Rating: 
Summary: This is not a movie for dummies
Review: After having read all the negative reviews to this movie (1-2 stars), it became clear to me that the most frequent complaints (e.g. the "loudness" of some characters, the "vagueness" of the plot) could result from a clash of cultures.
North Americans don't laugh at the same things Europeans do.
And North American don't appreciate subtleties either: they refuse to use their wits and "zoom-out" to see the big picture, no matter how obvious it may be; instead, they crave for Star Wars-like dialogs, by means of which everything is spelled-out to them ("Luke..." -- pause for unsuccessful dramatic effect, during what is probably the only 2 seconds without any shower of soldering sparks or any electronic video-game sound, er, special effects, in the whole movie -- "I am your father...")
In European-style movies like The Fifth Element, viewers aren't treated like dummies who have to be told which way is up, instead they are shown a complete, working, verisimilar scenario of a society -- where every bit of info counts.
For example, we are shown -- even if by such hints as background music, names of characters, diversity of accents, architectural design style -- that in the future the dominant culture is no longer Western. It doesn't take us viewers a long time to realize that names such as John are no longer in fashion, as isn't Rock & Roll, or Sunday picnics at the park.
Unlike North Americans and their unhealthy obsession with their own navels, Europeans stand midway between Eastern and Western cultures, and therefore see this "fusion future society" as a likely possibility.
So, I would dare saying that "show vs tell" is not the main reason North Americans don't like this movie: it is perhaps the loss of dominance of American culture that they find subconsciously the most repelling. That, and of course the ridiculing of the Western mass-media/entertainment industry, by the Ruby Rod character...
Me, I find it difficult to accept that the very same reviewers who dislike this movie (a typical "mythical hero" storyline, with the inevitable stereotyped characters and the unavoidable "good vs evil" plot) still praise Star Wars...
As a kid, I used to liked Star Wars movies, but now I find them boring to watch a second time, even the new ones -- no, especially the new ones!
On the other hand, I find The Fifth Element intelligently satirical and refreshing, by any standards -- and it only gets better each time I see it.
But even if you don't like the movie itself, listen to the soundtrack, by Eric Serra. He has made the soundtracks for all of Luc Besson's movies, up to and including The Fifth Element.
Rating:
Summary: Doesn't matter . . .
Review: and it really doesn't matter to me. From the first time I saw this movie until the last time, I just love it. I love the humor. Yes, it's a cult movie. You either love it or not.
Rating:
Summary: An extra disc for a couple bucks more
Review: As with most films that reach a cult status, you either hate it or you love it. The Fifth Element provides the basic good vs. evil storyline with great performances by hero, Bruce Willis(still in Die Hard mode), comedic relief, Chris Tucker(break out roll), over the top bad guy, Gary Oldman(has he ever played the same bad guy twice?), Ian Holm (I first saw him in Tarzan) as the ne'er do well and the perfect weapon, played with depth by the young Mila Jovovich(multi talent- model, actress, singer, no need for a multi pass). Like Blade Runner, the sets and styles create a completely different world than our time/place but it's the action and comedy that make this movie so enjoyable.
I believe the character of Korben Dallas originally was in a series in the 70's Heavy Metal magazine. The film starts off slow, but picks up speed. A fun ride for the price.
Rating:
Summary: Sound problem
Review: Can someone help me? It's weird because I can only hear sound when my surround sound is on. In other words, the DVD doesn't play sound through my TV when the surround sound if off! Something is definitely wrong here! Could someone help me fix this problem?
Oh, by the way.....THIS MOVIE ROCKS!
Rating: 
Summary: Slick, if not for the sappy ending
Review: I finally figured out what those dog-like creatures remind me of, those dudes from the grisoft (AVG antivirus)logo. This film is a visual and aural treat, and is at its best when its funny, which makes you wonder if its not actually a spoof. The most nauseating part was towards the end, with all that 'love can save the world' talk. Otherwise, I quite liked it. My favourite scene, perhaps, is the Diva concert which is followed by the scene in which Leeloo kicks the guts out of those dog-like guys with a techno-remix Diva in the background. I sometimes wonder, what yardsticks do science fiction directors, or writers, for that matter, follow when creating futuristic sets? Here, rush hour is airborne and you have all sorts of gadgets that make life easier for you, but bruce willis still has to use a matchstick to light a cigarette...surely, even today we use lighters. But whatever, a fun film.
