Review: Kat Cole

Idiocracy (2006)

Director: Mike Judge

Joe Bauers (Luke Wilson) is average in every possible way. And this is exactly the reason why he becomes selected by the Pentagon for a top secret experiment; to spend one year inside a hibernation chamber. Simply forgotten about, Joe eventually wakes up in 2505, 499 years after the experiment had meant to end.

The last 5 centuries have seen the unintelligent completely out breed the smart and therefore, civilisation has descended into chaos - though most are too dim-witted to realise this fact. Water has been replaced worldwide by Brawndo, a Gatorade type energy drink (killing all crops and plant life), the average vocabulary rarely extends beyond the frequent use of the words “shit” and “fuck” and life in 2505 revolves around little else than the desire for money, sex and to masturbate.

Joe, now the smartest person on earth must save both society and the girl - Rita (Maya Rudolph) a prostitute also chosen for the experiment, (though less for her average-ness and more for her willingness to take part) from the grip and effects of inanity.

Many wouldcriticise Idiocracy as too puerile due to the potty and sexual humour that is woven throughout the film. Although occasionally repetitive, this humour is the key to defining and understanding the low brow world that Joe has now entered and it is also serves to refresh the somewhat repetitive topic of time travel within the science fiction feature (The Time Machine (1960), Terminator (1984), Back to the Future (1985), Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989), The Butterfly Effect (2004), etc).  Despite the cheap laughs in Idiocracy, I feel that there are some genuinely brilliant nuggets of comedy in the film.

I fail to see, for example, how anyone could deny the visual, comedic brilliance of a billboard ad for cigarettes that states “If you don’t smoke Tarryltons… Fuck You!” or fail to chortle at Starbucks’ new role in 2505 as a chain of brothels.

I found Idiocracy to be an enjoyable watch. It is hardly a must-see, but the majority of comedy/science fiction fans are bound to experience at least some enjoyment from this film.