Some people make a comparison to the MATRIX....

I think people compare it to the matrix mostly because when he kills the sweeper team and the part in the hall with the columns when he kills all of the father's guards, the action feels vary "matrixy" but other than that, i would compare it more to Fahrenheit 451 than the matrix

Style-wise, it's obviously heavily-influenced by The Matrix. Action. Futuristic design. Music. Costumes. Story-wise, it's a copy of Fahrenheit 451. Overall a shameless and pretentious imitation but well crafed and good-looking.

"It's coz they wear black, innit!!"

Personally, I wouldn't compare them at all.

Released just 2 years after The Matrix, it doesn't take a genius to realize that they were trying to capitalize from its popularity. Sure, they're completely different movies story-wise, but visually it has The Matrix written all over it. It's no coincidence that Bale is hopping around like Neo, taking everyone down, and wearing a long black coat while he does it. Did they copy The Matrix stylistically? Absolutely. One film bore two sequels, the other vanished into obscurity. For good reason.


"There are no big words...just little heads." - Bud Bundy

Its not the matrix, It's "The Giver" word for word, and about 100X greater than the Jeff Bridges Version.


In Equilibrium you have three characters. The protagonist who feels, the Damsel who nurtured, and the antagonist sidekick who tries to enforce the rules.

In the giver you have, Jonas, the one who feels. Fiona, the nurturer and Asher the sidekick who follows the rules.

Nobody is allowed to feel emotions in both book and film, because it is the "root" of evil in man, and the word "Sameness" is even said in "Equilibrium" which is a term used in " The Giver." Sameness is given in a speech by Father in Equilibrium.


Equilibrium is an adaptation of The Giver. It wasn't called " The Giver" because Jeff bridges had already bought the rights to the book for himself 19 years ago from today.


After rewatching Equilibrium today it actually saddens me there were not sequels that loosely followed the other books.


Thanks Jeff!

I'd compare it with REPO MEN myself, but that wasn't released til years later

You gave yourself a name. I gave mine up.

Way better than the Matrix, and far more realistic.