Equals (2015) – Review

What will the future look like? It’s something none of us can predict accurately, as the past has proven. Still the various visions of the future are fascinating and the number of movies which paint a picture of a possible future is immense. Usually they revolve around one idea. In Logan’t Run everyone can do anything they want until they are 30, when they disappear. In the Divergent movies people are grouped based on a strong characteristic and Gattaca shows that only people with perfect DNA have a good life. It’s easy to think of varioius other examples

All those movies society abides by strict rules, which to us might seem strange, and where there is one person (or a group) who find out that life can be different and are willing to do anything to find out the truth. We watch these type of movies because they create an interesting look at society and says a lot about ourselves. They represent feelings we might experience sometimes, but when it is presented in a futuristic way it makes us aware of those feelings. In the world of Equals that is something people lack. Feelings have been removed from the DNA and if someone starts experiencing them it is seen as a disease, called S.O.S (Switched On Syndrome), which goes through four stages. Eventually you will end up in the DEN, where people will die.

Silas (Nicolas Hoult) and Nia (Kristen Stewart) both work in this world. Silas discovers that Nia sometimes seems to show emotion and realises he is developing feelings as well. He decides to see a doctor for it, who immediately starts treatment. It has a big impact on his work and he decides before he will be forced to quit his job to talk to Nia. The two of them fall in love in a world where that is not possible, so they make a plan on how they will end up happy together.

 Although this movie is set in a future you could easily compare with those in young adult movies, Equals doesn’t have as much action. It is all very subdued. The rules of society has impact on how to the experience their love, but society never really is personalised by a character. For some this might make this movie less accessible, but the focus is mainly on these two people who search for help with people they trust in finding a solution. And in the sterile environments of this world both Stewart and Hoult manage to do that well, making the tension, drama and romance come alive. Equals isn’t a must see, but it is worth giving a shot.