Idiocracy

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  October 12, 2009

  MovieGeek13

  Idiocracy is a film with a concept. Humans are devolving into a bunch of idiots. And if you really think about it, this could happen. Yes, the film is utterly stupid. It would be so easy for an audience to throw up their hands any be done with this movie. But I'm willing to ...( read more)bet that the same kind of people who don't get this movie are the same kinds of people this film is ridiculing. We are becoming a nation of dumbed down idiots. We have to have everything spelled out for us. We don't want to think for ourselves. We hate reading, or anything that forces us to be creative. I can only look to the success of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen as proof that no one really wants to understand what they're watching. A scene doesn't have to make any sense; as long as there's a big explosion happening, it's got our attention.
  I certainly see a bit of anger in Mike Judge's film. His film viciously condemns the dumbing down of society. We laugh at these people. Sometimes, we can't even laugh, because they are so stupid we almost pity them and their utter stupidity.
  If you've never seen the you tube clips advertising Brawndo and Powerthirst, check it out. They are incredibly funny. The Brawndo advertisements seem like they are tie-ins to Idiocracy, completely stupid, ludicrous, yet hilarious. Idiocracy works because it makes you laugh at these characters. It's all in the name of good satire. .

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• 
  
  April 29, 2009

  PvtCaboose91

  "As the 21st century began, human evolution was at a turning point. Natural selection, the process by which the strongest, the smartest, the fastest, reproduced in greater numbers than the rest, a process which had once favored the noblest traits of man, now began to favor dif...( read more)ferent traits. Most science fiction of the day predicted a future that was more civilized and more intelligent. But as time went on, things seemed to be heading in the opposite direction. A dumbing down."
  

  
  As Idiocracy commences, we're presented with a fairly convincing theory regarding the future of the human species. For centuries, science fiction stories have usually portrayed a future world as a crisp utopia of science and advanced learning with flying cars and phenomenal technology. The future has also been illustrated as a desolate post-apocalyptic wasteland. These are perfectly believable theories. However, Idiocracy - a film helmed by Mike Judge, a man also responsible for Beavis and Butt-Head and 1999's Office Space - tosses these theories in the toilet and offers an alternate vision of where mankind is headed. According to Judge, in the future humans may have a lower IQ than a muffin.
  

  
  Judge's theory may appear outlandish, but think about it... the Jackass flicks are able to reach #1 at the box office while intelligent, provocative movies such as Michael Clayton and Children of Men perish at the box office (still earning a modest profit, but very slowly). One factor Idiocracy brings to the fore is that destitute, dim-witted families screw and breed like rodents while smart, well-off families restrict themselves to one or two offspring. Hence, the smart population may develop into an endangered species before ultimately becoming extinct. Judge's savage attack on American idiocy (which went through many title changes, originally being known as 3001 and Amerikwa) takes the form of an eye-wateringly hilarious hybrid of sci-fi and comedy. Judge's script is pervaded with endless wit and creativity, never becoming preachy in its depiction of the future but ensuring it'd be quite possible to ponder Judge's message about modern man. Mike Judge is simply the perfect guy to produce a movie about a future overrun by morons, as his entire career is built on mining the stupidity of North America for laughs. Idiocracy is loaded with a frighteningly realistic concept...but it's in an amusing wrapper.
  

  
  

  "The years passed, mankind became stupider at a frightening rate. Some had high hopes the genetic engineering would correct this trend in evolution, but sadly the greatest minds and resources where focused on conquering hair loss and prolonging erections."
  

  
  Private Joe Bowers (Wilson) is the dictionary definition of an "Average Joe". So incredibly average, in fact, that the Pentagon selects Joe to be a guinea pig for their latest experiment - labelled the "The Human Hibernation Project" which will test whether the best men in the military can be frozen indefinitely until they're needed the most. Joe - along with a hooker named Rita (Rudolph) - are cryogenically frozen for the military experiment...only to wake up to a 26th century in which morons have inherited the planet. Suddenly it's discovered that Joe is the smartest person alive, and is recruited to solve all the world's stupidity-caused problems.
  

  
  

  "Comin' up next on The Violence Channel: An all-new "Ow, My Balls!""
  

