Idiocracy is definitely not the grim disaster that it's un-release would have you suppose. AS you probably know, the plot is your basic Sleeper/Buck Rogers rip, with a regular guy from the present sent to the far future (the deus ex plot device here is a military experiment,) the twist being that in the future things have gotten worse as people have gotten stupider. An opening montage with a pompous high school science class film strip narrator explaining how natural selection backfires because of selfishness is worth the price of admission. The vicious satire of dumbing down is absolutely hilarious - it's great to see all the most obnoxious quirks and behaviors that grow ever more ubiquitous treated with unironic scorn instead of unironic love or ironic approval. It has pretty much the same problem as Office Space has, which is that Judge is clearly more interested in puncturing worthy targets and writing good gags than constructing compelling plots or character arcs. There's plenty of big laughs here from one-liners and especially sight gags to the point that it'll certainly stand up to repeat viewings just to get all the corner-of-the-screen minijokes. One insidious thing about the film is the focus it gives to the media/entertainment aspect of the future, since some of the shitheaded TV that's swept the world actually had me roaring with laughter, especially the reality show "Ow, My Balls!"
In a way, Luke Wilson's Joe - an ordinary unambitious guy turned savior of a dunderheaded world - feels like a guilty conscience's reaction against Office Space's Peter Gibbon, for whom lack of ambition turned out to be the key to happiness and his greatest virtue. Joe has a revelation late in the movie that he was part of the problem in his own time but was able to skate by because of other, smarter people doing the hard work of running the world. When he becomes the smartest man on earth he accepts the responsibility that goes with such a position. The other 21th centurian, a prostitute recruited by the army is less negative about the fucktard's dystopia she finds herself in, at first because she discovers it's really easy to rip off the morons she's surrounded by, then later because it's a chance at a new life. One of the better running gags is that Joe never figures out she's a hooker, accepting her story that she's a struggling painter long after it's clear she's bullshitting him.
I fully expect Idiocracy is going to become a cable/video sensation, especially since it looks like even fewer people will see it at the cinema than saw Office Space on it's first release. Watching it on Comedy Central or TNT would be especially wierd, since the culture they exemplify is the subject of so many of Idiocracy's skewerings. Still, they'll run anything that gets good ratings and is highly quotable and rewatchable, so I bet by this time next year it happens.
― 100% CHAMPS with a Yes! Attitude. (Austin, Still), Saturday, 2 September 2006 22:20 (eighteen years ago) link
Worst of all, when I called Moviefone to find out what time the movie is playing at the Arclight here in L.A., they couldn't find an "Idiocracy" playing at the theater. Only after I listened to their list of titles currently running did I find it, listed under "Untitled Mike Judge Comedy"!! (Call (323) 777-FILM and hear it for yourself).
― Tiki Theater Xymposium (Bent Over at the Arclight), Sunday, 3 September 2006 01:36 (eighteen years ago) link
― 100% CHAMPS with a Yes! Attitude. (Austin, Still), Sunday, 3 September 2006 01:45 (eighteen years ago) link
― n/a (Nick A.), Sunday, 3 September 2006 03:35 (eighteen years ago) link
― Tiki Theater Xymposium (Bent Over at the Arclight), Sunday, 3 September 2006 06:25 (eighteen years ago) link
― gear (gear), Thursday, 14 September 2006 22:02 (eighteen years ago) link
― gear (gear), Thursday, 14 September 2006 22:24 (eighteen years ago) link
― and what (ooo), Thursday, 14 September 2006 22:32 (eighteen years ago) link
― chaki (chaki), Thursday, 14 September 2006 22:34 (eighteen years ago) link
― milo z (mlp), Thursday, 14 September 2006 22:37 (eighteen years ago) link
― cousin larry bundgee (bundgee), Thursday, 14 September 2006 22:39 (eighteen years ago) link
― and what (ooo), Thursday, 14 September 2006 22:40 (eighteen years ago) link
― M@tt He1geson: Real Name, No Gimmicks (Matt Helgeson), Thursday, 14 September 2006 22:44 (eighteen years ago) link
