Why such bad advertising for Equilibrium??

[carrja99]

I rented this movie out the other day, and I liked it so much I went out and bought it! As of yet, no movie had really done any justice to 1984 or Fahrenheit 451, and as far as I know for Brave New World, there was only a made for TV movie done of it back in the early 80s... impossible to find.

I thought Equilibrium blended these books together seemlessly, while adding it's own original elemenet (gun katas) to it to make it interesting in the action oriented sense.

My question is this: Why did Dimension give this movie almost zero advertisement?? And more importantly, why do they have to compare it to the Matrix on it's cover when it has nothing in common (except maybe the concept of control... vaugely) with the Matrix? Lots of people see that and just assume it's a matrix ripoff!!!

[Prime Evil]

Yeah, I really enjoyed this movie also. Very different. I've recomended this movie to a select few of my friends that I knew would enjoy this. I think three. They all loved it. I too am thinking about buying this DVD. Definitely a pleasant surprise. :applaud:

[Fanible]

The adverising was low, maybe due to low expectations or not enough funding.

They never compared it to the Matrix through an advertisement persay. A reviewer quoted "Forget the Matrix!" on the cover. They were just looking at it as a good sci fi with really amazing martial arts and some of the best gun fights. In many ways, its actually perfectly find to "compare" it to the Matrix. But just more of a point saying if you liked the Matrix, you'll like this. Not downing either one or the other.

[Doofy Gilmore]

Not surprising. Dimension did the same thing with "Wes Craven Presents:They". It's pathetic how they didn't see the money making oppourtunity that movie had. It made 11 million dollars on it's opening weekend with just two weeks of advertisement. Give that movie a month of advertisement and posters on buses, subways, movie theatres, etc, and it makes a great profit. Especially because it opened the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, so it had an extra 2 days and a half to bring in the dough. Dimension is notorious for making stupid decisions. They also charge an arm and a leg for DVDs with no extras or commentary included.

[Hitman]

I was one of the 4 people who saw Equilibrium when it was released in theaters. Thank God, I actually caught a tv ad for it. I think this movie is one of the most least - advertised movies in film history. Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and it's definitely worth a buy. I bought it last Wednesday with The Animatrix cuz it's a great movie. The action was unique (thanks to Gun- kata), the plot was superb, and the music was good too. I give it a 10/10.

[necronon99]

ive yet to see this and all i hear is how it was sold poorly


to the store i go

[Halofan1]

Disney assumed they had alot of "Oscar hits" on their hands and Equilibrium would have just been in the way.

[EDouglas]

Dimension also did the same thing with Below, which I heard is quite good. I just saw this for the first time the other night having wanted to catch it in theatres and I agree with everything that is said. This is an excellent future shock science fiction movie which has some amazing performances by Christian Bale and Emily Watson and I recomend it wholeheartedly to any science fiction fan.

I disagree about the marketing because I think that most people probably saw it as a Matrix rip-off and personally, I feel that's unfair. The gun fights are more reminiscent of JOhn Woo and the swordplay is worthy of Kurosawa, both of who were also influences for the Wachowskis. But this has a better story (at least than Reloaded) and much stronger performances.

BTW, anyone figure out what Academy Award nominated movie the cinematographer of this movie also did the visuals for? Put it this way, when you realize it, you will have even more respect for the amazing look of this movie. :)

[Halofan1]

Originally posted by EDouglas
Dimension also did the same thing with Below, which I heard is quite good. I just saw this for the first time the other night having wanted to catch it in theatres and I agree with everything that is said. This is an excellent future shock science fiction movie which has some amazing performances by Christian Bale and Emily Watson and I recomend it wholeheartedly to any science fiction fan.

I disagree about the marketing because I think that most people probably saw it as a Matrix rip-off and personally, I feel that's unfair. The gun fights are more reminiscent of JOhn Woo and the swordplay is worthy of Kurosawa, both of who were also influences for the Wachowskis. But this has a better story (at least than Reloaded) and much stronger performances.

