Equilibrium is on the other hand a film of the action genre. Furthermore, it depicts a dystopian future in which the world is fundamentally different from our present one, architecturally and socially. As such, the film Equilibrium makes use of special effects in a much more obvious way. Without special effects, this reality could not have been presented, and the use of CGI further enhances this experience towards realism.

Primarily, the use of CGI and special effects are used in creating the world of Equilibrium. The skyline images are created either through the use of computer graphics. The sets are carefully detailed (and perhaps modified from existing locations, a further representation of manipulating realities) to resemble this dystopian future. CGI is used in many places, subtly, through the holographic image of Father, the images shown on the large screens overlooking the citizens and in the climax when DuPont ultimately reveals the death of Father and his role as the dictator.

Equilibrium also makes use of special effects through lighting (in the opening scene where Preston eliminates sense offenders in the dark), pyrotechnics (when they burn the Mona Lisa among other paintings), and blood and costume effects (most notably when Brandt has his face sliced off by Preston in the end). All of these effects are necessary and help convince the viewers of its realism.

Sound effects are vitally important in this film as well. Without control over sound, the atmospheric effects could not be created. Without control over sound, the muteness of this dystopian future could not have been achieved. And without control over sound, the dynamic action sequences would not have been fleshed out, as with the explosions of the city in the end.

All in all, Equilibrium is an example of modern action films that make use of CGI and special effects to portray the dynamism needed in this genre. Its usage of visual effects in portraying the future is limited to that of the skyline sequences, which is not as visually different from futures portrayed in films like Star Wars or The Matrix, but nonetheless are effective. Without special effects and CGI, Equilibrium would have been impossible.