Equals

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2:18

Equals

PG-13

2016

1h 41m

Sci-Fi

Romance

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

36%

Tomatometer

86 Reviews

43%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

Nia and Silas work together in a futuristic society known as the Collective. A seemingly utopian world, the Collective has ended crime and violence by genetically eliminating all human emotions. Despite this, Nia and Silas develop a growing attraction that leads to a forbidden and passionate romance. As suspicion begins to mount among their superiors, the couple must choose between going back to the safety of their lives or risking it all to try and pull off a daring escape.

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Critics Consensus

Equals is a treat for the eyes, but its futuristic aesthetic isn't enough to make up for its plodding pace and aimlessly derivative story.

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Candice Frederick

Reel Talk Online

Mar 21, 2017

B

Equals boasts] stunning cinematography, futuristic effects, and an impossibly controlled narrative.

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Richard Roeper

Chicago Sun-Times

Jul 22, 2016

2/4

You admire the look and the performances, and some interesting ideas are presented, but everything feels muted and predictable and lacking in spark.

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Adam Graham

Detroit News

Jul 22, 2016

C-

As stiff and rigid as two equals signs, "Equals" is a bland sci-fi romance that is as dull as its scrubbed-clean visual aesthetic.

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Don Shanahan

Every Movie Has a Lesson

Aug 14, 2022

2/5

In a film centered on characters being overwhelmed by stirring emotions, that reaction does not transfer successfully to the audience.

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Apr 11, 2022

2.5/4

While the narrative recalls countless works and plays out in ways you'll surely see coming, Doremus' production deserves top marks for its visual and technical package.

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Jason Adams

The Film Experience

Jan 14, 2022

You've never seen skin as devastatingly luminescent as Hoult's here

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JT L

@JT6666 May 24, 2026

The juice isn't worth the squeeze... If you seen a similar movie "The Island" "1984" this will be a disappointment.

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Clayton J

@TheClay Feb 8, 2026

Thank you for a conventional ending for a change! It’s such an unconventional theme and storyline it was nice to see an ending that didn’t leave you mad, or hanging. I can understand why some may rate this movie poorly, because it’s slow moving and relies heavily on closeups of colored-eyed actors, but we needed another Gattaca style movie and I’m glad for an artfully done piece like this. It probably could have been shortened 10%. One thing I appreciated was the PG-13 rating. This movie would have been way too pigeonholed if it was R, and nudity or sex scenes were entirely unnecessary, so I’m glad the director forewent those. I also thought this was great work by Kristin Stewart.

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Danny P

@DannyPac Dec 30, 2025

I loved the lighting and futuristic aesthetics. That saved the movie from being unbearably boring.

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Mathieu V

@Zebrken Dec 30, 2025

That was the worst movie out of this 2010 to 2015 post-apocalyptic séries of movies. The visual was good but it was an empty movie. Nothing were telling, and all the idea was wasting. The woman who was spying on Nia, the men in the support group who would prefer to never feel anything again, the monitor who use the caméra. Never shown again. They didn't not even tried to show us what the peninsula was looking like. Is there anyone there? We'll never know. Is the people in the city are all doomed to a emotionless life? We'll never know.

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D P

@RT45936356 Aug 12, 2025

So, this was inspired by '1984' by George Orwell, yes? With a touch of Brave New World? It feels very inspired to me. Anyway, they finally found a character that Kristen Stewart can play without using any acting skills. Very nice.

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Amy T

@AmyTh173 Jul 22, 2025

Watching people trying to navigate an "emotionless" society was interesting. There is really no way to suppress human emotion, no matter how hard you try, particularly love. This was a beautifully made and well-acted movie. However, I can see why it wasn't everyone's cup of tea. It's not my favorite Kristen Stewart movie, but it's worth a watch.

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Synopsis

Nia and Silas work together in a futuristic society known as the Collective. A seemingly utopian world, the Collective has ended crime and violence by genetically eliminating all human emotions. Despite this, Nia and Silas develop a growing attraction that leads to a forbidden and passionate romance. As suspicion begins to mount among their superiors, the couple must choose between going back to the safety of their lives or risking it all to try and pull off a daring escape.

Director: Drake Doremus
Producer: Michael Schaefer, Michael A. Pruss, Ann Ruark, Chip Diggins, Jay Stern
Screenwriter: Nathan Parker
Distributor: A24
Production Co: E1 Entertainment, Scott Free Productions, Route One Entertainment, Union Investment Partners
Rating: PG-13 (Partial Nudity|Disturbing Images|Sensuality|Thematic Content)
Genre: Sci-Fi, Romance, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 15, 2016, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 18, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $32.1K
Runtime: 1h 41m

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