ELYSIUM - Review

Elysium

Sci-Fi/Action, 2013
1 hour, 49 minutes
Written and Directed by Neill Blomkamp
Rated R for "strong bloody violence and language throughout"

Starring
Matt Damon
Jodie Foster
Sharlto Copley
Diego Luna
William Fichtner
Alice Braga
Wagner Moura



God. Fucking. Damnit.
Remember District 9 and how FUCKING AMAZING that movie was? Not only was it an incredible modern day science fiction masterpiece, but it was made on a shockingly small budget for a film of that caliber. It boasted a strong performance from newcomer Sharlto Copley, impressive special effects, a beautifully and fully realized alternative present day South Africa. Not to mention, the film is textbook hero's journey, not just in a storytelling sense, but in a very literal sense of "character transformation."
And it was all thanks to writer/director Neill Blomkamp.
So you can imagine how excited I was to hear about Elysium, Blomkamp's first followup to District 9. Matt Damon wearing a badass exoskeleton suit toting a fucking huge rifle that reads CHEM-RAIL on the side (whatever the fuck that means) looked pretty sweet. The trailer is still pretty awesome. So was the set up.
Unfortunately, Elysium isn't all it's cracked up to be. Despite promising high concept science fiction, its execution and story structure falls a little flat. There are plenty of very exciting moments and the action is intense and (mostly) great, but the whole movie comes down to one really absurd plot-hole.
So basically, what you can deduce from the trailer, its about a cancer-stricken Matt Damon who needs to get cured by going to Elysium, a space structure in space. For rich people. And up on Elysium they have these things that can cure cancer and pretty much anything wrong with someone. It fixes people in literally seconds. But it's only for the RICH people.
People back on earth don't have this technology, despite the fact that they need it more than ever. And these people on Elysium are filthy fucking rich, so they could afford healthcare if they were even back on earth. So why aren't these pods on earth? There's no real explanation other than "rich people are assholes." And that's a HUGE driving point of the movie! Really kinda ruined it for me.
But, plot-wise there was a nice curveball that took the film in a direction that I didn't see coming. I don't want to give it away, but basically, it gives Matt Damon the opportunity, if played correctly, to change the course of human history for the better. It's pretty cool and was naturally integrated into the story, so that was a nice touch.
So despite a MASSIVE logic plot-hole and some spotty storytelling, Elysium isn't really that bad. It has some redeeming qualities, namely the performances (especially from Copley) and its GORGEOUS visuals, Elysium is far from perfect. It had lots of potential and I got really excited for it so whatever. It is what it is. Still worth a watch, I think.

7/10