by Joseph Rossi
After a summer of big budget bombs and the destruction of massive Hollywood egos, there is finally a film with a large price tag that is well written, directed and acted. Hopefully this will calm the waters over there in L.A. and actually make some well-deserved money. Director Neil Blomkamp is a filmmaker to watch out for and his new film Elysium is a fine example of his impeccable craft and storytelling powers.
The film takes place in the year 2154. The rich and powerful live on Elysium, a space station habitat where there is no disease or poverty. The dregs of humanity live, naturally, on earth, which has become a third world county. Not the most original concept for a science fiction film. We’ve seen utopia themed films before but director Neil Blomkamp keeps the film interesting by melding the thematic with creative sense of action and adventure.
The plot comes into it’s own when Max (Matt Damon), a ex con, contracts a virus that can only be cured on Elysium. In order to get there he must steal the identity of a rich businessman. Of course this doesn’t sit well with Jodie Foster’s secretary of defense and her “pit bull” of a law enforcer, Kruger, played with fire in the belly by South African actor Sharlto Copley.
Blomkamp’s previous film was the out of nowhere surprise, District 9. That film shares a similar theme with Elysium; in a nutshell, that of how we’re turning our world into one big refugee camp. Damon is fine here: his beefed up look serves him well and he is, as always, a consummate professional. He has opportunities to phone it in, this being more spectacle then anything, but he doesn’t. Foster uses her knowledge of the French language and makes her character an intelligent devil in a nicely pressed suit.
This is a summer movie with some balls, a touch of brains and a hell of a lot of fun. It is made with a distinct eye and passion. I hope people over there in Hollywood take notice on how to use money and talent wisely.
