Ahoy, squirts! Quint here... I'm very excited to read this positive review. I'm a big fan of OFFICE SPACE (and can't wait to buy the long in the works OFFICE SPACE SPECIAL EDITION DVD in on November 1st!!!), BEAVIS AND BUTT-HEAD and all of Judge's work. His sense of humor really appeals to me. He's also a super nice person and being an Austinite I've had the pleasure of running into him on many occasions. Hell, he even let me interview him waaayyy back when I was writing for my high school newspaper, pre-AICN.
Now I know IDIOCRACY has been a bumpy road of a production. They've had to do a lot of re-shoots (I heard it had something to do with legal issues regarding brandnames being... played with...)... I'm just happy that the film seems to be a step closer to release. I'm itchin' to see it. The below review doesn't go too much into specifics, but is very positive. Enjoy!!!
Hey Harry, long time reader, first time writer...
Just been to a test screening in the UK of Mike Judges new comedy "Idiocracy". Being a fan of "Office Space" and "Beavis and Butthead" I could not resist the opportunity to go see this movie, which I have been waiting for ever since it was mentioned on your site...
The screening was not held in London, but out in the 'burbs (we never get test screenings out here) and obviously people were excited about this movie cause the cinema was totally packed, every seat was taken. Before the film we were told that some special fx were unfinished, and the credits had to be finished, but the rest of the movie appeared in a complete state.
For those who dont know, this movie is about an ordinary Joe, who gets frozen in an army experiment, intending to wake up a year later, but the army experiment gets forgotten, and he stays frozen for hundreds of years. Didnt this guy watch Futurama? Anyways in the time he has been frozen, the worlds population has become incredibly stupid, and unable to take care of themselves. When Joe wakes up, he is the literally the smartest person on the planet. Hilarity ensues...
Luke Wilson plays the ordinary Joe character well, and plays it nice and simple, as he should, because the comedy comes from the environment he is in, and its insanely stupid citizens. The comedy elements in the film cover most bases: slapstick, parody and most prominently some brilliantly crass toilet and sex humour. I rate any movie where the the future vision of a well known coffee chain is serving sexual services alongside a latte...
The future "stupid society" is brilliantly portrayed, and any questions about how the society functions are answered ingeniously, the "hospital" scene being of particular amusement. There are so many elements I want to mention, but to do so would ruin your enjoyment of this hilarious film. In case you cant tell already, I really enjoyed this movie.
If you have seen Office Space, and are expecting the same kind of deadpan, subtle humour, then you wont find it in "Idiocracy". What you will find is a laugh a minute movie (albeit sometimes simple and crass laughs), which I know other people enjoyed as well cause the whole cinema was laughing... well except for some people behind me who looked like miserable sods anyway!
One thing though... this is actually also a scary vision of the future, and one that could happen. And the irony of Mike Judge (who created Beavis and Butthead) making a commentary on "dumbing down" is a joke in itself!
If you use this, call me Mr. Not Sure.
