Closet Sci-Fi Geek

Idiocracy, or Welcome to America

An average man with an average IQ is put into hibernation by the Army for an experiment and wakes up 500 years later, when dumb people have taken over the planet. (See, it’s the dumb people who have too many kids, as explained at the beginning of the film.)

The film mercilessly satires American culture, from relentless corporate product placement to the over-sexing of America. The President of the United States, in the future, is a pro-wrestler and porn star who walks around in red, white and blue wrestling tights.

Luke Wilson plays the lead and does a decent job. (It’s surprising how much he sounds like his blonde brother.)

There are some funny bits in here. My favorite was the hospital receptionist, who had to select a button with an icon based on the ailment of the incoming patient - a pregnant woman is depicted with a baby falling out underneath her. But the laughs aren’t overwhelming. The problem with this film is that, in showing a dumb American culture of the future, the humor has to come from dumb people doing dumb things. (You’ll see a lot of mimicry of sexual positions here, for example.)

Still, this is a good satire and commentary on America. While it is way over the top, it should make you think just a tad about where we are headed.

Sadly, many folks who watched this film didn’t get it at all. If you ever read online reviews at IMBD or Blockbuster, you’ll notice that the people who write the shortest, least intelligible reviews usually respond with “That’s dumb!” when they don’t like a film. Many criticized Idiocracy for being dumb - but dumb it is not. If that’s the best you’ve got to say about this film, you are kind of proving its point.