EQUALS

US, 2015, 101 minutes, Colour.
Nicholas Hoult, Kristen Stewart, Jacki Weaver, Guy Pearce, Bel Powley, David Selby.
Directed by Drake Doremus.


Equals is a futuristic film, set in a Utopia Society, ultra-clean and sterilised, everyone dressed in white, living in their single rooms, a sense of isolation, even people sitting alone at meals. Everything is orderly, emotion is not allowed to be expressed, there is no touch.

Nicholas Hoult portrays Silas, a young man with no background history given, living in his isolated room, showering regularly, very neat wardrobe, going to work in a laboratory with contemporary technology and screens. Kristen Stewart portrays Nia, the young woman who works in the same department. Bel Powley is a fellow worker and David Selby is the supervisor.

However, there is another group, the Hiders, represented by Guy Pearce and, a very strong performance, from Jacki Weaver.

There is always a serpent in Eden and Silas does not know how to channel his urges, attracted to Nia, their meeting, surreptitiously, beginning to touch, a kiss, sexual encounter and Nia becoming pregnant.

The atmosphere is somewhat like that in the young adult stories like Divergent, Maze Runner… And, at the end, when the two become star-crossed, echoes of the end of Romeo and Juliet.

The end of the film is quite open-ended even though there have been tragic consequences.

1. Audience interest in futuristic films? Social Utopia? The new Eden – or not?

2. Themes of human nature, bodies, minds, emotions, the repression of contact, touch?

3. The visualising of the setting, Silas and his room, his isolation, clean and precise, shower, wardrobe? The gathering places? The laboratories, the techniques? Meals in isolation? Professional consultations? The world of the Hiders? The garden, the limits? The musical score?

4. The Utopia theme? The young adult literature in the films like Divergent, Hunger Games, Maze Runner…? At the finale with the themes from Romeo and Juliet?

5. The title, Silas and Nia? Health, disease, infections, cures, deaths and suicides?

6. The introduction to Silas, in the Utopia, a kind of young Everyman? His age, no information about his background, living alone, waking, his room, the view, the shower, cupboard clothes, his appearance, everyone dressed in white, the greetings, work, being creative, the technology? Interest in Nia, watching her after the episode of the suicide? Feeling for her? His health, working in health, the check, the clean bill, the warning? The encounter with Jonas, the conversation, the friendship?

7. The issues of emotions and touch, forbidden, everyone living the rules? Authorities, regulations, supervisors and surveillance, discussions? The other workers, especially Rachel and her observing? Relationship with Silas, with Nia?

8. Silas and the bond with Nia, going to the room, tentative, touch, hands, control?

9. Silas, routines, noticing Nia, talking to her, the meals, his work, hiding with Nia, the gradual touch, to kiss, to sexual encounter, the pregnancy? Wanting to be close to her? Those noticing? The dilemma for the couple?

10. Jonas, the next encounter, his illness, introduction to the group? Ideas? Bess, her stories? The plan for the escape, the pilot?

11. Silas, change of work, the garden, the difficulties?

12. Nia, her work, Rachel? Her health examination? The discovery that she was pregnant? Are Being taken away? Silas seeing it, his dilemma, his agreeing to go through the cure? The Hiders, Bess and Silas in the hospital, helping her escape? The overtones of Romeo and Juliet and deaths and survival?

13. The Hiders being declared cured, Mia freed, their meeting, Silas knowing what happened, not feeling it? The issue of regrets? Their future and the film ending leaving it to the audience?