  
  When Idiocracy is boiled down to the essentials, it's an uproarious comedy and a potent bitch-slap of a social commentary. After initially conveying the alarming concept that America's future has fallen into the hands of the moronic and irresponsible, Judge's script begins to attack not only America's commercial sponsorship culture, but the entertainment tastes of the citizens as well. In this future the most popular show on television is called Ow! My Balls!, which is precisely what you'd expect - a string of scenes showcasing a character being repeatedly hit below the belt. Everyone's favourite channel is The Masturbation Network. Winner of eight Oscars in 2505 (including Best Original Screenplay) is Ass - which is just 90 minutes of a flatulent bare butt.
  

  
  Judge also proceeds to criticise Gatorade (labelled "Brawndo" here), using the general futility of sport drinks to accentuate the misleading nature of predatory corporations as well as the gullibility of consumers who will believe anything they read. Conversations are now sponsored as well. 2505 is a world where it has become commonplace for citizens to be named Hormel and Beef Supreme. Starbucks is now an establishment that only sells hand-jobs, Butt-F**kers is a restaurant which hosts birthday parties for children, and if a topic doesn't pertain to sex, balls or farting, nobody wishes to discuss it. Idiocracy eventually ventures into the political realm, transforming a presidential address into a wrestling main event and revealing that positions in the White House can be won in competitions! As a satire, Mike Judge's gem is a cold steel blade to the gut. Judge is a brilliant satirist, relishing his opportunity to expose our insatiable need for stupidity.
  

  
  This tour de force of satiric savagery is bitingly hysterical, shooting arrows at the Jackass crowd and highlighting the general dumbing down of humankind. Once a viewer tunes into Judge's jaundiced wavelength, one will recognise how drop-dead hilarious this flick truly is. There are levels to the humour here - broad + subversive, and scatological. These two levels are incredibly proficient in allowing a viewer to accept the premise. When, say, a fart joke occurs, the real gag isn't the actual passing of gas but how funny the stupid population finds it. Virtually every scene is full of genuinely hilarious moments, not to mention it's packed with little details, from hairdos to the colossal futility of the law system in 2505 to the latest technological advancements. Subtle visual gags are also hysterical - unfinished highways where cars keep driving off before piling up at the bottom, appalling misspellings everywhere, and a Costco the size of a city. Stupid characters are usually a turn-off, but Idiocracy features characters so completely and surrealistically brainless that it's practically impossible not to laugh.
  

  
  

  "Don't worry scrote. There are plenty of 'tards out there living really kick ass lives. My first wife was 'tarded. She's a pilot now."
  

  
  Luke Wilson's laidback style has never suited him better. As the poor schmuck accidentally sent five hundred years into the future, Wilson is impeccable and oddly appealing. His introductory scenes - establishing him as the laziest, most under-achieving average bloke in the army - are some of the best-written segments of the screenplay. Dax Shepard is also excellent as Joe's astonishingly dumb, dim-witted best friend Frito. It's hysterical watching Dax giving Joe a look of total vacancy. Even Maya Rudolph, who usually signifies the end of all things good (Duplex, American version of Kath & Kim), is a riot as a hooker from 2005 who's convinced her pimp will manage to come forward in time and kick her ass.
  
  Terry Crews, as well, is an absolute hoot as President Camacho. Also look out for cameos by Judge regular Stephen Root, and even Justin Long.
  

  
  As enjoyable as Idiocracy is, it most certainly isn't without its faults. The low budget couldn't accommodate state-of-the-art special effects...and the film is stuck with awful, cartoonish CGI creations (interestingly, some of the special effects were done for free by Robert Rodriguez). The low budget is frequently obvious. Despite being enjoyable, the film is also unable to conceal the almost lethal plot holes. In the future, the technological advancements are frankly amazing; from identities tattooed onto citizens to gigantic cars with advanced gizmos, and even special effects in television programs...not to mention televisions are huge and impressive. But this begs the question: with the world populated entirely by idiots with no knowledge of how to create such technology, how the hell could these technological advancements have occurred? And how could they be so widespread when the morons wouldn't know how to manufacture more of them, let alone repair them when one is broken? In addition to these faults, there are some minor pacing issues. There's also too much narration which indicates plain lazy filmmaking.
  

