Movie Review: Idiocracy
A film which only opened in 135 theaters in the United States due, what many believe, to the negative way it portrays corporatism, Idiocracy is a great piece of Dark Humor which doesn’t fail to get you thinking.
Luke Wilson plays Pvt. Joe Bowers an army librarian who is the best example of the average man that the military could find for their experiment in suspended animation. They pair him with an average female; since one couldn’t be found in the military they recruit a prostate to partake in the experiment. The experiment is only supposed to last a year, 
however they are forgotten when the base is demolished and left untouched for 500 years. When they are awoken they discover a world where the natural selection has not been allowed to take it’s course and the average I.Q has fallen drastically.
Luke Wilson is probably the perfect choice for playing this type of role, the completely average guy who suddenly finds himself the smartest man alive. He has a simple quality to him which makes his desperate plea for the people of the future to understand him. One of the best scenes is where he is attempt to describe to the Presidents cabinet that you need to put water on crops for them to grow. He goes back and forth, frustrated and annoyed that they can’t understand.
Wilson really is the only character that stands out with his acting ability, others simply jump out at you because of the characters they play. T
he President is one of these examples, a colorful four time fighting champion and porn star not only makes you laugh just by the mere thought of him becoming president but when he rallies congress by firing a machine gun into the air….well that would be a given. But that action sums up his approach to the office of the President.
The supporting actress, the prostitute Rita played by Maya Rudolph doesn’t really add anything to the movie except to move the plot along. Her observations and interaction with the culture aren’t played up anywhere near the amount that Luke Wilson is given, and doesn’t really get the chance to do much of anything.
The movie is funny and entertaining, the concept is well executed and shows us what the world might become if we begin to neglect education. The underlaying anti-corporatism, although downplayed from what it could have been, is an ever present reminder of parallels to our own world. This movie isn’t the best example of science fiction, but for a humorous, entertaining, and yet pleasantly thought provoking experience, Idiocracy executes a well-balanced science fiction comedy.
Rating: 85%
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