Written and directed by Neill Blomkamp, “Elysium” stars Matt Damon (“Good Will Hunting”, “Bourne Trilogy”), Jodie Foster (“The Silence of the Lambs”) and Sharlto Copley (“District 9″).
Set in the year 2154, half of humanity lives in a utopia free of conflict, disease and worries while the other half lives in a poverty-stricken, garbage filled wasteland.
Visually similar to Blomkamp’s previously well-known film “District 9,” the scenery in “Elysium” would nearly mirror the former if it weren’t for the people who lived on the pristine and attractive Elysium.
An ex-felon by the name of Max De Costa (Damon) lives on Earth working in a factory making the very robots that police and oppress the planet’s impoverished people. With a lifelong dream of reaching Elysium, honest work is the only option for him after numerous illegal attempts at completing it.
Caught in a lethal dose of radiation while working, Max’s only option is to attempt one final job in order to reach Elysium where his body can be cured. With only five days to live, Max is hardly able to move. However, by hooking his brain up to a processor and attaching a metallic exoskeleton to his limbs, Max is able to not only function, but he has greatly augmented strength.
The temporary fix that the exoskeleton provides to Max’s predicament felt convenient, but it added another dimension to the story on top of making Damon pretty badass.
“Elysium” is a story of a dystopian society but from a fresh angle. Blomkamp added the issue of the wealth gap in society and threw it in a blender with immigration and border issues, and it turned out well. Throughout the movie, the portrayal of Elysium is the ultimate desire of nearly every person on Earth, which equivocates to wealth in our society.
As a young boy, Max was told to not forget where he came from, and that even if he achieves his lofty goal, he must remember who he is. It’s a clichéd concept, but it’s relevant to the overall message involving wealth in our society.
In a couple of fight scenes, Blomkamp used an interesting film technique that centered the camera around Damon’s character. It looked simply like the camera was focused on Damon while panned around the fight, but there was clearly some added special effects that made those scenes fresh and fun to watch.
The addition of a few slow motion scenes also helped to keep the action stimulating, but coupled with the futuristic guns, gadgets and scenery used by the characters each action scene was well done by Blomkamp and quite exciting.
Being an action heavy film, the R rating comes from some “strong bloody violence and language throughout.” Blomkamp filled the movie with explosions, gunfights and killing, but never at any point did it feel like there was too much. Each instance of graphic violence was quick, to the point and in no way excessive, which seemed like a conscious effort on Blomkamp’s part.
If you’re looking for a summer movie that delivers action with a fresh story, “Elysium” is the movie for you either for simple enjoyment, or for the thought-provoking take on real life issues.