I Finally Watched Idiocracy Now That It’s On Netflix, And I Actually Liked It Better Than Office Space. Here’s Why

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We all have that movie that everyone else seems to know and love, but somehow we’ve missed. For my coworker, Riley Utley, it was *Jaws*, and for me, it’s Mike Judge’s 2006 comedy, *Idiocracy*.

I know what you’re probably thinking: *Idiocracy* isn’t like *Jaws*, and you’re right. Many people, myself included, have seen *Jaws* countless times. *Idiocracy*, on the other hand, is a much less well-known film. But surprisingly, everyone I spoke to had seen *Idiocracy* – and I was the only one who hadn’t!

I recently discovered this was included with my Netflix, and I was really impressed! I actually think it’s even better than my long-time favorite movie, *Office Space*. There are a lot of reasons why I feel that way, and I’ll share a few of them.

Firstly, I Could Sadly Relate More With Idiocracy Than I Could With Office Space

Let me be clear: I absolutely love the movie *Office Space*. Aside from *This Is Spinal Tap*, it’s probably the funniest film I’ve ever watched. Everything about it is brilliant – from the confusion over the name Michael Bolton, to the iconic printer scene, and even Milton’s threats to burn the place down. I genuinely think *Office Space* packs more laughs into every minute than any other movie I know.

Despite finding it funny, I never truly connected with those office comedies. My own experiences are completely different – I’ve never worked a typical office job, spent weekends at work, or been relegated to a less desirable workspace. It all felt very far removed from my reality, as fictional as a superhero movie like *The Avengers*.

Despite how over-the-top it is, I find the movie *Idiocracy* surprisingly relevant. It’s about a regular soldier named Luke Wilson who volunteers for a year-long hibernation experiment, but wakes up 500 years later to a world where everyone has become incredibly unintelligent and America is essentially one giant garbage dump.

Honestly, it really hits home for me. I’m not claiming to be smart, but I see a real distrust of intelligence everywhere I look. It almost feels like we’re already living in the world that movie *Idiocracy* predicted, and I want to explain what I mean by that next.

Office Space Is Ridiculous, But Idiocracy Takes It To The Extreme

The movie *Office Space* starts with a scene I absolutely love: people are completely drained just from their commute, before they’ve even started work. I can definitely relate to that. But what bothers me even more are people who confidently state opinions without doing any research. They’ll even insult you – sometimes with really offensive language – if you dare to disagree. It happens to me all the time.

The movie *Idiocracy* takes the idea of declining intelligence to its furthest extent. It suggests that a future filled with unintelligent people arises because those with less education have more children, while highly educated individuals have fewer. The film dramatically exaggerates this concept, resulting in a nation overwhelmed by ignorance.

A key part of the story revolves around people replacing water with an energy drink called Brawndo, even using it to irrigate crops. When the main character tries to explain that plants need water to grow, people dismiss his idea and mindlessly repeat Brawndo’s slogan: “Brawndo’s got what plants crave. It’s got electrolytes!” He asks what electrolytes are, but they just look at him blankly and repeat the slogan again.

It’s honestly unsettling how relevant this film still is. Okay, maybe the future it shows is a *little* over the top, but it doesn’t feel nearly as distant as it probably did when it came out in 2006. We had the internet back then, sure, but it was so basic! I don’t think even Mike Judge could have predicted just how right he’d be, which is a little depressing, but also… kind of funny, right?

Terry Crews As The President Might Just Be My Favorite Mike Judge Character Of All Time

One of the things I love about *Office Space* is its hilarious characters. Ron Livingston is fantastic as the normal guy surrounded by the office’s eccentric personalities, like Bill Lumbergh, Samir Nagheenanajar, and Milton. They’re all incredibly memorable, and each one has at least one really funny line. Plus, they definitely make me appreciate not working in a typical office!

Putting the humor aside, no actor embodies the sheer energy, intensity, and commanding presence that Terry Crews delivers as President Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho in *Idiocracy*. Crews, who has evolved significantly since his time in the NFL, arguably gives the performance of his career in this role. President Camacho is a captivating character – both lovable with his casual, beer-drinking, motorcycle-riding personality, and surprisingly unsettling.

This president is unpredictable – offering you a key role one moment, and threatening punishment the next if you can’t fix everything immediately. He has a larger-than-life personality and can pull off even the most outrageous look, like wearing an American flag jacket as if it were a military uniform. Essentially, he’s wildly dramatic, and people can’t help but be entertained by him.

I’ve always thought Tim Robbins was a great actor, but honestly, it was seeing him in *Idiocracy* that really sealed the deal for me. He just has a knack for making any role work, and that movie proved it!

Lastly, Idiocracy Will Still Likely Feel Relevant Even Years From Now, Whereas Office Space Still Feels Of That Era

I hinted at this before, but I really think the movie *Idiocracy* will become increasingly relevant as time goes on, even more so than *Office Space*. While *Office Space*, released in 1999 alongside films like *The Matrix*, already felt a bit dated even when it first came out.

It seems like a lot of this was done on purpose. As I see it, it aimed to show the frustrating feeling of being stuck in a meaningless corporate job where employees are easily replaced, and the company isn’t focused on the future. It’s hard to be innovative when you’re trapped in a dead-end position. However, *Idiocracy* still feels like a warning about the direction we’re heading.

With so many people depending on AI now, it’s almost as if we’re letting it take control. If humans stop thinking for themselves and rely entirely on AI, it could be a real problem. While the film doesn’t directly show that happening, it portrays a future where people have lost the motivation to learn if it’s not absolutely necessary, and that’s genuinely unsettling.

What do you think? Have you seen Idiocracy? If so, I’d love to hear your thoughts!

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2025-10-10 21:44