Idiocracy
Idiocracy
Corporal Joe Bauers, a decidedly average American, is selected for a top-secret hibernation program but is forgotten and left to awaken to a future so incredibly moronic that he's easily the most intelligent person alive.
Manuel Frangis reviewedMarch 20, 2025
I just watched Idiocracy again and I would give it a solid 4.5 out of 5 stars. This movie is hilarious clever and way too accurate for comfort. What started as a goofy satire has somehow turned into a scary prediction of the future making it even funnier and more relevant today.
The premise is simple but brilliant. An average guy named Joe is put into hibernation for 500 years and wakes up to find that society has completely dumbed down. What follows is a mix of absurd comedy ridiculous social commentary and nonstop jokes that somehow feel more real with every passing year.
Luke Wilson plays Joe perfectly. He is the ultimate straight man thrown into a world that makes absolutely no sense and his reactions make everything even funnier. Watching him try to navigate a society where intelligence is almost nonexistent leads to some of the best moments in the movie. Maya Rudolph is just as great bringing her own style of humor and keeping things grounded while still playing into the absurdity of it all.
One of the biggest highlights is Terry Crews as President Camacho. He completely steals every scene he is in bringing so much energy and over the top insanity that you cannot help but laugh every time he shows up. His character is one of the most memorable parts of the movie and one of the funniest fictional presidents ever put on screen.
The humor in Idiocracy is a mix of dumb jokes smart satire and ridiculous visual gags. It is the kind of movie that feels stupid on the surface but is actually really well written when you look at how it satirizes everything from politics to advertising to corporate control. The way it exaggerates trends that already existed in the early 2000s makes it even funnier to watch now because so many of those things actually happened.
The world building is also surprisingly great. The way the future is designed with its bright colors absurd advertisements and completely nonsensical technology makes everything feel unique and fully realized. It does not just rely on dialogue to show how dumb the future has become. Every little detail in the background adds to the joke making the setting just as important as the characters.
The pacing is fast and keeps the jokes coming nonstop. There is never a slow moment and even the dumbest scenes have something hilarious happening in the background. The writing does not waste time trying to over explain anything. It just drops you into this ridiculous world and lets you experience it along with Joe.
The only reason I am not giving it a full 5 out of 5 is that some of the jokes do feel a little repetitive after a while. There are moments where it leans a little too hard into the stupidity and could have used a bit more variety. But honestly that is a small complaint because the movie is so much fun from beginning to end.
Idiocracy is the kind of comedy that only gets better the more you watch it. It is dumb in the smartest way possible and somehow feels even more relevant today than when it was first released. It is a must watch for anyone who loves satire and ridiculous comedy. I had a blast watching it and I will definitely be watching it again.