― chaki (chaki), Thursday, 14 September 2006 23:11 (eighteen years ago) link
― and what (ooo), Thursday, 14 September 2006 23:14 (eighteen years ago) link
― gear (gear), Thursday, 14 September 2006 23:25 (eighteen years ago) link
― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 9 January 2007 16:59 (eighteen years ago) link
― Shakey Mo Collier (Shakey Mo Collier), Tuesday, 9 January 2007 17:02 (eighteen years ago) link
― Zwan (miccio), Tuesday, 9 January 2007 17:12 (eighteen years ago) link
― Zwan (miccio), Tuesday, 9 January 2007 17:13 (eighteen years ago) link
― Zwan (miccio), Tuesday, 9 January 2007 17:20 (eighteen years ago) link
― Tiki Theater Xymposium (Bent Over at the Arclight), Tuesday, 9 January 2007 17:25 (eighteen years ago) link
― deej.. (deej..), Tuesday, 9 January 2007 17:27 (eighteen years ago) link
― Zwan (miccio), Tuesday, 9 January 2007 17:33 (eighteen years ago) link
― Zwan (miccio), Tuesday, 9 January 2007 17:34 (eighteen years ago) link
question does not compute
― kyle (akmonday), Tuesday, 9 January 2007 17:34 (eighteen years ago) link
― Zwan (miccio), Tuesday, 9 January 2007 17:36 (eighteen years ago) link
― Zwan (miccio), Tuesday, 9 January 2007 17:37 (eighteen years ago) link
any 30 seconds of king of the hill > idiocracy
― Jimmy_tango (Jimmy_tango), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 00:51 (eighteen years ago) link
Played by Scarface from the Geto Boys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
― Tiki Theater Xymposium (Bent Over at the Arclight), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 18:43 (eighteen years ago) link
― milo z (mlp), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 18:46 (eighteen years ago) link
anyway, movie was funny, really funny in a few parts, and missed the mark or went on too long in others. it was alright. it was certainly better than Anchorman. also, good to see mike judge basically play butthead for an hour and a half.
― kyle (akmonday), Monday, 15 January 2007 23:56 (eighteen years ago) link
― Abbott (Abbott), Tuesday, 16 January 2007 00:03 (eighteen years ago) link
― Abbott (Abbott), Tuesday, 16 January 2007 00:04 (eighteen years ago) link
― Abbott (Abbott), Tuesday, 16 January 2007 00:06 (eighteen years ago) link
― Abbott (Abbott), Tuesday, 16 January 2007 00:07 (eighteen years ago) link
― kyle (akmonday), Tuesday, 16 January 2007 00:10 (eighteen years ago) link
― kyle (akmonday), Tuesday, 16 January 2007 00:11 (eighteen years ago) link
― Abbott (Abbott), Tuesday, 16 January 2007 00:14 (eighteen years ago) link
― latebloomer aka freedom williams sr (latebloomer), Tuesday, 16 January 2007 00:16 (eighteen years ago) link
― latebloomer aka freedom williams sr (latebloomer), Tuesday, 16 January 2007 00:17 (eighteen years ago) link
― Forksclovetofu (Forksclovetofu), Tuesday, 16 January 2007 00:20 (eighteen years ago) link
― the new sincerity (Pye Poudre), Tuesday, 30 January 2007 16:28 (eighteen years ago) link
I liked it okay, but it def. has some problems. Seemed pointless as live action, would've been more fun as a cartoon. And its basically one really looooooooong joke, very one note.
Scarface's appearance cracked me up.
― Shakey Mo Collier (Shakey Mo Collier), Tuesday, 30 January 2007 20:46 (eighteen years ago) link
― J (Jay), Tuesday, 30 January 2007 21:17 (eighteen years ago) link
― milo z (mlp), Tuesday, 30 January 2007 21:19 (eighteen years ago) link
I thought he was referring to President Sean Camacho!
― Shakey Mo Collier (Shakey Mo Collier), Tuesday, 30 January 2007 21:21 (eighteen years ago) link
kinda hate this movie as an easy snide reference, the overarching attitude and tone of superiority is gross.
― congratulations (n/a), Saturday, 17 November 2012 14:28 (twelve years ago) link
It's basically ILX politics threads: the movie
― congratulations (n/a), Saturday, 17 November 2012 14:32 (twelve years ago) link
yeah it's a bit '30 years from now a child won't be able to kick a ball on the street'
― some dude, Saturday, 17 November 2012 15:30 (twelve years ago) link
I love how this movie is totally a mess, and was most likely completed in a highly compromised form, perhaps edited against judges wishes or maybe without his input. At least, that's how it plays. Yet even as a mess it is funnier and more otm than most comedies. Certainly significantly better than Extract.
― Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 17 November 2012 15:44 (twelve years ago) link
yeah it was a relief that a cult following didn't form around Extract out of force of habit
― some dude, Saturday, 17 November 2012 15:45 (twelve years ago) link
30 years from now a child won't be able to kick a man in the nuts without someone laughing
― some dude, Saturday, 17 November 2012 15:30 (14 minutes ago) Permalink
― puff puff post (uh oh I'm having a fantasy), Saturday, 17 November 2012 15:46 (twelve years ago) link
Almost every time I see a water fountain I think of the nations water supply being replaced with gatorade.
― Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 17 November 2012 16:02 (twelve years ago) link
extract is good!
― akm, Saturday, 17 November 2012 16:25 (twelve years ago) link
Eh, it's really not. It's just a little well intentioned but pretty shallow and pointless lark.
― Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 17 November 2012 17:13 (twelve years ago) link
Extract felt like it was written and filmed in a week or so.
― Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 17 November 2012 17:14 (twelve years ago) link
the scene where he gets diagnosed has one of my favorite line-deliveries ever. "Don't mean to be a dick or nothin', but says on your chart...you're fucked up."
― too many encores (underrated aerosmith bootlegs I have owned), Saturday, 17 November 2012 17:42 (twelve years ago) link
beef supreme for president
― under minnesota shakedown (mh), Saturday, 17 November 2012 18:12 (twelve years ago) link
It started off boring and slow, with Not Sure trying to bullshit everyone with a bunch of smart talk: 'Blah blah blah. You gotta believe me!' That part of the trial sucked! But then the Chief J. just went off. He said, 'Man, whatever! The guy's guilty as shit, we all know that!'
― frogbs, Saturday, 17 November 2012 19:23 (twelve years ago) link
one day I hope to order an EXTRA BIG ASS FRIES
― frogbs, Saturday, 17 November 2012 19:26 (twelve years ago) link
I hear there's this new restaurant open in Times Square...
― pplains, Saturday, 17 November 2012 19:50 (twelve years ago) link
this movie is ok but its perspective is so reflective of how most people on the internet view other people as total moron sheeple while they are brilliant and incisive that it's made the movie reprehensible to me in hindsight
― congratulations (n/a), Wednesday, 12 June 2013 17:14 (eleven years ago) link
it even reflects the derisive patois of like "gub'mint" and "'murrca" which is so disgusting
― congratulations (n/a), Wednesday, 12 June 2013 17:17 (eleven years ago) link
― congratulations (n/a), Saturday, November 17, 2012 8:28 AM (6 months ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
― congratulations (n/a), Saturday, November 17, 2012 8:32 AM (6 months ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
n/a otm
― congratulations (n/a), Wednesday, 12 June 2013 17:23 (eleven years ago) link
glad i'll be dead b4 entire film comes true
― ballin' from Maine to Mexico (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 12 June 2013 17:29 (eleven years ago) link
The emphasis on "entire" can be assumed?
― hashtag sizzler (Phil D.), Wednesday, 12 June 2013 17:38 (eleven years ago) link
that's all well and good but I really do not feel like this movie was intended to be any kind of serious social commentary. like on one hand maybe there's something to making an American Gladitor the President in an era when people were seriously asking if Schwarzenegger could make a White House run, on the other there's the fact that Terry Crews as President is fucking hilarious.
people tried to criticize Office Space along similar lines, but again I always felt like Judge was just doing something funny rather than something insightful. hence the way Peter is constantly painted as being lazy and kind of a whiner. KotH, same thing...it makes fun of good ol' boys and Southeners and also sorta extolls their values. I don't think that Judge is trying to do cutting edge satire here.
― frogbs, Wednesday, 12 June 2013 18:49 (eleven years ago) link
Even if you ignore all political subtext, Luke Wilson is a fucking drip of a lead
― da croupier, Wednesday, 12 June 2013 18:54 (eleven years ago) link
which makes him kind of ideal for this type of movie
― frogbs, Wednesday, 12 June 2013 19:05 (eleven years ago) link
an undercooked commercial failure? well yeah
― da croupier, Wednesday, 12 June 2013 19:07 (eleven years ago) link
first half of judge's career so farBeavis and Buttheada sympathetic take on a red state familya movie about what wage slaves have to put up with
second half of judge's career so fara movie about what CEOs have to put up withan unsympathetic take on a blue state familyBeavis and Butthead
with a movie about what happens when the mongrel hordes are allowed outbreed the educated class at half-time
― da croupier, Wednesday, 12 June 2013 19:18 (eleven years ago) link
frogbs are you seriously saying that idiocracy is not a satire?
