Review of Idiocracy (2006) by Enan — 22 Aug 2010

Imagining a future void of intellectuals or leaders is not that hard. In Idiocracy, the priorities of the populous are grounded in spectacle and pleasure. Set almost 500 years from present day, Uh-merica has become disadvantaged by its own breeders. The film astutely points out how ignorant people, by nature, will continue to reproduce at alarming rates. Survival of the fittest is turned upside down when considering the sheer number of people uncomprehending of consequence. Stupidity infesting the world like cockroaches is all too relevant.

Our President is most certainly an idiot. We are forced to put up with his gross misconduct and abuse of our countries name because he has disguised his ignorance as faith. Unfortunately, the people steering Bush into destroying the free world are all too aware of their actions. While the world of Idiocracy is unjust and uneffective, at least it lacks the evil genius. The president in the film is Mr. T and Ludicris rolled into one. I cant help but think a president dependent on threats and demands plausible considering the direction we are currently headed. Idiocracy appropriately does not deal with faith because without peddlers smart enough to deal intangible truths, there is no use for it.

Comparable to the fall of Rome, Uh-merica finds itself existing without knowing to what end. There is no sense of unity or hope for the future, but only an acceptance of shallowness. In essence, writer and director Mike Judge deals with how flavor has replaced purity. As we have come to learn, spin can alter events globally. In Idiocracy, entertainment and free love are as holy as it gets. Altering the mundane is condemned in the film, as even Starbucks perseveres 500 years only to provide affordable and expedient sexual gratification. A combination of ebonics and hillbilly has usurped the English language providing a flashier and less coherent means of communication. Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, To be great, is to be misunderstood. In Idiocracy this sentiment is taken to a thought provoking extreme.

The film delivered ample laughs. It was glaringly uneven, but the short running time helped me forgive some inadequacies. Like Office Space, I enjoyed the characters and premise enough to wade through some of the filler. Mike Judges film will undoubtedly appeal to low brow audiences. However, seeing as the film lacked any endorsements or hype at all, there is something to be said for the exclusivity associated with even knowing about it. The film would have done well if Luke Wilson and Mike Judges previous success had been exploited to sell it. Instead, I shared the theater with maybe seven others on its second day of release. Despite the crude jokes, I couldnt help feeling like my own aptitude had earned a unique and enjoyable viewing experience.