Rating: 
Summary: Silly.
Review: If only they had another director (perhaps Ridley Scott, using a little "Blade Runner" flair), this movie could have had the potential to be very good. Instead, director Luc Besson ("Leon," aka: "The Professional") chose to formulate this sophomoric piece of sour eye-candy that even the geekiest science fiction aficionado would despise. Aside from the poor direction, Hudson Hawk paired with an androgynous (and extraordinarily annoying) Chris Tucker sidekick, is enough to drive anyone to mercilessly strangle a kitten.
Rating:
Summary: QUITE A TRIP
Review: It's entirely possible that Luc Besson was on some kind of drugs when he scripted this way-out, wacky, but extremely entertaining scifi thriller. His vision of the future is both impeccably original and wildly humorous. Cars spinning through space; police cars that still squeal tires when there's nothing to squeal them on! Like a wild video game, the vision of this future is great.
Bruce Willis is fine as Corbin Dallas; he evinces his usual cool macho, with that underlying bit of sensitivity. Milla Jovovich, red hair and all, does a good job in conveying the enthusiasm, innocence and naivete of the newly born. Notice the sadness in her eyes as she views the word "War"; her reactions are poignant. Gary Oldman as Zorg is all out ham and he pulls it off, showing what a versatile actor he is. The usually stoic Ian Holm has never been livelier than in his role as Father Cornelius. He looks like he's having the time of his life and after all the stuffy, laconic roles he's played, he cuts loose and is wonderful. And Chris Tucker---what a character. Tucker is manic, frantic and annoying---but he is also very very funny. I haven't laughed like that in a long time. Note too the capable performances of Tiny Lister (usually a mindless body bag) and Brion James (also a lot looser than in his usually villainous roles).
THE FIFTH ELEMENT is a strange movie indeed, but I found it to be one of the most unusual scifi films in some time.
Rating:
Summary: The Fifth Element
Review: Not very deep - but visuals and soundtrack work beautifully to create a mood of foreboding and set a colorful stage for a fairy tale like saga of the ultimate battle between good and evil. A historical link to the society of ancient Egypt and an early 20th century archeology team bring an air of mystery. Bruce Willis is in his element playing himself as a cabbie ex-army guy who must save the world (alla Die-Hard). Gary Olsen does a fantastic job as quircky villan allied with the Evil One. Although targeting an American audience this is clearly a French movie...tenuous plot with eye-popping imagery, cool costumes, glorious sets, and wild characters, woven into a 90 minute tapestry of sight and sound by the minimalist, bordering on subsonic, soundtrack. You'll either love it for what it is or hate it as shallow eurotrash Pop. The DVD image is of superior quality and images are are weel rendered, crisp, with rich and vivid color with no obvious artifacts. The surround sound is stupendous and the use of low frequencies for some scenes sends shivers down your spine. My only minor technical gripe is that some of the CGI scenes in space are too low in contrasts and color banding can be seen (over compression of the color palatte) - this is a perfectionists gripe and most people won't even notice it. In terms of acting every one did a good job. As far as casting goes, the character of the President was not the right guy - someone a bit older a bit more serious would have been better. Also I could have done without the taxi/police chase scene but otherwise a great movie. If you love French movies like (Big Blue, Professional, Messenger, etc.) or are die-hard Willis or Scifi-action fans, you'll be glad you own it and will definitely use your "Moolti Pahss" and watch it multiple times.
