Idiocracy

R

Released Sep 1, 2006

1h 24m

Comedy

Sci-Fi

List

71%

Tomatometer

52 Reviews

61%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

In 2005, average in every way private Joe Bowers (Luke Wilson) is selected to take part in a secret military experiment to put him in hibernation for a year along with a woman named Rita (Maya Rudolph). The slumbering duo is forgotten when the base they are stored on is closed down and are left in stasis until 2505. When they finally wake up, they discover the average intelligence of humans has decreased so much that Joe is now the smartest man in the world.

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Critics Consensus

Frustratingly uneven yet enjoyable overall, Idiocracy skewers society's devolution with an amiably goofy yet deceptively barbed wit.

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Reihan Salam

Slate

Idiocracy is easily the most potent political film of the year, and the most stirring defense of traditional values since Edmund Burke's Reflections on the Revolution in France.

Apr 9, 2020

Full Review

Bilge Ebiri

Village Voice

The whole film has a drab, somnambulant rhythm. Intentional or not, this is part of its genius.

Oct 4, 2016

Full Review

Ann Hornaday

Washington Post

If the world is going to hell in any number of handbaskets -- as Judge so acutely demonstrates that it is -- you might as well hitch a ride in his.

May 7, 2009

Full Review

Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

Crappy film.

Rated: D

Nov 20, 2020

Full Review

Peter Schom

IGN Movies

While dumb people are an easy target, Judge makes a mistake in only working variants of this one riff.

Rated: 4/10

Apr 9, 2020

Full Review

Lucy Barrick

Radio Times

Although Wilson's everyman is a bit too much of a blank slate to really care about, the gaudy visuals and cynical gags more than compensate.

Rated: 3/5

Apr 9, 2020

Full Review

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Dave S

As the result of a horribly botched military experiment, Joe Bauers (Luke Wilson), an extremely average army librarian, finds himself 500 years in the future in a time where IQs have plummeted, making Joe the smartest man in the world. Equal parts silly and satirical, Idiocracy has more than its fair share of laughs and, made in 2006, proves to be a wildly prescient foreshadowing of Trump’s America. As good as Wilson is as the exasperated protagonist, the movie is stolen by Dax Shepard as Joe’s dullard lawyer. Despite running less than ninety minutes, the humor does feel as though it begins to repeat itself around the midway point as only so much can be done with a cast of characters who amount to nothing more than slack-jawed yokels. Regardless, it’s worth a watch based simply on the originality of its story.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

10/05/24

Full Review

Yvonne P

You guys are particular individuals who are not very smart. This movie is a masterpiece

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/04/24

Full Review

Hank T

As both a social commentary and a comedy this film is gold.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

10/04/24

Full Review

Max D

Look I love dumb movies but this just wasn’t good to the point I literally just made this account to say so

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

10/01/24

Full Review

Kaden D

This movie is just "dumb fun" and I like that.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

09/30/24

Full Review

Jose C

I enjoy “dumb” movies here and there but this one takes the cake. There's better ways to pass the time but if you just want a movie with a few dumb jokes here and there, it’s fine.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

07/09/24

Full Review

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Mike Judge

Director

Luke Wilson

Pvt. Joe Bowers

Maya Rudolph

Rita

Dax Shepard

Frito

Terry Crews

President Camacho

David Herman

Secretary of State

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Synopsis

In 2005, average in every way private Joe Bowers (Luke Wilson) is selected to take part in a secret military experiment to put him in hibernation for a year along with a woman named Rita (Maya Rudolph). The slumbering duo is forgotten when the base they are stored on is closed down and are left in stasis until 2505. When they finally wake up, they discover the average intelligence of humans has decreased so much that Joe is now the smartest man in the world.

Director: Mike Judge
Producer: Mike Judge, Elysa Koplovitz
Screenwriter: Mike Judge, Etan Cohen
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Production Co: Twentieth Century Fox
Rating: R (Sex-Related Humor|Language)
Genre: Comedy, Sci-Fi
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 1, 2006, Wide
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Oct 4, 2016
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 1, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $438.7K
Runtime: 1h 24m
Sound Mix: Dolby, DTS

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