Steve Jordan
I like SF. SF is cool.
The Fifth Element - a Luc Besson film (Bruce Willis, Gary Oldman, Milla Jovovich, Chris Tucker, Ian Holm)
(I just rewatched this the other day, and was surprised I did not see a review of it here.)
Luc Besson was clearly heavily influencd by sci-fi elements more common in Europe, as often depicted in publications like Metal Hurlant (the original Heavy Metal), when crafting The Fifth Element. The result is a sci-fi romp that stands apart from almost every American-made sci-fi film to date. In the U.S., it just came and went, making little noise among critics or the public, but it is no less a great film, worthy of outright cult status.
The film tells the ages-spanning story of a universal evil on its way to Earth, and apparently capable of destroying All Universal Life from a single spot within an Egyptian temple (go figure). The temple is apparently ready to defend Earth and All Life, but as World War II is imminent, the aliens who left the defensive weapon-- four powered stones, and a "Fifth Element"--decide the weapon is in danger, and must be removed and returned later... naturally, just before the evil returns to destroy All Life.
Which brings us to the 23rd century, where ex-military man, now cabbie Korben Dallas (Willis) gets involved with a priest (Holm) and his assistant to collect the stones and Fifth Element (Jovovich), and get them to the temple before it's too late. And on the way, they have to deal with the antics of DJ Ruby Rod (Tucker, apparently the role he was borm for!), industrialist Zorn (Oldman), who is working for the evil and wants the stones at all costs, and Zorn's alien warrior/terrorist allies, who just want to get paid!
Throughout, Willis is effectively heroic, capable and a bit world-weary, while Jovovich plays innocent but deadly to the hilt. Oldman plays the baddie in bed with Evil in a strangely-bent fashion (why do these people never understand that cooperating with the destruction of All Life includes themselves?), and Chris Tucker plays a flaming celebrity... well, as only Chris Tucker can.
The various elements of the future New York City, urbanity gone wild, are hilarious and awe-inspiring at once. The only two alien species featured in the movie, the incredible blue Diva, and the shape-shifting warrior race, are just the kind of thing you'd expect to see in the pages of Heavy Metal, but never, EVER on-screen... but both are done beautifully, and the barely-competent warriors provide some of the best laughs of the film.
A wonderful mix of over-the-top futuristic technology and equally-wild humor, The Fifth Element is the epitome of "fun" sci-fi, incredibly entertaining as opposed to realistic or cautionery fiction. If you can, check out the widescreen version, to catch all of the vista of this weird futuristic world, and check your logic at the door... you won't need it here.
(Caution: There's an occasional nipple in evidence, in case you're particular about what your kids see.)
(I just rewatched this the other day, and was surprised I did not see a review of it here.)
Luc Besson was clearly heavily influencd by sci-fi elements more common in Europe, as often depicted in publications like Metal Hurlant (the original Heavy Metal), when crafting The Fifth Element. The result is a sci-fi romp that stands apart from almost every American-made sci-fi film to date. In the U.S., it just came and went, making little noise among critics or the public, but it is no less a great film, worthy of outright cult status.
The film tells the ages-spanning story of a universal evil on its way to Earth, and apparently capable of destroying All Universal Life from a single spot within an Egyptian temple (go figure). The temple is apparently ready to defend Earth and All Life, but as World War II is imminent, the aliens who left the defensive weapon-- four powered stones, and a "Fifth Element"--decide the weapon is in danger, and must be removed and returned later... naturally, just before the evil returns to destroy All Life.
Which brings us to the 23rd century, where ex-military man, now cabbie Korben Dallas (Willis) gets involved with a priest (Holm) and his assistant to collect the stones and Fifth Element (Jovovich), and get them to the temple before it's too late. And on the way, they have to deal with the antics of DJ Ruby Rod (Tucker, apparently the role he was borm for!), industrialist Zorn (Oldman), who is working for the evil and wants the stones at all costs, and Zorn's alien warrior/terrorist allies, who just want to get paid!
Throughout, Willis is effectively heroic, capable and a bit world-weary, while Jovovich plays innocent but deadly to the hilt. Oldman plays the baddie in bed with Evil in a strangely-bent fashion (why do these people never understand that cooperating with the destruction of All Life includes themselves?), and Chris Tucker plays a flaming celebrity... well, as only Chris Tucker can.
The various elements of the future New York City, urbanity gone wild, are hilarious and awe-inspiring at once. The only two alien species featured in the movie, the incredible blue Diva, and the shape-shifting warrior race, are just the kind of thing you'd expect to see in the pages of Heavy Metal, but never, EVER on-screen... but both are done beautifully, and the barely-competent warriors provide some of the best laughs of the film.
A wonderful mix of over-the-top futuristic technology and equally-wild humor, The Fifth Element is the epitome of "fun" sci-fi, incredibly entertaining as opposed to realistic or cautionery fiction. If you can, check out the widescreen version, to catch all of the vista of this weird futuristic world, and check your logic at the door... you won't need it here.
(Caution: There's an occasional nipple in evidence, in case you're particular about what your kids see.)
