Elysium Review

Elysium

2.5 stars out of 4

By Brett Takeshita

Elysium isn't the complex, deep sci-fi epic that cinephiles predicted. The hype was certainly bigger than the final product. However, that doesn't make Elysium a bad film. In fact, if you go into this movie knowing that it's a simple yet slick popcorn flick, you'll have a good time.

The year is 2154, and the world is divided into two sects. The wealthy people live on Elysium. It's a space station in the air, and life on it is similar to a nice Los Angeles. The less fortunate just have to deal with earth. It's poor, dirty, and overpopulated. The people of earth wish to experience a taste of the good life on Elysium. But because of the strict immigration laws, no one may pass from one sect to the other. We are then introduced to Max (Matt Damon), a good-natured man who is involved in a tragic accident at work that puts him in poor health. He wishes to access one of the machines on Elysium that can cure any malady. However, can he make it over there and live? After all, Delacourt (Jodie Foster) will stop at nothing to make sure that the people of Elysium and earth will stay in their rightful places, no matter what the cost. Can Max save himself and change the fate of this divide? So is the starting point for Elysium. 

Writer-director Neill Blomkamp has crafted a very interesting concoction here. Thematically, this film reaches for the stars. It attempts to explore big ideas pertaining to immigration and health care (just like Blomkamp also did with apartheid in Disctrict 9). It's heart is definitely in the right place, but unfortunately, the script does not go deep enough. I thought that the film would really delve into some dark, complex, and controversial places. However, the script plays itself rather safe and chooses to go with a by-the-numbers action/sci-fi flick. The story is pretty simple and straightforward, where we track with Max and his journey to change himself and the messed up world around him. The story is engaging but not that surprising. The writing is solid but could have been much more.

However, praise must be given to Blomkamp as director. This is a beautiful film with some rad special effects and action sequences. Blomkamp does a great job of letting the action "wow" us by injecting the set pieces with so much raw energy. The spectacle of it all is truly exciting to watch. Blomkamp also makes sure that the action is brutal yet easy to watch. He doesn't rely on super fast cutting so that we can truly breathe and take in all the beautiful action for itself. In terms of making an exciting, slick, suspenseful, and nicely paced film, Blomkamp succeeds.

Elysium also works due to Matt Damon's wonderful performance. Here, he brings much gravitas and makes Max an engaging, sympathetic character. He is in nearly every scene, and he completely anchors the film. There has been much controversy over Jodie Foster's performance. Many have said that it's a career-worst for her. I would disagree. While it certainly isn't her best performance, she does a solid job of playing a heartless, evil woman. I agree with those who say that her accent is really strange and inconsistent throughout (I'm not even sure exactly what accent she was going for), but she is in fine form.

Is Elysium the best sci-fi film around? Probably not. I still prefer Blomkamp's masterful first film, District 9, which is nearly flawless and does a better job of telling an allegorical story with complexity and intelligence. However, in terms of pure entertainment, Elysium gets the job done and then some.