By Adam Rosenberg
In Office Space, director Mike Judge served up a scathingly
funny commentary on the cubicle culture that rose hand-in-hand with the turn-of-the-century
Internet boom. Though it didn’t break any records during its theatrical
run, it did break even and has since enjoyed a fabulously successful afterlife
in DVD sales. Well it looks like Judge is on track for another cult success
with his just-released Idiocracy from Twentieth Century
Fox Home Entertainment. Haven’t heard of it? You apparently weren’t
meant to. Although the film was released in the latter part of 2006, it showed
up on only 130 screens nationwide and with virtually no promotional support
from the studio. While it would be nice to see Judge get a little love, it’s
really okay. Idiocracy, like Office Space
before it, is much better suited to late-night home viewing than it is to the
spectacle of the multiplex. Those of you who missed it are probably wondering
by now just what the whole thing is all about.
THE MOVIE
Joe Bowers (Luke Wilson) is the most average soldier in the United States Army.
Rita (Maya Rudolph), on the other hand, is a working girl and easily bought.
Together, the pair is chosen to test out some fancy new induced hibernation
technology. The plan is to put them both down for one year to see how everything
works. As with most plans of this sort, things invariably go awry and the twosome
end up being abandoned and forgotten following a military investigation, the
subsequent demolition of the hibernation facility and the creation of a landfill
on that location. Jump ahead, Buck Rogers-style (yes, there is a reference),
to the year 2505. Things are not looking good for this new world. At some point
during the intervening 500 years, the human race hit something of a developmental
speed bump. Automation and corporate culture, along with heavy doses of reality
television and blue collar comedy, has turned the people of the world into hopelessly
stupid, hedonistic creatures who communicate through a mixture of redneck drawl,
gangsta slang and surfer-speak. In effect, Joe and Rita emerge from their slumber
as the most intelligent people on the planet.
The narrative that follows is almost beside the point; it serves more as a vehicle
for Judge to show us, in increasingly ridiculous ways, just how much the world
has changed and just how stupid the human race has become. Judge has always
shown a near-obsession in his work for pointing out the detrimental effects
of popular culture. Office Space is but one example; Beavis
& Butthead blamed the shallow music industry for the dumbing-down
of America’s youth while King of the Hill is an attack
on ignorance, with a particular focus on the same culture that’s now embraced
blue collar comedy (which would be better named “redneck comedy”).
Idiocracy is instead an absurdist overview of the concerns
Judge typically addresses in his work. While not quite up to the level of hilarity
of Office Space (which also had far better music), Idiocracy
is still worthy of a place in the director’s filmography.
SIGHTS AND SOUNDS
Although this DVD release screams “barebones” at every turn,
Idiocracy was still only released last year. As such, the technical
presentation is up to today’s standards with a solid video transfer presented
in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen and 5.1 Dolby Surround for the English-language
audio track and three-channel Dolby Surround for the Spanish-language audio
track (there are also English and Spanish subtitles available).
PACKAGING AND LAYOUT
The single DVD is packaged in the standard black, plastic snapcase. All of the
disc’s menus are pulled directly from parts of the film, though they won’t
necessarily make sense until after you’ve seen it. The main menu is a
flashy affair, though with all of the colorful panels and sound effects, it’s
actually somewhat difficult to decode and navigate. The audio selection menu,
which you must pass through to start the movie, is in all ways a must-see however.
SPECIAL FEATURES
Just be thankful for what you’ve got, because it could’ve been nothing.
There’s no commentary, no documentary (not even an EPK), no trailers or
TV spots. You simply get five deleted (and unrated) scenes. They’re not
even shoved back into the movie. They’re just accessible from the special
features menu (though you can play them all together or individually!). People
who were hoping for more will unfortunately have to go out and buy this one;
if there’s any hopes for a souped-up special edition of this release,
it’ll require solid sales at the very least.
FINAL THOUGHTS
It’s baffling that Judge doesn’t get more love from the studio than
he does. He’s masterminded Beavis & Butthead and
King of the Hill, as well as one of the funniest cult films of the
past decade (Office Space). Idiocracy has
a great premise and a solid leading man. The absurd success of Borat
has proven at least one thing: Americans like to laugh at themselves. Here’s
a movie made by an American – and a damn funny one at that – but
it gets no theatrical support and an obviously rushed DVD release. What gives,
Fox? Judge is a genius. Recognize.
DVD Film Score: B+
DVD Audio/Video Score: B
DVD Packaging and Layout Score: B-
DVD Special Features Score: B-
Overall Score: B