  
  

  "Unaware of what year it was, Joe wandered the streets desperate for help. But the English language had deteriorated into a hybrid of hillbilly, valleygirl, inner-city slang and various grunts. Joe was able to understand them, but when he spoke in an ordinary voice he sounded pompous and faggy to them."
  

  
  Here's what happened to Idiocracy: Fox test screened the movie with a reportedly catastrophic reaction. Unsure with what to do with Judge's little film, Fox granted it a tiny theatrical release - not even bothering to create posters or a trailer - before dumping it on DVD (even though legions of Mike Judge fans were highly anticipating it). As audiences began watching it on DVD, conspiratorial murmurs were sparked, talking about how good the movie is and that the studio just didn't get it. Or perhaps Fox grew nervous on account of Judge skewering big commercial industries. Fox is the pet of Rupert Murdoch, after all, who's the captain of industry and baron of big business. Nevertheless, studios release dozens of indefensible films every single year. Especially when compared to some of the diabolical dirge rushed into cinemas each year, Idiocracy was undeserving of its treatment. It isn't the unfunny flop one would expect...the jokes are usually dumb, but the final result is subversively intelligent. Funny? Yes, and it's also a potent wake-up call to a very probable future. Be sure to stay until the end of the credits.

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  April 5, 2009

  phubbs1

  Weird, rubbish and ultimately not funny, dont bother.....ever.

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• 
  
  March 29, 2009

  Gx7

  Late Post:
  "You think Einstein walked around thinkin everyone was a bunch of dumb shits?"
  
  I have mixed feelings about this movie.
  
  For one it has managed to tackle a lot of the thoughts that Ive had about people and so...( read more)ciety, and how horribly gruesome and migrane triggering some people can be...
  
  Whats cool? Whats in? Whats hip? Do the masses dictate what those things are? Or is this kind of thinking coming from someone with an inflated ego and a bit of superiority complex?
  
  In the business sector, company take overs, product alterations and its impact to its consumers. Advertising propaganda that say "BIG! MONDO! MEGA! ULTRA! GIGANTIC! JUMBO! COLOSSAL! IS A WHOOPING GREAT THING!" -- "Its good for you! Buy It!" and people buy a chuck load of it... The bandwagon effect.
  
  And theres those cretins who do nothing but procreate.. procreate.. and procreate...
  
  "Now you know why he built that bomb."Referring to Einstein and the Atomic Bomb
  From a director that created King of the Hill and Beavis and Butt-head, this movie had suprisingly exceeded my expectations. It grabs a hold of those thoughts you try to push at the back of your head and gives you this movie as a visual exaggeration of the world. The story says this is 500 years in the future, and a couple of flix buddies have stated that this is the possible future, I say, wake up... Its already happened, were already there.
  
  Mike Judge's works had always had an odd taste to them. Idiocracy however, is half smart and half dull for a dark comedy. Its definitely another guilty pleasure movie, as the good things about the movie really isnt even visually IN the movie, but inside the viewers head!
  
  The story is so high school, but if youre tolerant enough to get past thru some of the "crude" scenes in this film, you might just find yourself amused and mind raked afterwards.
  
  Director: Mike Judge
  Rated R

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• 
  
  March 9, 2009

  hypathio7

  From the maker of Beavis and Butthead and Office Space. Funny concept! My favorite character, the smartest one, is the narrator. It is illustrated that there are no predators of man. Intelligent people tend to delay having babies till it is the right time, then there might be...( read more) medical difficulties. People with low IQs just have sex, maybe with multiple partners, without concern for the outcome. So, the less bright people reproduce and affect evolution negatively for mankind. It is just really difficult to watch such stupidity for even two hours.

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• 
  
  November 15, 2009

  ElDuderinoLebowski

  Yes, I know the studio's butchering of it becomes clear towards the end, but there's just too many lines in this movie that I can't get out of my head.
  
  "Carl's Jr: Fuck you, I'm eating"
  
  "Welcome to Costco, I Love You."
  
  "Georgia's in Florida, dumbass."
  
  "I like money."
  
  "And th...( read more)ere was a time in this country, a long time ago, when reading wasn't just for fags and neither was writing. People wrote books and movies, movies that had stories so you cared whose ass it was and why it was farting, and I believe that time can come again!"
  
