# Film Review - The Fifth Element



## Steve Jordan (May 21, 2007)

*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.)


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## HappyHippo (May 21, 2007)

I love Fifth Element to distraction. I'm the kind of gal who'll normally watch a love story or a musical when down in the dumps, but this film trumps them all!

One of my highlights would be the costumes, designed by Jean-Paul Gaultier, in his inimitable style. This does mean flesh on display, but the imapct is stunning.

The mix of 'big' movie names with some unknowns and definite lateral casting produces some incredible chemistry. 

The special effects stand up well after all this time *possible spoiler* especially at the beginning when Leelu is being 'built'. The aliens are satisfyingly alien, the makeup is flawless, and Milla Jovovich kicks bum.

This film has humour, romance, action, effects, names, drama, scope, great one-liners, and BRUCE WILLIS IN A VEST.

Add a tub of ice cream, it's the ulitmate night in! 

(Great review, Steve. Great film.)


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## mogora (May 22, 2007)

Great review. I'm a real big fan of The Fifth Element. I love the visuals, the humor, and the outstanding soundtrack. Oh, the soundtrack! It's marvelous and so fitting - I'm thinking especially of the taxicab chase scenes and the Leeloo fight with the Diva's song playing over it. Wonderful.

The Fifth Element is a delight to look at and just plain fun.


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## Winters_Sorrow (May 22, 2007)

Good movie - fantastic soundtrack and a spoiler free review. What could be better


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## Steve Jordan (May 22, 2007)

Thanks.

And yass... Leelo's fight with the Mengalores while the Diva sings... that rocked!


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## Steve Jordan (May 22, 2007)

Thanks.

And yass... Leelo's fight with the Mengalores while the Diva sings... that rocked!


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## Steve Jordan (May 22, 2007)

Thanks.

And yass... Leelo's fight with the Mengalores (I remembered their names) while the Diva sings... that rocked!


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## Circus Cranium (May 29, 2007)

And anyone who doesn't get chills when the Diva sings has got to be a zombie.


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## gully_foyle (May 29, 2007)

The Diva is singing a reasonably famous opera, but I think the update on it works brilliantly. I also enjoyed that there were a few elements (no pun intended) that payed homage to BladeRunner, not least the chinese takeaway.


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## Somni (May 29, 2007)

Every time I have seen The Fifth Element it amazes me how enjoyable a film with virtually no coherent plot (get rocks, avoid baddies) can be.


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## Tillane (May 29, 2007)

I love all of Besson's films, and for sheer enjoyment Fifth Element just can't be beaten.  And Gary Oldman as Zorg is just brilliant.


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## Lith (Nov 10, 2007)

I like his vision of the future.  It's fun, where most movies go for the heavenly utopia or a hellish uh, hellhole.  It feels like a future that's still human and one might want to live in.


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## Steve Jordan (Nov 10, 2007)

Lith said:


> I like his vision of the future.  It's fun, where most movies go for the heavenly utopia or a hellish uh, hellhole.  It feels like a future that's still human and one might want to live in.



Are you sure about that?  I mean, the movie was fun, but think about the way life in New York of the future was depicted: 

Closet-sized apartments
3-D traffic
Oppresive police
Robbers go door-to-door
Notice the sea-level drop of hundreds of feet in the NYC establishing shot?
And how about the pile of trash in the spaceport?
And let's not forget the electronic frontier protecting us from world-conquering aliens.
Hopefully not every place is as bad as NYC, but overall, I can't say I'd even want to visit, much less live there.


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## Ice fyre (Nov 10, 2007)

See what you mean about the dystopian elements now that you mention it. The effects are amazing the story is cheesy but it works. I must really watch all the extras (I got a special edition) I did notice that there were quite a few UK actors in it.

I fell about laughing through most of it and it is one of the few apperances of Lee Evans I didnt want claw my own eyes out with. I did like him in Something about Mary but then i do have a weakness for very nasty comedy!


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## monikka (May 20, 2008)

My favorite movie is the fifht element, I think that it is a fantastic movie because it has many sbjects like: love, action, the future, comedy, etc.
You can enjoy seeing how a story of love is developped between the two principal characters, you can laugh and you can see moments of drama and with a lot of action, and it is a movie for all the ages.
In fact I think that is very well done, I like the costumes a lot and I think that you really can imagine how the futur will be.
If you didn't see it do it!


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## ktabic (May 20, 2008)

The Fifth Element is a joy to watch. One of the few films I can watch again (overcoming the curse of a memory just good enough to remember enough of films to become bored on second viewing). The Leeloo fight during the DIva song is great and Zog is just played just right by Oldman (and his weapons demonstration is a hoot)


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## Grimward (May 21, 2008)

I love it, too.  Tucker's kind of annoying, but is obviously supposed to be so.  I thought the General (ie, Dallas' commanding officer) had just the right amount of zaniness to fit in with the rest of the flick.  Willis, Jovanovich and Oldman are great, of course.  "Ba-da Boom!"


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## Drachir (May 24, 2008)

Great film.  Have watched it several times even with its flaws (the lunatic car chase - something that would highly unlikely in a world of flying cars.  There would have to be some sort of way to prevent people from doing that) and the fact that is a world where a complete being can be constructed from a miniscule amount of protoplasm why does Gary Oldman limp throughout the entire film?  That being said it was a most enjoyable bit of escapism; all the more so because Oldman makes such a great villain.  And of course, Jovovich is "perfect."


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## Parson (May 24, 2008)

True to my contrarian nature --- I hated this film. 

I never once believed the setting. I never once believed the characters. Some of the violence was so far over the top that everyone would have been dead.The "heroine's" custom was only meant to titillate, (I can't imagine how many wardrobe malfunctions there must have been! 

This movie doesn't even deserve to mentioned in the same breath as "Enemy Mine," "Alien," "Predator," any of the Star Wars (especially the original trilogy) or even the Star Trek movies (as flawed as they were). I would rate this lower than the awful TV series "Lost in Space."


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## yngvi (May 24, 2008)

Back off 'Lost in Space', I was raised with Dr. Smith _et al_.  For it's time it was funny and imaginative (by the way, I also liked 'My Favourite Martian')

The Fifth Element is very watchable for me.  I think Bruce Willis at his most likeable makes the film what it is (sorry Jean Luc wossisname).


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## Parson (May 25, 2008)

"My favorite Martian" was indeed a funny and enjoyable show. But they were aiming for funny. "Lost in Space," I think, was trying to take itself seriously. It only really works as low camp material. Remember it was the same time as "Star Trek" which was so far in advance of "Lost in Space" both scientifically and in story telling there is really no comparison. Both did suffer from the available level of special effects. I could overlook them for "Star Trek" but not for "Lost in Space." By today's standards they are awful, but fairly cutting edge for 1965-67.


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