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The Fifth Element

The Fifth Element

List Price: $19.94
Your Price: $15.95
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Unrelentingly Terrible
Review: The only proper analogy I can think of for the experience of watching "The Fifth Element" is of being locked into a small room with several very good-looking but mind-bendingly stupid people who are screaming at the top of their lungs at each other for two hours straight.

Make no mistake: "The Fifth Element" is very pretty, very loud, and VERY stupid. The post-release publicity for the film made a great deal of hay out of the fact that the film's story, by director Luc Besson, was one that he had dreamed up when he was a 14-year-old boy. Unfortunatly, that appears to have been literally true, and Besson apparently did not feel the need to edit or update the plot or dialogue in the intervening decades. Once you strip away the (admittedly brilliant) visual effects and set design, you are left with the sort of script that you can very easily imagine a 7th-grader writing after seeing "Star Wars" for the first time.

Virtually no sci fi movie cliche is left untouched, and it's all presented with Deep Earnest Seriousness. There's the grizzled, Han Solo-esque hero (Bruce Willis, faxing in his performance from whatever island vacation this paycheck bought him), check. There's the Beautiful Alien Princess (Milla Jovavich, trying hard but failing to distract from her near-nudity with strenuous overacting), check. There's the Obi-Wan-esque doddering mentor (Ian Holm, looking properly embarrassed about the whole thing), check. There's the Goofy Black Sidekick (Chris Tucker, channelling Liberace, Superfly and Stepin Fetchit simultaneously, an achievement that's jawdropping for all of the wrong reasons), check. Maniacal villian? Sure, Besson has Gary Oldman's number on his speed-dial for that part, check. Unstoppable alien menace? Check. Love conquers all in the end? Stop, that was a rhetorical question. (But the film insists on answering it.)

Apologists for this film insist that it wasn't meant to be taken seriously, which would be to mistake narrative laziness for intentional satire even if it didn't reek of post-debacle spin. It's quite possible to tell a feather-light and even silly story without insulting your audience at every turn, a task accomplished by films as diverse as "Babe", "There's Something About Mary", and even "Star Wars", which "The Fifth Element" apes shamelessly without ever displaying any awareness about why it worked as a film.

Just about the only redeeming factors in The Fifth Element are the stunning visual effects by Digital Domain, and the gleefully outre costume design by Jean-Paul Gaultier. But they in no way make up for the cringeworthy dialogue, the terrible acting, the overbearing soundtrack and the horribly contrived plot. About the only way to derive any real enjoyment out of this film is to turn the volume down to zero, and at that point why bother?

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Light Hearted Sci Fi
Review: Whatever you do, do not expect Die Hard in space if you watch Fifth Element. This movie may star Bruce Willis but this was the beginning of his search for alternative roles. This is a Science Fiction movie that does not rely on the Science Fiction to entertain. It is light hearted, exciting, often funny and a blast to watch. So many aspects to this movie are well balanced into the story, but at the same time, it remains human on all levels. The incredible set pieces and visual affects never overtake the story. Luc Besson does a great job of directing Willis, who plays a retired Military Major (retired due to personal reasons) who is asked to take on a mission of great importance. He falls into protecting Lelu (Mila Jovavich), a beautiful and prophesized individual (woman) who is expected to save the world. The adventure that they go through is fun to watch. Willis' character falls for Lelu, being an expert soldier doesn't keep him from feeling what he knows is there. As the movie moves on, we are treated to some of the most original set pieces, make up, creatures and costumes that we have ever seen. The mood of the movie is brighter then you would think, considering some of the scenes deal directly with death and destruction. All the actors are good and appear to be having a great time making this movie. Gary Oldman is particularly evil as the Corporate guru who cares nothing for anyone. Chris Tucker is introduced in this movie and is extremely obnoxious, but hilarious at the same time. All in all, this movie may not be ground breaking or provocative, but it takes many elements we all know and gives us The Fifth Element, something original, fun and highly entertaining.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Buy the SUPERBIT version only!
Review: The movie is a fun experience, but it comes alive on the Superbit.
If you have a good DVD player and a decent home theater
surround sound 5.1 system, this movie rocks! It is like being
in the theater and seeing it for the first time. All DVD's
should be offered as Superbit.(well,except "Freddy got fingered")
Don't cheap out and buy the regular DVD, get the Superbit, it
is well worth the extra dollars if you have a home theater system.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great movie!
Review: This is a great action Sci-Fi movie.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: I HATE Chris Tucker
Review: Why do people think Chris Tucker is funny?