― congratulations (n/a), Wednesday, 12 June 2013 19:40 (eleven years ago) link
oh sure it is to some degree but I saw it as being a lot more absurd than derisive. In my opinion "I didn't like its entitled tone" is a lot less important than whether or not you found it funny
― frogbs, Wednesday, 12 June 2013 19:51 (eleven years ago) link
What logos crave: behind-the-scenes with the logos in Idiocracy
― Elvis Telecom, Tuesday, 7 October 2014 08:11 (ten years ago) link
Make America 'Bate Again
― Neanderthal, Sunday, 24 July 2016 01:50 (eight years ago) link
wow this was a very terrible movie
― Fluffy Saint-Bernard (Stevie D(eux)), Sunday, 29 January 2017 04:41 (eight years ago) link
like it is so condescending and elitist and super classist and also low-key pro-eugenics??
― Fluffy Saint-Bernard (Stevie D(eux)), Sunday, 29 January 2017 04:42 (eight years ago) link
Yeah but electrolytes
― El Tomboto, Sunday, 29 January 2017 04:46 (eight years ago) link
I watched this a couple of years ago and was not impressed by the quality of the satire, which was predicated on similar ideas to those long held by racists, except "The Yellow/Brown Peril and Destruction of the White Race" was replaced by "The Proletarian Peril and Destruction of the Educated Elites".
― a little too mature to be cute (Aimless), Sunday, 29 January 2017 05:14 (eight years ago) link
an old theme, at least in science fiction
https://www.gutenberg.ca/ebooks/kornbluth-littleblack/kornbluth-littleblack-00-h.html
― the late great, Sunday, 29 January 2017 05:17 (eight years ago) link
It's a terrifyingly prescient and occasionally very funny film ruined for many people because of a totally unnecessary Eugenics 101 sequence that they stuck at the beginning as if society's decline required a theory.
― El Tomboto, Sunday, 29 January 2017 05:53 (eight years ago) link
^ this.
― Lennon, Elvis, Hendrix etc (dog latin), Sunday, 29 January 2017 09:06 (eight years ago) link
anybody else have friends that think it's so hilarious to say "little did we know at the time this was a DOCUMENTARY"
― Neanderthal, Sunday, 29 January 2017 15:29 (eight years ago) link
that's what i say about southland tales
― who is extremely unqualified to review this pop album (BradNelson), Sunday, 29 January 2017 15:45 (eight years ago) link
I would vote for President Camacho
― voodoo chili, Sunday, 29 January 2017 17:22 (eight years ago) link
uhh i like money
― flappy bird, Sunday, 29 January 2017 17:36 (eight years ago) link
I love the way theyre all wearing Crocs. Big ups to the costume designer(s)
― pointless rock guitar (Michael B), Sunday, 29 January 2017 17:46 (eight years ago) link
35mm with Judge:
https://www.musicboxtheatre.com/films/idiocracy-on-35mm-with-mike-judge
― to pimp a barfly (Eazy), Wednesday, 24 May 2017 23:11 (seven years ago) link
my hatred of this movie has grown tenfold since I first watched it 4 months ago
― he not like the banana (Stevie D(eux)), Wednesday, 24 May 2017 23:16 (seven years ago) link
I just saw this movie for the first time since it was in theaters. Some of it has aged well, some of it has aged terribly, but it remains by and large a borderline disaster, like a self-funded pilot that never got picked up.
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 15 August 2023 20:17 (one year ago) link
it does look really cheap, doesn't it?
― the world is your octopus (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Tuesday, 15 August 2023 21:15 (one year ago) link
Pretty sure I won't be going back to rescreen this one
― fair but so uncool beliefs here (Eric H.), Tuesday, 15 August 2023 21:26 (one year ago) link
Especially not when Southland Tales exists
― fair but so uncool beliefs here (Eric H.), Tuesday, 15 August 2023 21:27 (one year ago) link
In retrospect this film was a little bit farfetched. There's no way cryogenic tech could have worked that well in 2005
― the wedding preset (dog latin), Friday, 31 January 2025 14:23 (one week ago) link
so uh, this thing where Trump just wasted millions of gallons of water for no reason because he thinks the "faucets aren't turned on"
― frogbs, Saturday, 1 February 2025 04:59 (one week ago) link
^ https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/31/us/trump-water-california-central-valley.html
― nous sommes perdus dans le supermarché (sic), Saturday, 1 February 2025 05:57 (one week ago) link