  "Go away! 'Batin'!"
  
  "Right, kick ass. Well, don't want to sound like a dick or nothin', but, ah... it says on your chart that you're fucked up. Ah, you talk like a fag, and your shit's all retarded. What I'd do, is just like... like... you know, like, you know what I mean, like.."
  
  "If you don't smoke Tarryltons... Fuck You!"
  
  "Today I step into the shoes of a great man, a man by the name of Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho."

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• 
  
  November 13, 2009

  mohitii

  Poor execution, kind of embarrassing to watch.

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  November 12, 2009

  mmcinally

  I loved Mike Judge's other work (Beavis & Butthead Do America, Office Space, etc.). I cannot say this movie is on par with either of those. Still funny, but it falls flat in plot & acting.

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  November 12, 2009

  Codrutz

  Didn't had any expections from it, but it was even worse.. can you believe it?

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  November 2, 2009

  MizasterJ

  Not quite the hit that Office Space was, but still an interesting and above average comedy. Its kind of like a post apocolyptic parody. The fall of civilization due to the rapid decline of intelligence and over abundance of sexually active morons. A brilliant topic and catalyst ...( read more)for outrageous behavior and slapstick comedy.
  
  Luke Wilson plays perfect. Average Joe, stuck smack dab in a world where hes not so average anymore. He really shines as the do gooder that barely has a clue and doubts himself.
  
  The movie in itself is an interesting social commentary based on recent events and traditions. Could this really be our future? Dear God help us all.

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• 
  May 1, 2008

  ReapersHeart

  i hadn't heard about it till just the other day it was on HBO and i caught maybe 20 minutes of it, but i thought it was funny from what i saw, and we ended up buying it and gonna watch it all, I know i'll like it!
  and i like Luke Wilson so i have no problem with the casting
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  January 11, 2008

  GlowInTheDarkPurpleEvenBetter

  I want to see this movie. Is Dax a main person?
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  November 5, 2007

  pixygiggles

  I couldn't even finish watching this film because it disgusted me so bad. It kind of reminded me of one of those cheesy B-flicks. What's even worse is the fact that it describes the world we live in right now, not the future. Stupid humans, when are we going to learn.
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  August 3, 2007

  kayz78

  Is this what will happen to the world if we keep electing Presidents with the last name of Bush??
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  April 2, 2007

  Hellshocked

  It is not dumb comedy. It is a very smart film about a very dumb society (ours). It falters a bit during the last 20 or 30 minutes, but up until then the jokes are sharp and on-point. The opening narration is worth the price of admission alone, and yes it is eery how close the "future" is, given the state of things, and how no one really seems to care. The film is seething with outrage through the seams.
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  February 13, 2007

  CanadianToker

  This movie is awesome. Luke Wilson is great, Dumb comedy but really funny if you like dumb comedy
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  January 12, 2007

  SDphotoggirl

  It is definitely worth a watch and the funny comes from knowing people, or encountering people in real life, who are just like the morons in this film.
  
  It can be a bit scary because you can see how this could happen in the future so be aware you may have that reaction instead of finding it funny.
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  November 29, 2006

  Taknighteverlasting

  So what is people actually think? It seem most people agreed with it being funny but too real that it actually scare the shit out of some people (what kind of realism are we talking here?)
  
  Is the movie worth a watch?

• Luke Wilson
• Maya Rudolph
• Dax Shepard
• Terry Crews
• Anthony 'Citric' Campos
• David Herman
• Brendan Hill
• Danny Cochran
• Sara Rue

Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

• 
  Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (36%)
• 
  Office Space (67%)
• 
  Beavis and Butt-Head Do America (71%)
• 
  Visioneers (0%)

• In "Idiocracy," one of the slogans for the ubiquitous drink Brawndo claims "Brawndo: it's got what plants crave; it's got ________"  Answer »
• "Idiocracy" heralded a different turn of human events in relation to evolution and Darwin's theories. What was the year of the Great Garbage Avalanche that put humanity back on the right track?  Answer »
• Which movie stars Luke Wilson and Mya Rudolph?  Answer »
• How far into the future did Luke Wilson travel in Idiocracy?  Answer »

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