice editor (as Brian G. Addie)
Timothy Alverson	....	assistant editor: Lightworks
Brian Day	....	assistant editor
Michael Hatzer	....	color timer
Simone Hofmann	....	assistant editor
Douglas Kunin	....	first assistant editor

Music Department
Klaus Badelt	....	score producer
Ramin Djawadi	....	composer: additional music
Vicki Hiatt	....	music editor
Stephanie Lowry	....	music editor
Richie Nieto	....	music editor
Joe Rangel	....	music coordinator
Randy Spendlove	....	executive in charge of music
Geoff Zanelli	....	composer: additional music

Transportation Department
Gabriella Di Santo	....	transportation captain: Italy
Ilias Grigoriou	....	driver
Susen Jarmuske	....	driver
Joerg Kraft	....	trailer coordinator (as Jörg Kraft)
Sebastian Leister	....	assistant picture car coordinator
Alexander Liebenthron	....	driver: set department
Paul Mason	....	driver
Daniel Mattig	....	transportation coordinator
Norbert Mentrop	....	driver
Joe Müller-Koepke	....	driver
Sebastian Neitsch	....	car captain
Fabian Pöhlmann	....	driver
Martin Prestes	....	driver
Stephan Schröter	....	picture car coordinator
Jüren Simson	....	driver

Other crew
Pamela Alch	....	script supervisor (as Pamela M. Alch)
Cecilia Alvarenga	....	production coordinator: Italy
Howard Baral	....	post-production accountant
Ralph Beyerle	....	set production assistant: second unit
Thomas Blömker	....	medical service: second unit
Jan Bonny	....	set production assistant: second unit
Neil Butler	....	assistant: Mr. Foster
Giorgio Catalano	....	production accountant: Italy
Nadine Chaste	....	set production assistant
Shelly Clippard	....	assistant: Mr. De Bont
Stella D'Onofrio	....	script supervisor: Italy
Matthias Fehrenbach	....	caterer (as Mathias Fehrenbach)
Renate Fehrenbach	....	caterer
Alessandro Fiorito	....	assistant accountant: Italy
Marco Giacalone	....	location manager: Italy
Christian Giuliani	....	production secretary: Italy
Jack W. Haddox	....	accountant (as Jack Haddox)
Victor A. Haddox	....	first assistant accountant (as Victor Haddox)
Christine Haouas	....	unit nurse
Sandy Hastings	....	assistant: Mr. Wimmer (as Sandy Hasting)
Katharina Klemm	....	location scout
Christian Klempert	....	assistant location manager (as Christian A. Klempert)
Holger Kraft	....	construction nurse
Thomas Lauterkorn	....	location assistant
Tess Malone	....	script supervisor: second unit
Marion Manthey	....	second assistant accountant
Nicole Martens	....	set production assistant
Mark Martin	....	key production assistant
Sonja Mecke	....	second assistant accountant
Renato Moretti	....	kata coordinator: Italy
Sabine Renger	....	file clerk
Corrie Safris	....	set production assistant
Howard Samuelsohn	....	dialect coach (as Howard Samuelson)
Attilia de Mario Sartor	....	nurse: Italy
Anna Schmigalla	....	payroll accountant
Lena Schmigalla	....	file clerk
Manuel Schröder	....	location assistant
Roman Seeck	....	location assistant
Imke Sommerkamp	....	production coordinator
Mark Stehli	....	location manager
Jasmin Steigler	....	assistant: Ms. Baden-Powell
Enrico Taubert	....	location production assistant (as Enrico 'Enzo' Taubert)
Altay Ünsal	....	set production assistant
Friederike von Rauch	....	location scout (as Friedericke von Rauch)
Jann Wimmer	....	assistant: Mr. Wimmer
Claudia Ziesche	....	assistant production coordinator
Martin Zillger	....	production secretary
Harrison Cheung	....	assistant: Christian Bale (uncredited)
Michael Morehouse	....	technician: Unilux (uncredited)
Patrick Peach	....	producer: second unit (uncredited)

