You know that when Kristen Stewart is cast in something, that it will have an element of seriousness attached to it. ‘Equals’ appears to be no different. It is set in a post-apocalyptic society where there are no emotions and everyone acts the same. The thing I found intriguing about this story, was the way it looked at humans as emotionless beings. ‘Equals’ fills the gap for a new young adult sci-fi film, but is it any good?
‘Equals’ takes place in a futuristic society called The Collective. All inhabitants in this society have been genetically modified between conception and birth, rendering them emotionless. What are the consequences of this? Emotions, love and sex are outlawed. I know it seems a bit far fetched (and it is) but the concept of this film is fascinating to me.
Silas (Nicholas Hoult) an illustrator in The Collective, mysteriously begins to experience feelings and emotions, making him an SOS victim (Switched On Syndrome). During what seems like a difficult time for Silas, he begins to seek refuge in a fiction writer named Nia (Kristen Stewart). Nia also suffers from the condition and together they have to hide their attraction for one another from the rest of their society.
Directed by the acclaimed Drake Doremus who has previously worked on ‘Breathe In’ and ‘Like Crazy’ and scripted by Nathan Parker who has worked on ‘Moon’ – this film is more than meets the eye, it may have a dull exterior but its story is unlike most others. It’s not about casual sex, it’s not even about falling in love and maybe losing it, it’s about imagining what it would be like to have all of those things. While this theme isn’t new and at times ‘Equals’ is slow to draw to a conclusion, it has explored the curiosity of human attraction and what can exist outside of it in a thoughtful way.
3/5
‘Equals’ is out on DVD and Blu-ray now.
Featured image courtesy of Think Jam.
