"Idiocracy" Review!

Last fall I gave you several updates on the status of the release (or lack thereof) of the new film from Mike Judge, "Idiocracy." FOX didn't release a trailer, gave the film no advertising of any kind and dropped it in a few theaters in Los Angeles and throughout Judge's home state of Texas for about two or three weeks in September. The movie came and went with little notice, not due to a lack of quality, but simply because few knew it even existed. But I kept looking for it, hoping against hope it would make its way to even one screen in the Seattle area. It never did. So this morning I headed over to Fred Meyer, and I can only assume I was the first person who bought it there. I hope it's sold a few more copies since.
"Idiocracy" is the story of the most average man in the United States Army, Private Joe Bauers (Luke Wilson). He and a prostitute named Rita (Maya Rudolph) have been selected to participate in a scientific experiment in which they will be frozen for one year. Things don't go exactly as planned and when Joe awakes, he finds himself in the apartment of a man named Frito (the surprisingly good Dax Shepard). Joe's trying to figure out what's happened, but Frito is trying to watch the most popular show on television, "Ow! My Balls!" Joe does not yet realize that it is the year 2505, and as is explained at "Idiocracy's" beginning, humanity has become progressively dumber. Stupid people had more and more kids, while the smarter ones kept finding logical reasons not to.
Joe soon discovers that water has been replaced by Brawndo (which "has what plants crave: Electrolytes!"), a Gatorade style drink. He goes to the doctor (played by Justin Long in a hilarious cameo), who explains that, "So basically it says here you're f---ed up, you sound like a fag, and your s--t's all retarded." You see, Joe's average speech is far superior to that of modern man. Joe's IQ test (which includes adding 1 and 1) reveals that he is now the smartest man alive, and it is up to him, with Rita's help, to solve the problems of mankind. If he doesn't, the President (Terry Crews) will send him to jail.
The future proves to be a hilarious playground for Judge, a master satirist. I think it's safe to say that yes, humanity is getting dumber, so the world of "Idiocracy" (in which the Academy Award winner for Best Screenplay is for a movie called "Ass," in which a naked butt farts for 90 minutes) doesn't seem terribly far fetched. While not as laugh out loud funny as "Office Space," it is a very funny film, and I get the feeling that subsequent viewings will only reveal more depth. As annoyed as I am with FOX for keeping this film from us in theaters, I'm glad that the DVD is finally out and you can take a look at this very inventive look into the future. 8/10