Thanks
Linda A. Borgeson	....	special thanks (as Linda Borgeson)
Wolfgang Branoner	....	special thanks: City of Berlin (as Senator Branoner)
Brian Burkin	....	special thanks
Bettina Hagemann	....	special thanks: Messe Berlin (as Mrs. Hagemann)
Ralf Kleinhenz	....	special thanks: Messe Berlin (as Dr. Kleinhenz)
Michael E. Marshall	....	special thanks
Dieter Pasierbsky	....	special thanks: Messe Berlin (as Mr. Pasierbsky)
Dr. Reupke	....	special thanks: City of Berlin
Mr. Stachelscheid	....	special thanks: City of Berlin
Ignaz Walther	....	special thanks: Walther Bau AG (as Mr. Walther)
Mrs. Ignaz Walther	....	special thanks: City of Berlin (as Mrs. Walther)
Andrea Wertheim	....	special thanks
Hans-Wolf Zopfy	....	special thanks: Walther Bau AG (as Mr. Zopfy)

Production Companies

• Dimension Films
• Blue Tulip Productions

Distributors

• Miramax Films (2002) (USA) (all media)
• Dimension Films (2002) (USA) (theatrical)
• Amuse Pictures (2003) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International Italia (2003) (Italy) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (2003) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (2003) (Luxembourg) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (2003) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• TFM Distribution (2003) (France) (theatrical)
• West (200?) (Russia) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2004) (Argentina) (all media)
• Dimension Home Video (2003) (USA) (DVD) (VHS)
• Gativideo (2004) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Gativideo (2004) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Highlight Film (2003) (Germany) (DVD)
• Imagem Filmes (2003) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Imagem Filmes (2003) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Momentum Pictures (2002) (UK) (all media)
• Nordisk Film (2003) (Sweden) (DVD)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Custom Film Effects
• Digital Firepower (digital cityscapes)
• FB-FX (costume props)
• Pacific Title and Art Studio
• Post Logic Studios
• Riot

Other Companies

• BiPack  opticals
• Bulloch Entertainment Services  payroll services (as Bulloch Systems)
• Creative Cafe  post sound editorial services
• Custom Film Effects  opticals
• DeForest Research  script clearance (as DeForrest)
• DeLuxe Laboratories  color timing (as Deluxe)
• DeLuxe Laboratories  dailies
• Electric Picture Solutions  Lightworks
• Entertainment Partners  payroll services
• Great Northern Brokerage Services  insurance
• International Recording Co.  sound re-recording facilities
• Kona Cutting  negative cutting
• Media Ventures  music services
• Olswang  production legal services
• Panavision UK  camera equipment
• Post Logic Studios  main titles (as Post Logic)
• R.C. Baral & Co.  post-production accounting services
• Sony Pictures Studios  foley recorded at
• Sony Pictures Studios  post sound editorial services
• Sound Satisfaction  foley recorded at
• Star's Dinner Express  catering

Also Known As:

Cubic (Europe: English title) (video title)
Librium (USA) (working title)
Эквилибриум (Russia) [ru]
Cubic (Denmark) [da]
Cubic (Finland) [fi]
Cubic (Sweden) (DVD title) [sv]
Cubic - uuden maailman kapinalliset (Finland) (TV title) [fi]
Ekvilibrijum (Serbia) [sr]
Equilibrium (France) [fr]
Equilibrium (Argentina) (video title) [es]
Equilibrium (Brazil) [pt]
Equilibrium - Killer of Emotions (Germany) (DVD box title) [de]
Isyan (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Rebellion (Japan: English title) [en]
Tasakaal (Estonia) [et]

MPAA:

Rated R for violence.

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16 | Netherlands:12 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia) | Iceland:16 | Canada:A (Ontario) | South Korea:15 | Philippines:R-18 | Sweden:15 (DVD rating) | Australia:M | Finland:K-15 | Germany:16 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Berlin, Germany

Company:

Dimension Films

Trivia:

The cars driven by the Grammaton Clerics are Cadillac Sevilles with exteriors and interiors painted totally white

Goofs:

Continuity: The Yeats poetry collection that Errol keeps is larger and much thicker when he is reading it in the Nethers, compared to when we see it in the car.

Quotes:

[first lines]
DuPont: In the first years of the 21st century, a third World War broke out. Those of us who survived knew mankind could never survive a fourth; that our own volatile natures could simply no longer be risked. So we have created a new arm of the law: The Grammaton Cleric, whose sole task it is to seek out and eradicate the true source of man's inhumanity to man - his ability to feel.

