DVD Review: Idiocracy

DVD Review: Idiocracy (Mike Judge, 2006, USA).

Mike Judge then. Creator of Beavis & Butthead probably the most zeitgeisty cartoon ever made and King Of The Hill, a show that some regard as better than The Simpsons. With such respect from those shows he made Office Space, a commercial bomb which later became a cult hit on video. When he tried to make another film, he must have had a sense of deja vu about the exeperience. It was dumped in a few cinemas in America then left to go to DVD, here it goes straight to DVD. The real issue is why is this the case. Why again, when this film is better than many of the comedies which have successful theatrical releases.
Joe Bauer (Luke Wilson) is an average Army librarian who is enlisted into an experiment with a prostitute, Rita (Maya Rudolph). This experiement sends them 500 years into the future where because less intelligent people have more children than smarter, society has become very very dumb. With the society on the brink of collapse, it is found that Joe is now the smartest man alive. While trying to help the world he has stubled into, Joe also enlists the help of Frito (Dax Shepard) who tells him of a "Time Musheen" which can get Joe back home.
Idiocracy is a strange beast of a film. The point it makes is smart and feels very plausible. The threat it paints feels like it can happen and the idea of the film sounds very appealing to anyone looking for smart satrical comedy. It makes us laugh at the idea of people laughing at TV programs like "Ow, My Balls" and a Predisdent elected solely because he was a popular wrestler. However, much of it feels like it is reaching for the lowest common donominator. A narrator is used to explain every single little plot point in the movie. Much of the film's laughs come from moronic idiots who most would feel sorry for if we saw them in society today.The film feels like it should be a high-brow satire but it is in actuality fairly low-brow. It is not hard to see why Fox dumped this film. Much of the audience it is pandering to, is the audience it is insulting. Whether this is a work of perverse genius by Judge or a result of sloppy re-editing by Fox is an interesting question but one I feel we won't ever get a true answer for.
This film is funny it has to be said however. Some of its targets are obvious but the laughs are made. However, the laughs are front-loaded. Once we are used to this world, they start to dry up. There is some good stuff towards the end but it feels like the point has been made within the first half hour but it still has another 50 minutes to go. Luke Wilson is the bland everyman he always is and does it just fine. Maya Rudolph is funny in a stereotypical prostitute way. Dax Shepard is annoying after his first 30 seconds and does not really seem to try. However, a very funny cameo from Justin Long steals the movie for me. His bizarre screaming sequence was very random, and welcome for it.
Mike Judge just can't seem to get a break. While this film sounds promising on paper, it never quite delivers. The ending feels unsatisactory, the editing is sloppy as all hell and the point it makes soon become laboured. And yet, it is still funnier tha most of the stuff we see in cinemas today. guy just can't seem to get a break. Very recommended rental.

Video: Just fine, no major problems.

Audio: Uninvolving DD 5.1 soundtrack. Not much use of anything beyond the front and no discernable bass. Can't say I'm suprised but it is disapointing.

Extras: Maybe 3 minutes of deleted scenes which are all pointless.

Good movie, poor disc. Rent it, don't blind buy as I nearly did.

Back soon with Hellboy Animated: Sword of Storms and 300