So, instead of watching the State of the Union last night, we sat back with a nice glass of Cabernet Sauvignon and enjoyed a borrowed copy of Equilibrium. Now THAT is a "thinking man's" action movie! It is all the Matrix sequels were meant to be! Filled with literary and art references (I caught nods to 1984, Brave New World, Fahrenheit 451 and even Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart.") as well as scores of religious symbolism, Equilibrium is a futuristic/philosophic action film set in a utilitarian society void of feelings. Mandatory drug use is enforced to preserve peace. The government is run by "Father," a Big-Brother type figure that is obsessed with routing out "sense-offenders"-- individuals who have stopped taking their daily doses, leaving them open to feelings. The plot is intriguing, the script well-done, and the action sequences will BLOW YOUR MIND. It definitely encouraged discussion in our household. Not to mention that it stars Christian Bale, who I have admired as a performer ever since I first saw him in Newsies. Equilibrium definitely deserves a second viewing, perhaps more...