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: An exponential eye candy!
Review: I have a progressive scan DVD player and a wide-screen HDTV. This DVD blew me away. The close-up of people's faces were stunning! The DTS sound track was incredible (It has Dolby Digital track also)! I don't care about the extras. If you guys are interested in the director talking about why he placed a potted plant in a particular frame this DVD is not for you.

This is as close to the cinematic experience as we are going to get with the latest technologies. I was stunned by the difference in quality!!! As for the film. Most critics hated it. I loved it so this disk is a win-win for me. (...)

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: I called this one to mind
Review: everytime when I wanted to define "romantic". Though I've selled this video because Chris Tucker and Gary Oldman are too noisy and anxious to me. I think this one is classic.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: One of the best Bruce Willis films I have ever seen
Review: This movie was a bit of a surprise to me. When I saw it for the first time in the theater I wasn't expecting all that much, but man was I wrong! The movie is based on the idea that every few thousand years or so the ultimate evil awakens and tries to wipe out all life in the universe. The only defense against it is a weapon built by an ancient race and (coincidentally) stored on earth. The weapon is the Fifth Element. The other four basic elements are fire, water, earth and air. The Fifth Element also turns out to be not an object but a very beautiful girl. Chris Tucker also stars in this movie, and while others have reviewed his character as annoying, I must say it was very well done and funny! The whole movie has a look and feel almost of a sci-fi/music video. The sound track has an awesome feel to it, and the actors move well within it. Over all out of the hundreds of movies I have seen in my days, I would have to rank this one in the top ten. If you haven't seen it yet, be prepared to watch it again and again, because you won't want it to end.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Best one out of 200+ dvdcollection
Review: I,ve seen it on highend tv ,CRT,and lcd projection.
Heard it on my own Denon highendsystem: this is till now 11-20-01
the best dvd I ever heard and lookt at, my favorit movie,okay,superbit,please stay!Any dvd deserves this treatment highend dvd at last.....

Coen.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Fifth Element Superbit Collection Version
Review: After owning the original for a couple of years and enjoying it after repeated viewings, I decided to take the plunge into the superbit version of this and another title to see if there were any differences. Certainly, I found the soundtrack to this movie to be somewhat bright in the original version and was interested in hearing the DTS version. I have found on reference class equipment that the DTS versions of every film I have viewed have outclassed the Dolby Digital version, without fail. Again, this version did not dissapoint, in the least.

Visually, this is simply stunning on reference equipment. Although the original had outstanding clarity and color, the superbit is ahead by a mile. There is a reduction in video grain removing yet another veil between the viewer and the film. Quite simply - it is pure in its ability to bring the viewer into the film. One is drawn into the film and the experience can be incredibly enjoyable. Color is richer, purer, cleaner than the original. Scenes in NY where Korben Dallas is flying his taxi are amazing in their depth perspective and clarity. All new lines of vehicles flying all over the screen were visible that in the original were blurred into obscurity.

The audio DTS track is far warmer than the original and tighter. Better transition between channels exists, as well. In all, I was able to turn up the film to a higher level than on the original enjoying the dynamic capabilities far more. Bass is more extended and much tighter than before. The top end is more integrated and far less "glassy" than the original D/D version, as well. Mids are pure and smooth. Vocals are much more delineated. Lee-Loo's bright orange hair is much cleaner and the color more saturated, yet no bleeding of color exists.

In all, it eclipses the original and if you don't own the original, I highly recommend this. It is definitely reference class.

(...)


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