Elysium

Most of the great works of science fiction take place on a spaceship, another planet, or in the case of the new Neil Blomkamp film, a dystopian future where instead of a wall separating two countries, it’s the space between a diseased-ridden Earth and the distant but visible Mercedes-Benz logo looking space station, “Elysium”.

On Elysium the haves, have it all, beautiful houses, beautiful children, and even little MRI machines that cure whatever ails you, be it broken arm or life-threatening disease.  The have-nots back on Earth live a hard life not to dissimilar from the one that Blomkamp portrayed in his previous film, the fantastic “District 9”.  Instead of the oppressed aliens in Johannesburg, this time it’s a whole planet.  On this Earth, in the ruins of  L.A. in the year 2154 lives Max (Matt Damon) an ex-con with the heart of gold, which we’re told in way too many flashbacks that he is special.  On Elysium Jodie Foster runs the show as a government official who keeps the floating paradise safe by killing all who try to enter.

When all too convenient circumstances bring Damon and Foster in opposition the movie really picks up, with a few stops to introduce Alice Braga’s character and fits her and her story like a familiar puzzle piece into the narrative.  That is the major drawback on the film aside from the constant reminders of rich is bad and poor is good, is that everything feels all too convenient.  Characters who all know each other or who only have one degree of separation between the main cast.  Plus if you know sci-fi, or even movie logic, you will see everywhere the movie takes you well before you get there.

The performances keep you engaged enough, mostly though through the slightly ‘off’ character Kruger played fittingly by Sharlto Copley.  What really stood out to me was the world building and the incredible, I mean really incredible visuals.  From the robot police to the simple 30-plus year effect of a ship flying in space, the visual effects artists really made a beautiful looking film.  Writer/Director Blomkamp still needs some work on his storytelling and his fight scenes.  Or maybe he shouldn’t have got the steady-cam crew from Damon’s “Bourne” movies to shoot a lot of his action.

The classics of sci-fi almost always have some sort of social commentary as told through a fictional prism.  Who we are, what we are capable of, what we can do to ourselves as well as one another in a society with rules that are followed blindly.  Unfortunately “Elysium” is not one of those destined to be a classic, but it reminds you of the potential these types of films still have and gives me hope that Blomkamp can give us another one with his next film.

--Robert L. Castillo