DVD Reviews

The world is full of idiots, and we’re only getting dumber. That’s the premise behind Mike Judge’s Idiocracy, a sly satire on the state of our collective intelligence. Luke Wilson plays an average soldier who’s frozen in an experiment and wakes up in the year 2505. There, he is the smartest man on the planet. This is the launching pad for jabs at corporate culture and the dumbing down of America, most of it spot on, all very funny.

Too bad the presentation doesn’t quite match. The 1.85:1 anamorphic picture cuts off the sides of the image, space that is crucial for some jokes. With all the detail in every frame (most of the sight gags in the background deserve your pause button’s attention), the picture doesn’t quite suffice. And the Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack is just OK, neither adding to nor subtracting from the experience.

There are five deleted scenes that comprise the special features. That is all. Much as the film was unceremoniously dumped in theaters with no advertising, the DVD release follows suit. It’s a shame, really, given that Mike Judge has a huge cult following, and people will most definitely be quoting this movie for many years to come. Some insight into the marketing controversy would have been interesting for this edition. Perhaps, if this bare-bones version succeeds, a director’s-cut version will soon follow.

Idiocracy is a funny, original film with something to say that deserves its audience. Too bad this edition doesn’t provide a truly outstanding presentation.