Movie Review: Idiocracy (2006)

Idiocracy (2006)

Rated MA

Starring Luke Wilson

I have one question. Why is Idiocracy not a cult movie? Why aren’t groups of teenagers quoting this movie in general conversation? Is this a cult movie and no body’s told me? Because it certainly deserves to be. This is the kind of movie that me an my mates would watch over and over again when we were in high school and quote when ever we wanted an easy laugh.

Mike Judge was one of my favourite creators when I was a teen. I remember seeing Beavis and Butthead Do America in the cinemas, months before the TV show had hit Australia. I loved those degenerate teenagers, who were a mix of pure id and pure stupidity. I’m not sure which spoke louder: their commentary on teenagers in the 90s or the fact that so many teenagers embraced them unironically. Office Space was Judge’s first movie, filled with instantly recognisable situations, wish fulfilment and very quotable dialogue. When I saw Idiocracy on the video shop shelf, my expectations were high. I’d kind of heard of this movie. But not much. Why wasn’t this on the list of movies that people were beating me over the head to see?

Joe is a normal, unassuming guy. So normal that he is completely average in every single way. He is chosen to participate in a cryogenic experiement, along with with Rita, a prostitute. A mishap occurs, and instead of waking up a year later, they are woken up 500 years later. And the world is a very different place. The Bible may say that the meek shall inherit the earth, but in Idiocracy the stupid inherit the earth. Over 500 years, stupid people have outbred smart people. In this Stupid New World, Joe is the world’s smartest man.

What follows is a biting critique of our culture’s addiction to television, low brow humour and over acceptance of marketing. The world of Idiocracy is a world where advertising slogans are accepted as absolute truth. Where sex has replaced coffee as the franchise of choice. Where gladiator tournaments against monster trucks decide political policy.

Don’t get me wrong. This site is evidence that I love movies and television and all kinds of media. I am easily influenced my marketing – if I see a chocolate bar in the supermarket that has the word NEW written on it, I have to buy it and try it. But I am also discerning in doing so. I’m always asking about hidden agendas. I want to know why someone is telling me something. I want entertainment that engages my brain and makes me think – as well as laugh at something as simple as slap stick comedy.

And as a Bible believing Christian I want to be a man of the Word. Being able to read God’s Word, being able to approach it critically, being able to work out for my self what is said is very important to me. That’s why I’m at Bible college. I’m not the smartest guy in the world. I’m definitely not the most academic. But when we leave the thinking up to other people, where we don’t strive to know more and gain a greater understanding for ourselves, then we are in trouble.

Use your brain. Don’t follow anything blindly. Think for yourself and exercise your brain. Let’s not end up with a world like Idiocracy.