MOVIE REVIEW: ELYSIUM

In a future in which the privileged reside on an Earth-orbiting space station named Elysium and the less fortunate live on the surface of the blighted, overpopulated planet below, one man dares to defy the strict anti-immigration laws that separate the two disparate worlds in order to save all of mankind in this visceral sci-fi action thriller from District 9 director Neill Blomkamp. Alice Braga, Diego Luna, William Fichtner, and Faran Tahir, Sharlto Copley co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Neill Blomkamp

Cast: Matt Damon, Alice Braga, Jodie Foster, Faran Tahir, William Fichtner, Sharlto Copley

Release Date: Aug 09, 2013

Rated R for Strong Bloody Violence and Language Throughout

Runtime: 1 hr. 49 min.

Genres: Action/Adventure, Drama

Review:

Neill Blomkamp’s follow up to District 9 is heavy on allegory but surprisingly light on plot. It’s a steady effective and exciting sci-fi film which is full of cool gadgets and intense action. Blomkamp though is content to take us on a guide tour through this dystopia as we follow Damon’s damaged hero on his journey. We get some glimpses into this world but the film only scratches the surface of themes and systems presented. Additionally there are a handful of plot holes present specifically the final resolution. I would have preferred a headier film, Elysium deliver plenty of spectacle throughout pepper with some impressively graphic violence. Damon’s delivers solid work as usual even though the script doesn’t give him much meat to chew on. Flashbacks, usually heavy hand and unnecessary, give the character a bit of depth and motivation but it’s all fairly routine. To his credit, Damon is strong enough to make us care about his character throughout. Jodie Foster though is surprisingly bad as the primary villain. She sports a distractingly bad French accent while spouting out some terribly clunky dialogue which never hits the mark. Sharlto Copley fares much better as the maniacal Kruger. Copley gives his character a crazed energy which makes him the most interesting thing on screen whenever he’s on it. Blomkamp is working with a bigger budget than he did on his first film and he leaves it all onscreen. As a result the film flies with nary a lag in the action. I just wish it was a slightly deeper excursion.

B