The Fifth Element
February 18, 2021 by admin_name
The Fifth Element
released 1997
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“The Fifth Element” is an English language, French scifi film directed by Luc Besson who also cowrote it with Robert Mark Kamen. It was produced by Patrice Ledoux, Ian Smith and John A. Amicarella. It stars Gary Oldman, Bruce Willis, Ian Holm, Milla Jovovich, Chris Tucker, Luke Perry, Brion James, Tom Lister Jr., Lee Evans, Charlie Creed-Miles, Tricky, John Neville, John Bluthal, Maiwenn, Julie T. Wallace and many more.
An important thing to mention is that a huge amount of people worked on this project. It was a European project in 1997 that cost 90 million dollars, which was the largest budget any European film had ever had at the time. At the time, 90 million dollars was a huge sum of money and that explains the high quality of the film and also why it’s aging so well. I watched it again and still loved it.
The Fifth Element IMDb webpage
The Fifth Element trailer on the TheReviewLib Youtube channel:
“The Fifth Element” is the story of a disillusioned veteran turned cynical taxi driver named Korben Dallas, played by Bruce Willis, who stumbles into prophecy and adventure where a super weapon is the only thing that can save the universe. The story begins with an exchange between a highly secretive order of priests and extraterrestrials known as the Mondoshawans. The purpose of the meeting is the same as the reason for the secretive priesthood. They are charged with a super weapon which is the universe´s only chance at combatting an evil that is on its way. And that weapon is `the fifth element´, a young woman named Leelo, played by Milla Jovovich. She is as awkward a character as Dallas is disillusioned. Their adventure leads them across the universe with all types of bad elements at their heels.
“The Fifth Element” is a well made movie with the simple but effective message of a fairy tale. Unlike so many movies, this one´s message is so simple and does not try for anything more and that is why it succeeds. The very fate of the universe is at stake but the central theme is one of love.
It´s a dated film but so well done someone seeing it today will enjoy it just the same. By that, I´m talking about the worldbuilding, costumes and vision of a possible future seem plausible to the viewer of today. Chris Tucker was brilliant as the entertainer Ruby Rhod. I really got the feel that his show was something to watch. The most popular show of the day, not to miss. The villains and their henchman, or henchhounds, were menacing but not overly bone chilling like what you´d find in many of the best gangster movies or horror films. Mr. Zorg, played by Gary Oldman, is kind of a boob.
The portrayal of New York City being even more congested with a 3-D traffic grid that was even more chaotic than traffic today was brilliant and so well done. The buildings are even higher too. They are as tall as mountains. I loved the scene where Korben was ordering food from an Asian junk style ship flying beside his window. That was great. Also, how small Korben’s apartment was with everything in the apartment being so compact and folding up into the wall, and such, was brilliant. I’m sure other New Yorkers were nodding their heads in recognition. The whole feel of the film is of a steampunk genre without so much grit and cybernetic technology. That’s another great element.
There’s also a karma, fun fact in the story. That is that when the villain Mr. Zorg fires 1 million people instead of 500,00 people one of those people that lose their jobs is Korben. And that is one powerful reason for him accepting the mission which would eventually foil Mr. Zorg’s plans. In short, Mr. Zorg creates the situation of his own downfall by being so nasty. Yep. Karma all the way.
I’ve seen many Luc Besson films and this one is classic Luc Besson. It never gets as gritty as it could. The characters, mainly the heroes, have their hearts in the right place. And there is always a sense of humor in the stories. And. And. And. It has a comic book feel to it. Think of the great film “Valerian” and “La Femme Nikita”, arguably the best spy, assassin film ever. One of the reasons hi films are so good is because at the center of every story is ‘love’. Yes it is what the characters seek and if they are lucky they end up with.
This movie is a great watch and a lot of fun.
The Fifth Element film Youtube:
John Ink2Quill
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