The Fifth Element, 1997

The Fifth Element, 1997
Director: Luc Besson
Cast: Bruce Willis, Milla Jovovich, Gary Oldman


Stage: Home theatre, late Saturday TV screening

The Fifth Element in short: Two hundred and fifty years in the future, life as we know it is threatened by the arrival of Evil. Only the Fifth Element can stop the Evil from extinguishing life, as it tries to do every five thousand years. She is assisted by a former elite commando turned cab driver, Korben Dallas, who is, in turn, helped by Prince/Arsenio clone, Ruby Rhod. Unfortunately, Evil is being assisted by Mr. Zorg, who seeks to profit from the chaos that Evil will bring, and his alien mercenaries.



Preps: Seen this already, in fact several times. I love it, as it really poses something extraordinary with unique idea of destruction of the world, being put on screen, with more than enough entertainment.


Reality: As said, this is one of my favourites of all times. There are several points I need to make with this movie, because the story is unique and can be depicted in so many ways, however only few of them are so original and extraordinary as this one.
Luc Besson really nails it again, the images he created, are beyond belief. Plus, he successfully embedded the portray of the hero (of past) into the present in the movie. I am speaking of Bruce Willis, with the same role we have been seeing for some time on screen, but in rare cases it works as good as in this one. The all-time hero, on the quest for saving the world. The similar one as in Die Hard, Armageddon and several more. In this case, the protagonist of the habits people have, the yearning (for love), fight until the last breath, and the fact that the luck shows up at the back of the brave ones (yeah :) ).
In any case, the successful portraying of alternative Earth/Heaven, with the lucky prize contest and the weirdo Ruby Rhod (superbly played by Chris Tucker) - you can just die of laughter when watching him. On the other pole, Milla Jovovich, as the angel which will serve us as a tool to defeat evil. The innocent creature, that comes up to speed with our history and things we do in the most effective way. In some way or up to some extent you can tell how a perfect foreigner would see us from a different perspective. From non-burdened history.. and with the eyes of someone that doesn't have a clue what an Earth person is. The images we can see can trouble our mind for at least some time. Plus, the screening itself and the learning process is really funny. Obviously, like any Earth person would, also Willis finds his angel whom he wants to marry and cherish until the rest of his life. Obviously she falls in his arms and at the end, we have a Hollywood ending. Who could resist Bruce anyway, right? :)
The music in the movie is brilliant, also one of my favourite soundtracks of all times. Eric Serra as the composer, accompanied with some good artists, like Khaled, Lionel Ritchie. Absolutely above average and worth having at home.

The movie itself is unique and something really special, works in many environments and in this sense can be really universally shown. No extra praise upon US nation, just a surreal image of what the future might be in some weird imagination. It will make you think. And you will enjoy the escape with Bruce and Milla. Obviously, the world is saved in the last moment, but the irony behind it remains.

Leeloo: Everything you create, you use to destroy.
Korben Dallas: Yeah, we call it human nature.




My personal rating: 9,0 (one of my favourites of all times. I adore the idea, music, the delivery with the cast, mmmmm. Love to see it every now and then).


The fifth Element on IMDB