A 9 out of 10 only for some budget deficiencies that show a bit. By all means skip the director commentary because its all whining about lack of funds. Understandable, but obnoxious to sit through.
Let me just comment on a few things not much mentioned in the customer reviews. First, despite what's stated by many and even the IMDb plot summary, the population shown here is not drugged to the point of being "emotionless". People have to feel enough to care about family, obeying the rules, succeeding at their jobs, etc. Rather, the highs and lows of emotion have been chemically eliminated. Although this is taught from birth to be necessary for "sense" purity, the real reason is that it makes it easier for a repressive regime to stay in power and at least partially prevent rebellion. And for anyone who thinks the mass public attendance of televised political harangues is unrealistic, go rent "Triumph of the Will" by the chronicler of Nazi ascendancy, Leni Riefenstahl. And remind yourself that Hitler's adoring masses weren't even drugged.
Second, although the drug is used to control emotions, its good old indoctrination that dictates behavior. The drugged state is reinforced by every mind control practice you can think of. Children are rewarded for ratting out parents, friends tattle on friends, etc. While the immediate reward is continued survival of the ratter at the expense of the rattee, you still get the sense that even children can feel some level of satisfaction in having earned brownie points, done their "duty", cleansed their family, whatever. Careful watching or re-watching of this movie shows that people around the edges of the main characters express flickers of emotion according to their job status, with those in more regular jobs having less rein on their responses. By contrast one key character is obviously off his meds, though some viewers seem to think this was either bad acting or some kind of continuity error. Actually its important to the plot.
In a truly emotionless society no one would even bother to procreate or care for children. So even John Preston (Christian Bale) seems permitted to indicate a flicker of pride over his young son's acceptance into the cleric training school, which he expresses right in front of the most important boss he has. From what we see its only he and his fellow Grammaton Clerics who are trained to squelch their emotions entirely, as well they might since they are the cruel enforcement arm of their society's vicious goals.
Third, Bale deserves a lot of credit for the way this movie succeeds. He does a wonderful job of making us care about a nearly-expressionless man who sets his own liberation in motion through one simple accident (or is it?) while brushing his teeth, a small personal cleansing that suggests bigger things are coming. He's soon slammed hard by emotions he's never been allowed to feel, emotions that both intrigue and frighten him and which he dare not express. Its almost worth the price of rental/purchase to see him play a man hearing his first music, or sitting and watching his children sleep late one night. Even as we realize he's feeling paternal love to a degree he's never felt it before, the fact remains he still can't show it and his kids can't know it or they'll turn him in. By the time he reviews a key event in his personal life, you can feel its horrific impact on him by the merest flicker of reaction on his face, and in the tiniest changes in body language. The tension between what he realizes and feels and what he dares to show builds to an agonizing sub-climax that sets the finale in motion.
Fourth, the ironic different between what is expected of people in this dark future and how human nature really operates is used to great effect. Preston's special skill as a cleric is his ability to anticipate what lies beneath, what's behind the wall, what his quarry is thinking. In other words, to sense. This makes him suspect as well as valuable to his masters. The feeling of personal jeopardy builds wonderfully as he experiences more and struggles harderto hide it, particularly as he realizes his special mission is being scrutinized by his new partner.
The best sci-fi is never about technology, the best martial arts movies are never about the fighting. The human heart may never have perfect equilibrium, and this quiet little classic of a movie sure never got its due in a limited theatrical release. But its worth your time and then some.
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