Stars Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, Sharlto Copley, Alice Braga, Diego Luna, Wagner Moura and William Fichtner Directed by Neill Blomkamp If there's ever an example of the dichotomy between science fiction and sci-fi, this movie might just be it. The primary set-up and world building makes this a movie for the Occupy Wall Street movement, showcasing the separation between the haves and have-nots. A reflection of our world, taken to an extreme. Not only that, we also bad and negligent corporative behaviour on display, exploiting the lower caste working class. Disposing of them callously when they outlive their usefulness. If anything, these bits alone puts this movie in the science fiction camp. The second half, with all it's action utilising futuristic looking equipment and machinery, grounds this as a typical sci-fi film. For me, simply, science fiction is thought provoking; sci-fi is pure entertainment. Few movies actually balance the two, even if they simply use futuristic tech of have some futuristic setting. The titular Elysium is a super high-end gated community, built as a space station and floating in geo-synchronous orbit over Los Angeles (I think). They even have their own governmental hierarchy, and the best of everything. That includes the ultimate in health-care, the Medusa chamber, that scans your body and eliminates anything that's wrong with you. It effectively resets your body to perfect health. The residents of Elysium have such a chamber in their homes. Back on a very overpopulated Earth, the hospitals have to contend with overcrowding. Simple health care appears to be handled by automation (as is policing). So, when ex-con, Max (Matt Damon) suffers a life-threatening accident at work, he is summarily dismissed with a pack of pills and told he has five days left to live. His only hope of survival is to get to a Medusa chamber on on Elysium. Standing in his way is the Secretary of Defense on Elysium (Jodie Foster) who will do absolutely anything to preserve the way of life on Elysium. That include utilising a loose cannon psychotic maniac, Kruger (Sharlto Copley), to take out a transport full of sick and infirm passengers making an attempt to reach Elysium. Writer and Director, Neill Blomkamp, who did so well with District 9, delivers a similar world as before. The effects blend in seamlessly with the environment and the action, with some truly jaw-dropping gore effects. There's no denying the world building that Blomkomp puts on screen, even utilising renown futurist designer Syd Mead to create the look of Elysium. At least, from afar. It's the story that stumbles a bit, falling into conventions and some cliches. Not a lot, just some. If you're in it for the action, you'll get your fill. Damon delivers, although it doesn't seem to stretch him as an actor. The every-man aspect of the character seems lost unlike Sharlto Copley's office worker in District 9. Copley continues to shine here. After his remarkable turn in The A-Team (practically stealing that show from the other stars), it's a wonder he hasn't done more acting. Foster is more glacial, although she does seem to be flouting several accents. Her character also appears to give in to histrionics, so there are some odd choices in her performance. In all, this might cater more to the action fan than a science fiction fan, although the designs on display, from the tech and the ships to Elysium itself really is something to behold. There is a subtlety to the designs, a genuine attempt to ingrain them in real-world aesthetics as best as possible, without making things look too outrageous. Blomkamp, in a sense, delivers on the promise of his debut feature, but leans too heavily into one direction and forsaking the other.
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