BTW, anyone figure out what Academy Award nominated movie the cinematographer of this movie also did the visuals for? Put it this way, when you realize it, you will have even more respect for the amazing look of this movie. :)

That's what the director said at a Q&A I was at for Equilibrium. I'm just going by what he told me.

[Tadakatsu]

When they were making this movie they alot of trouble figuring out how to make the characters act without feeling. Something like that takes a very well developed acting talent.

[Kitty]

i really wish that i heard about this movie while it was still in theaters and could've been able to watch it there. this movie was really good (i got to see it in my art class and my art teacher explained to us the colors and junk while we were watching it). i really need to get the dvd now :D

[KayTang999]

I think with the marketing problem is has to do with so many issues. The concept, the fear of Matrix comparison, and the money to advertise the movie itself.

[Fanible]

Dimensions film is just dumb. While it probably DOES seem dumb that 25-50 million dollars can be a waste of money for advertising a product... but in the end it can help a lot.

[KayTang999]

Totally, I feel really bad for the people who made this movie!!! Low budget and no promo!!! That got to be really suck.

[nightbringer]

I just watched this film about a week ago. All I can say is wow. I loved the movie, it will forever go down in my book as one of the best independent films along with Donnie Darko and Boondock Saints. I loved the GunKata, and Christian Bales acting was topnotch, after seeing this I think he'll make a great Batman. He would have been a better Neo also.

[Sims17]

equilibrium is a good movie. I went 2 the cinema 2 see this with my bro and 2 friends and i liked it and they all said it was the worst film they had ever seen! can u believe that c**p! obviously not huge film fans like me.
I know gun-kata.

[downflow311]

i never heard about this movie until i saw you guys talking about it a few months ago. checked it out, and my mind was blown away. i kept asking myself why this movie wasnt a huge hit. i didnt even know it was in theaters.

[Film Elemental]

Originally posted by EDouglas
Dimension also did the same thing with Below, which I heard is quite good. I just saw this for the first time the other night having wanted to catch it in theatres and I agree with everything that is said. This is an excellent future shock science fiction movie which has some amazing performances by Christian Bale and Emily Watson and I recomend it wholeheartedly to any science fiction fan.

I disagree about the marketing because I think that most people probably saw it as a Matrix rip-off and personally, I feel that's unfair. The gun fights are more reminiscent of JOhn Woo and the swordplay is worthy of Kurosawa, both of who were also influences for the Wachowskis. But this has a better story (at least than Reloaded) and much stronger performances.

BTW, anyone figure out what Academy Award nominated movie the cinematographer of this movie also did the visuals for? Put it this way, when you realize it, you will have even more respect for the amazing look of this movie. :)

Chicago.;)

[Knerys]

I rented it on a whim back in July, and it's one of my favorite movies of this year I have to say. I thought maybe it was a straight to video deal, but apparently not. I never saw anything for it in theaters or on video. I don't understand why the promoters didn't back this movie.....heh maybe it went over their heads.....

[Skinny]

Equlibrium... one of my all time favorites... but i saw it a year after it came out... i didnt even know such a movie even existed... just comes to show how low the advertisement for this movie was...

[Lachesis]

Sigh. It had a lot of potential, and all the right pieces, but this movie's nowhere near "Farenheit 451," "Gattaca," "Lathe of Heaven" or similar fare. The only really exceptional thing about it is the action sequences. It's a good B-movie, but it's still a B-movie.

[Halofan1]

Originally posted by Lachesis
Sigh. It had a lot of potential, and all the right pieces, but this movie's nowhere near "Farenheit 451," "Gattaca," "Lathe of Heaven" or similar fare. The only really exceptional thing about it is the action sequences. It's a good B-movie, but it's still a B-movie.

Farenheit blew, Gattaca was boring, and I've never even seen Lathe of Heaven.

[Red Monkey]

I don't understand why there was no promo myself. It's not a perfect movie but it was just as good or better than most of the sci fi flicks in its class (Minority Report, AI, even Matrix 2).

Hell it was better than a LOT of 2002 movies that came out!