Rating of
3/4
Review: Elysium
MikePA - wrote on 08/12/13
Neil Blomkamp's breakthrough feature District 9 had critics and audiences salivating, and got me looking forward to his next project. That is Elysium, a gritty science fiction thriller that oozes with visual wonderment and contains a plausible substantial character piece at its core. It's not as sophisticated or thought-working as District 9, but it's fun, engaging, visceral stuff, especially once Matt Damon's Max gets that cool-looking suit drilled onto him.
I liked Elysium quite a bit, even after reading the mixed reactions it had on critics. I don't exactly understand what's not to like. It's a simple, engrossing story that gets more and more intriguing as it flows to its exciting climax. It's a good, if not in-depth, look at an interesting character. It has plenty of visual treats and action-heavy moments to offer popcorn-munching audiences. What else do you really want? This isn't perfect cinema at all, but for what it has to offer it's certainly one of the most satisfying films I've seen all year.
Let's start with what's good - the action. At this point, it's easy to say that writer/director Neil Blomkamp's distinctive, artistic visual flare is absolutely gorgeous. He gives this film the same look he gave District 9 - a gritty, dirty, yet impeccably lovely look that truly showcases the essence of the setting. The film looks terrific and features beautiful cinematography, the majority of it being handheld photography. The action set pieces are fun and effective without ever getting too over-the-top.
We've seen the "poor vs. rich" story plenty of times, but Blomkamp successfully blends science fiction elements with it to make it feel fresh and exciting. It's an easy story to get hooked to, with a likable central character played wonderfully by Matt Damon to latch onto emotionally. The film also has something to say about society, whose message is incorporated into the plot well without being shoved in your face.
Regarding the performances, two of them standout and one of them distracts horribly. The standouts are Matt Damon as Max and Sharlto Copley as the ruthless Kruger. Kruger is a secondary villain, you can say, and he chews the scenery as a menacing bat you just want to punch in the jaw. Copley plays him wonderfully. Jodie Foster is pretty bad. Her accent completely turned me off. Every line of dialogue uttered from her mouth is either terribly forced or awkward as all hell. Also, her character lacks depth and any intrigue to make for a fascinating villain. She really just represents the film's one big black hole.
Guys, see Elysium. Ignore whatever you read that was negative. It's one hell of a fun ride, with mostly good performances and incredible visuals to make for a satisfying trip to the cinema.
3/4
