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Our take
In Equilibrium, people are drugged to suppress emotion, and an enforcer begins to question the state he serves. Gun and sword fights are frequent, as are executions, though the film shows less blood than its body count suggests. We would start at 14 for the steady killing and the coldness of the world.
Uplifting themes
The story praises feeling, art, and kindness and warns against letting anyone control how you think. It still solves the problem with a great deal of killing The lead grows into someone who protects others and values feeling, but he is also a killer. Some characters risk their lives to keep art and truth alive A stylised sci-fi look at censorship and conformity that can start conversations about freedom, art, and why people need to feel. It borrows from classic dystopian stories, so it may lead teens to read some of them
Story (may spoil tone)
In a dystopian future, a totalitarian regime maintains peace by subduing the populace with a drug, and displays of emotion are punishable by death. A man in charge of enforcing the law rises to overthrow the system.
What we flagged
Details
Violence Gun and sword fights run through the film, with a lot of stylised, chor…
Gun and sword fights run through the film, with a lot of stylised, choreographed killing by a trained enforcer. Groups of people are shot down, and executions happen
Language Swearing is light, with a few damns, a couple of s-words, and one f-wor…
Swearing is light, with a few damns, a couple of s-words, and one f-word. Most of the tension comes from shouted orders and cold, clipped threats, so the language is not a big concern
Sex / nudity Romance appears in a few brief moments, including a kiss and an intimat…
Romance appears in a few brief moments, including a kiss and an intimate conversation between lovers. Nothing explicit is shown, and the point is how rare and precious closeness is in this cold world
Drugs / alcohol Characters inject themselves with a mood-numbing drug every day, and th…
Characters inject themselves with a mood-numbing drug every day, and those who skip it are punished or hunted. The drug is shown as a tool of control, with some users struggling when they try to stop
Frightening A bleak, cold future full of surveillance, executions, and raids create…
A bleak, cold future full of surveillance, executions, and raids creates steady dread. A few scenes of burning and a harsh interrogation are disturbing
Bullying / discrimination People are hunted and punished for showing feeling, and propaganda trea…
People are hunted and punished for showing feeling, and propaganda treats them as enemies. It plays as a warning about control and conformity
Gore / death / weapons Bullet hits show some blood, and bodies pile up in raids and shootouts,…
Bullet hits show some blood, and bodies pile up in raids and shootouts, though the style keeps it clean and choreographed. Seized art and books are burned in large furnaces, which is more upsetting than gory
Mental health Numbness, guilt, and feelings that suddenly return drive the lead's sto…
Numbness, guilt, and feelings that suddenly return drive the lead's story. It is a sci-fi idea about emotion and is not meant as a picture of real mental health
Grief / bereavement Loved ones are lost to the state, and the lead's buried grief breaks th…
Loved ones are lost to the state, and the lead's buried grief breaks through in a few strong scenes. Death is treated as an everyday fact in this world
Flashing lights We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.
We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.
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Talk after watching
- People in this world take a drug to stop feeling. What would you lose if you stopped feeling joy and sadness?
- Art, music, and books are destroyed for being too emotional. Why might a government fear them?
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Equilibrium
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