Movie Connections:

References Dune (1984)

Put down the Valium and watch this film

Set in a future, post-World War III society where emotions have been outlawed, Equilibrium tells the story of John Preston (Christian Bale), a government agent who begins to have doubts about the policy he is enforcing.

Equilibrium is the perfect example why I do not rate lower for derivativeness or unoriginality. The film is basically high-concept combination of Fahrenheit 451 (1966), George Orwell's novel Nineteen Eighty-Four (original published in 1949, film versions appeared in 1954, 1956 and 1984), The Matrix (1999) and a bit of The Wizard of Oz (1939) thrown in for good measure. What matters is not how original the ideas are (assuming it's not a case of plagiarism), as whether something is original or not is an epistemological problem that tells us more about our own familiarity with other material rather than the precedent status of the artwork we're questioning, but how well the material is handled. The high-concept material in Equilibrium is handled brilliantly.

On its surface, after a brief action-oriented beginning, Equilibrium is basically a progression from a fairly complex sci-fi film (meaning simply that it takes a lot of exposition to get up to speed) to a thriller to a "gun fu"-styled actioner. The progression is carried out deftly by writer/director Kurt Wimmer (who unfortunately hasn't shown the same level of elegant panache in other films I've seen from him, including Sphere (1998) and The Recruit (2003)), with all of the genres somewhat present throughout the film. Wimmer is so austerely slick here that Equilibrium sometimes resembles a postmodernist automobile commercial. The transition from genre to genre is incredibly smooth.

The most impressive material on this surface level is the gun fu action stuff, which almost "out-Matrixes" The Matrix in style, if not volume. Preston is so skilled to be an almost invincible opponent. His solitary misstep as a fighter occurs once he gives himself over to emotion. This is nicely related to the common advice from kung fu senseis that emotion lessens one's effectiveness in combat.

Of course a big part of Equilibrium is the set of philosophical points it has to make about emotion. There are sections of the film that are appropriately dialogue-heavy, and Wimmer is more than conspicuous with this (one of two) primary theme(s). Just as important as dialogue for Wimmer's commentary on man's emotions are body language and behavior. Some viewers might see it as a flaw that characters frequently show what they consider to be signs of emotions in their comments or behavior, but that's part of Wimmer's agenda. Because it's difficult to even say just what counts as an emotion, and emotions are so wrapped-up with being sentient beings, it would be difficult if not impossible to fully eliminate them, and it's certainly not recommendable. The cast does an excellent job of portraying characters who are supposed to be mostly emotionless but with cracks in the stoic armor continually poking through.

Wimmer has a harsh view of our society's self-medication epidemic--even the title of the film seems to be a stab at the common claim that drugs like Prozac and Xanax are taken to help one "smooth out", or "equalize", extremes of mood, or extreme dispositions. The Equilibrium government extends this agenda into the tangible material realm as they also attempt to "smooth out" mood swings by eliminating any cultural artifacts that might promote varied moods/emotions. Wimmer seems to see it as a not-too-exaggerated extension of the modus operandi behind Prozac-like drugs.

The other primary theme is one of institutional control. Wimmer has a lot to say about unquestioningly following authorities, and he's careful to show that it's not just governmental authorities that can be a problem. He does this by tightly wrapping religious allegory with his depiction of Equilibrium's government. The leader is known as "Father", and the government secret service members are "clerics". Those outside of this control are shown as authentic, free, individualistic and happy despite the hardships involved with their embrace of forbidden thought/items.

More subtly, Wimmer employs the now overused washed out blue-gray cinematography of late 1990s/early 2000s genre films towards an unusual end. It's not just a stylistic device here, but represents a particular kind of reality. Under the purview of the fascistic government, blue-gray predominates. When glimpses of freedom/authenticity enter the film, the blue-gray look is gone, replaced with strongly saturated warm colors, and occasionally a more nostalgic subdued tone. This is one of the film's similarities to The Wizard of Oz, although maybe not the most significant one.

If you're someone who cherishes originality for its own sake, you might not like Equilibrium as much, but you have much more serious epistemological problems to sort out. Otherwise, this is a film worth watching and thinking about.