Crickets Chirping

I saw Mike Judge’s new film, Idiocracy last night.

It’s the dumbest movie I’ve ever seen.

I mean that in the best way possible, because I actually liked this movie. Mike Judge is an expert in Stupid. He finds clever ways of illustrating stupidity and although some gags in this movie were pretty uh, retarded, I thought it was quite funny overall.

Set in a future where people are dumber than they are now, it migh as well be the fast-forwarded ultimate conclusion of just about any movie or cartoon he’s ever made.

Here’s the President, something-Mountain-Dew-something-Comacho, driving in a motorcade:

He’s also a professional wrestler and a porn star, in addition to Commander in Chief. Characters seem to have names taken from consumer products. There’s a lawyer named “Frito” and a doctor named “Lexus.”

Most of the characters wear clothing that is entirely covered in advertiesements. One of the cabinet members gets paid to say “brought to you by Carl’s Junior” after everything he says. Judge is clearly highlighting the stupidity of excessive branding, a growing trend and one I agree is pretty stupid. Here he’s just illustrating what that trend looks like taken to its (il)logical conclusion.

The lawyer went to college in an Costco, which stretches on for miles and miles. It’s actually turned into an indoor city of sorts.

The premise itself, and the gradual revelation of how earth became so stupid is enough for me to give it the thumbs up.

That said, the romantic interest between the protagonist and Maya Rudolph’s character is clumsy. I didn’t expect much from Judge in this department, but it is necessary to the plot so I can see why he threw it in there.

A cautionary tale wrapped in fart jokes? Beavis and butthead set in the future? The incompetent dystopia resulting from companies like Initech taking over the country?

I’m not going to compare it to current events, but there are some obvious connections you could make between it and our low-IQ administration. Scifi and comedy have always been a safe haven for political satire and according to Judge, FOX News is alive and well in 2505 (that scene is fucking priceless, btw).

Overall, I recommend it.