Idiocracy (2006) Film Review
January 24th, 2008The year is 2500. Mankind has become universally stupid for three reasons:
1) Stupid people breed like rabbits. Smart folk use birth control,
2) Rampant anti-intellectualism,
3) Corporations intentionally dumbing down the populace through deceptive advertizing and manipulation.
Two people from today get stuck in an army experiment gone wrong and are trapped in suspended animation until they’re shockingly reawakened in 2500, only to see an overpopulated world full of garbage, corporate logos, and stupidity. Our heroes from the present time are Joe, a one-hundred IQ army librarian who will turn out to be the world’s smartest person in 2500, and Rita, a prostitute continually on the run from her pimp.
So Joe and Rita are awakened when a giant garbage mound collapses to find a dystopia where people have barcodes stamped on their arms and corporations have complete control. People spend almost every waking hour watching mindless television shows, ones that are so bad they make today’s reality shows look intelligent. The most popular movie is simply called “Ass” where the camera shows a naked rear end close up that every once in awhile farts, sending the moviegoers into hysterics.
Joe finds himself ridiculed because he speaks in complete sentences. Rita finds her job is extremely easy, because men are horny, but without enough attention spans to realize they’re getting screwed out of their money without getting screwed.
I happen to be a big fan of Mike Judge, who directed this movie. He did a great job with both Beavis and Butt-Head Do America and Office Space. This movie, he had all the subtleties that made his other works funny, but with poor execution.
Joe is not likeable. It takes him way too long to figure out what’s going on in the world. Rita isn’t likeable either, spending too much time worrying that her pimp is going to somehow find her even though they’re trapped 500 years in the future.
One bit of credit I will give the movie though is it slams corporate advertizing and actually has the guts to name names. More power to them. But no wonder this movie never made it anywhere - they scared away all potential advertizers. I was seriously hoping it would be good enough for me to hype it, but it’s not. It just falls flat. The concept is brilliant, the script stinks, and the timing and execution aren’t there.
It’s just not funny. Everyone who saw Office Space can quote at least two or three lines, and can identify with at least one of the characters in the movie. In this one, I like neither Joe nor Rita and there are just no memorable lines.
Four dead zombies. Even that’s a stretch, but I got to give them props for having the guts to taint corporate logos. This movie will never make cult classic status. 
Tough critic. I wouldn’t go that low, but you’re right that it wasn’t even in the same ballpark as Office Space.
I wouldn’t write it off as not ever achieving cult classic status either. The way we’re headed, this movie just might come true.
*shiver*
“The way we’re headed, this movie just might come true.”
The horror is… it just might!
Hey there.This one doesnt sound like something we would enjoy. I never watched the Beavus and Butthead movie. Nor the other one..
Tweetey - Unfortunately, you’re not missing anything missing this one. I did like the other two though because they were funny.
Miladysa - Heh. That’s why it could be a horror film. It was just not executed well.
JJ - what would you rate it?
No good lines? I beg to differ.
“It’s got electrolytes.. thats what plants crave.”
“Go away.. I’m batin’”
Joe-”I could really go for a Starbucks right now.”
Frito- “We don’t have time for a hand-job Joe.”
and an all-time fave…
Joe-”Where can I get some water… to drink.”
random-”Water? Like out of the toilet?”
I could go on, but just one more..
Doctor- “My ex-wife was ‘tarded.. now she’s a pilot.”
I’m surprised that “Ass” hasn’t been snapped up by the network execs! The mindless reality shows on the air are only one step away from this.
shockingly reawakened in 2500, only to see an overpopulated world full of garbage, corporate logos, and stupidity
Wait, isn’t that the present? ;P
Sounds like it’s worth a watch. I like the quotes.
Damn It, SME beat me to it. I was going to comment: Isn’t it happening already? Though I can’t believe there is a movie out there. I might give it a miss, but hopefully enough people watch it so they don’t end up having corporate barcodes tatooed on their bodies and watch Big Brother all day long.
Clothosfate - I really hated not giving this a higher rating. My real estate agent loved it, and he has pretty good taste in movies.
Tshsmom - I’ve always wondered how anyone can watch those shows.
SME - You should see it. Don’t let my negative review detract. It’s had mixed reviews, and some people out there with really good taste loved it. It just didn’t work for me.
La Cremiere - Same thing I said to SME. You might like it. Clothosfate really liked it.
SME.. watch it
I’m one of those people out there with really good taste who recommends it!! One point though, it has almost no depth… it’s just for fun. It’s like expecting a roller-coaster ride to be a profound experience. It might be if you have absolutely NO clue that there’s a whole amusement park out there.
Man I really laughed when they were determined that the plants craved electrolytes from the corporate drink. ha!
Have you seen the movie “Evolution”? I bet you’d like it. Try to check it out next time you’re renting flicks.