Idiocracy

"Idiocracy," a satirical masterpiece by Mike Judge, is a film that was truly ahead of its time. Released in 2006, its portrayal of a future society plagued by anti-intellectualism, rampant consumerism, and a general decline in critical thinking skills seemed like a far-fetched exaggeration. However, watching it today, the film's satirical commentary feels eerily prophetic and uncomfortably close to reality.

In an age where misinformation spreads like wildfire on social media, and political discourse often devolves into name-calling and ad hominem attacks, "Idiocracy" hits uncomfortably close to home. The film's portrayal of a society where entertainment and spectacle are valued over knowledge and critical thinking serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of apathy and intellectual laziness.

As social satire, Idiocracy is just as good as Office Space, but with a wider scope. To criticize this film as too puerile due to potty humor is to kind of miss the point, I think. There are certainly fart jokes etc., but they're not really intended to be funny to the audience - they exist to define the state of "culture" in the world of 2500 AD visited by Joe, as a background to the bizarre state of affairs in which he awakes. The real humor of the film lies in the many sight gags and attitudes present in this future society that are just a shade off of what we encounter in our daily lives, and which should serve as a warning. My personal favorite is the depiction of Fox News. The subtle brilliance in the film lies in the fact that it also digs at "smart" people, and average Joes like the protagonists. Note the times in the film when Joe and Rita almost subconsciously conform to the idiots around them, and you realize that Idiocracy is not created to pick on any group of people in particular, but on the culture of idiocy in general. I don't know what to say about the "made for conspiracy theory" behavior of Fox in releasing this film, but if it's not playing in your local theater, demand it. We all need to see this film, if not for the social commentary, at least for the fart jokes...

A great film that was well before its time - for the petition to have Idiocracy moved to the documentary section place your thumb here - there's not much else to say other than it's real strength is in its realism; taking poorly-educated people into a future where education is no longer valued and intelligence is ridiculed and then watching them come to terms with this realisation (now i'm just filling space because the silly thing won't allow me to stop typing until i have fulfilled my quota of characters, which is in itself a pretty silly idea when you think about it - i just wanted to say it should be a documentary... ah okay, now we're done.

... it's impossible not to see that this "fantasy" movie was, sadly, prescient.

Mike Judge placed the action some 500 years in the future. Looks like his clock ran free for a while -for it's been only 12 years, and we're almost there... Suffice to say, if a real life Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho ever runs for President, I'll have to give him a minimally serious consideration.

But no electrolytes for me, thanks.

IDIOCRACY (2006). When this film came out, it was looked at as a broad satire of how infantile our culture could become. Now? Events may already overtaken it and made it seem too mild!

Mike Judge's tale is a riff on Woody Allen's SLEEPER where a man from the present ends up in a future he doesn't recognize. An "average Joe" (Luke Wilson) circa 2005 wakes up centuries in the future to find a world so dumbed down that he's the smartest man around! Joe meets up with Frito (Dax Shepard) and Rita (Maya Rudolph) and they end up in the orbit of the boisterous President Camacho (Terry Crews). Together they try to upgrade the intelligence of the American public - good luck with that!

Judge and Etan Cohen's screenplay is a bit scattershot at times, but it is fitfully hilarious too. The most popular show on TV is "Ow! My Balls!" about the various way a man's marbles can be whacked. Costcos are the size of cities and junk food is not only king - but, often the full meal. Again - is this really "centuries from now?". The supporting cast include Thomas Haden Church as Brawndo's CEO and uncredited bits by Sara Rue and Stephen Root.

Fox was so scared of the film it was barely released. Even when theaters requested the rights to show the movie, they were often denied. Of course, this only made the cult surrounding it only that much stronger.

Now, sit back, take a big swig of Brawndo and enjoy the future! Er...the present....? Past?