Rating: 
Summary: Unpretentious Scifi/action fun
Review: OK - so the 5th Element isn't 2001, or even Aliens. As noted in other reviews, there's certainly a lot in this movie that seems to be superfluous or never adequately explained. This is a fantastic ride, despite these minor flaws (if, unlike me, you see these things as flaws).If you hate Bruce Willis, then take a pass on this one. "Corbin Dallas" is a mix of his roles in Die Hard & The Last Boyscout, but much, much lighter in mood. Think "Hudson Hawk suffering from depression." Gary Oldman does his usual bang-up job as villain, and Milla-whatshernameovich's Leelo stands out from her initial introduction until the final minutes of the film. Their strong performances more than compensate for the bizarre and fortunately brief appearance of Luke Perry. There's a bit of a forced moment when Leelo "realizes the horror of human war" by speed-viewing Time-Life magazine photographs, but this is fortunately over fairly quickly. Despite this attempt to inject some sort of meaning or conscience into the movie, the fun soon resumes. The visual effects are quirky but excellent, ranging from the cheesy "Taxis of the Future" to the ethereal "Cruise Ship of the Future." The opera scenes also carry a heavy visual impact. I must admit, however, that I may feel this way due to my affinity for the color blue, and the fact that this scene arrived just as the majority of the Christian Brother's kicked in. The soundtrack has to be mentioned. I would despise much of the music on its own, but it is so cleverly intertwined with the visual aspects that it lends an enormous weight to the film. Of course, the aria is unforgettable, but in a strange way, so is the weird dance/house/acid/funk thing during the "robbery attempt". The one, truly unfortunate aspect of the film is the Chris Tucker character. In fact, I have to consider the Fifth Element to be a masterpiece simply because I didn't kick it out of the DVD as soon as he appeared. However, to punish (in a small way) the powers-that-be for encouraging him in any way, I'm deducting one star from the total. In summary, if you have to have meaning & depth in your motion pictures, go watch Das Boot, or better yet, read a book. The Fifth Element may not be Clarke&Kubrick, but it's a great deal more entertaining.
Rating:
Summary: Wild, Giddy Space Opera...
Review: The story goes that director Luc Besson began writing THE FIFTH ELEMENT in his teens, incorporating all the Sci-Fi elements he loved into one over-the-top, grand space opera...sort of an "E.E. 'Doc' Smith 'Skylark' Meets Flash Gordon and Barbarella" hybrid with sex, intergalactic action, and even some pseudo-religious overtones tossed in...in other words, a teenage daydream come true! Critics panned the end result for this very reason, sneering at Bruce Willis' Earth-saving (yet again!) Korben Dallas, and Besson's then-girlfriend, clothing-optional Milla Jovovich, as the innocent demigod, Leeloo. The critics were wrong! THE FIFTH ELEMENT is, in the best sense of the word, a classic 'B' movie, a space opera where a prologue vaguely similar to STARGATE leads to a future Earth where traffic jams occur thirty stories above the ground, humanity is ruled by beefy 'Tiny' Lister Jr., and where the Ultimate Evil is served by everyone's favorite villain, Gary Oldman, sporting a Southern accent! If this DOESN'T convince you that this is a 'popcorn' flick, not to be taken too seriously, there is Chris Tucker, sporting a blond hairdo, as the Galaxy's favorite media personality, promoting himself as he hits on his adoring female fans; Ian Holm, as the monk who knows 'the Secret', forced, despite himself, to become an active participant in the adventure; and some of the most ... ugly alien mercenaries you'll ever see, terrorizing a space resort, until they meet their match in Bruce Willis' 'DIE HARD in Space' protagonist! Yippee-Ki-Yay, indeed! The FX are astonishing, the comedy, broad and sly, the heroics, macho, and as Leeloo, sent to save Earth, Jovovich manages to be both naive and sexy, with broken English and a gymnast's grace. Bruce Willis is a joy, as always, to watch, and he carries the film with charm and self-depreciating humor, whether dealing with endless phone calls from his mother, driving his sky taxi recklessly (cabbies change very little in the future!), taking on terrorists single-handed, or falling for the exotic Leeloo. When he blows away a roomful of hostage-holding aliens, then asks, "Does anyone else want to negotiate?", you KNOW Besson picked the right guy for the lead! If you want Profound Science Fiction, watch 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY again...but if you want to kick back and just have fun, look not further...THE FIFTH ELEMENT delivers!
|
