Two individuals begin an forbidden romance in a world devoid of emotion in Equals. In a seemingly Utopian future society, human emotion has been genetically removed from individuals. Silas (Nicholas Hoult) is a drone-like office worker, who learns that he has been diagnosed with “Switched On Syndrome,” where he has begun regaining his lost emotions. When he finds out that he co-worker Nia (Kristen Stewart) has the same condition, they begin a secret romance with each other and look for a way to escape this society.
From director Drake Doremus (Like Crazy) comes this Romeo and Juliet-like science fiction story, set in a seemingly Utopian society, which turns out to to be more Dystopian in nature. This isn't really all that new a science fiction concept and in fact the emotionless society of Equals reminded me somewhat of the 1993 young adult novel “The Giver,” which received a less-than-stellar film adaptation last year. However, despite the attractive leads of Nicholas Hoult and Kristen Stewart, Equals is a little more deeper than the countless similarly themed young adult stories, with the film examining what exactly it means to be human.
★ ★ ★ ★ | LIKED IT
