The plot of Equilibrium really takes off after Preston accidentally stops taking his meds. No longer inhibited by the mind-numbing effects of the Tetragrammaton's prescribed Prozium regimen, he begins to reconnect with his emotions and realizes he may not be entirely down with the system he helps enforce. In an interesting wrinkle, Preston's wife was found guilty of Sense Offense years prior, and Preston actually participated in her execution. Without the Prozium coursing through his veins, Preston comes rapidly to terms with the loss and all the other pent-up emotions that the drug had helped to suppress.
Yes, Prozium serves the same social function as Soma from Aldous Huxley's Brave New World. Yes, the scenes of Grammaton Clerics burning artwork are basically re-skinned from Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451. Yes, "Tetragrammaton" is a pretty weighty reference to throw around in what is essentially a gunfighting popcorn flick. Even the story of a man who awakens to the dark reality of his dystopia and rebels against the totalitarian government feels overly familiar. If you're looking for an entirely fresh story, you won't find it here — but that doesn't mean Equilibrium isn't worth 90 minutes of your time.
