Elysium

1 June 2015

Elysium 2013

• Director: Neill Blomkamp
• Based on novel: no
• Cast: Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, Sharlto Copley, Alice Braga, Diego Luna, Wagner Moura, William Fichtner
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Matt Damon – Contagion, True Grit, Invictus, The Brothers Grimm, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, The Bourne Identity, Dogma, Saving Private Ryan, Good Will Hunting
• Jodie Foster – Carnage, Un long dimanche de fiancailles, Panic Room, Anna and the King, Contact, Nell, Sommersby, The Silence of the Lambs, The Accused, Taxi Driver, Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore
• Sharlto Copley – District 9
• Alice Braga – Repo Men, Cidade de Deus, I am Legend
• Diego Luna – Milk
• William Fichtner – The Lone Ranger, The Dark Knight, Crash, Equilibrium, The Perfect Storm, Contact, Heat, Strange Days, Quiz Show
• Why?  Sci-fi
• Seen:  May 29, 2015 

The year is 2154. The rich have fled the dying Earth. The poor remain in the ever growing slums. Orphan Max grows up in the ghetto and experiences continued injustice as an adult at the hands of authorities, robot and human alike.  He has a criminal past and is lucky to have work in a droid factory.

Three rogue space shuttles arrange flights of poverty-stricken and sick refugees up to the Beautiful People space station Elysium where all illness can be cured.  Two of the ships are bombed, all aboard are killed.  The third lands on Elysium. All of the refugees are dealt with by the ruthless and corrupt Secretary of Defence, Jodie Foster.  Thoughts of today’s boat refugees are unavoidable.  We too see to it that the world’s refugees don’t invade our wealthy oasis.

In an industrial accident Max is exposed to a deadly dose of radiation. It will kill him in five days. He could be cured on Elysium. Through his contacts in the criminal world he agrees to hijack the brain of the billionaire who owns the factory he works in. His companions want the codes in the brain. He wants the cure on Elysium.

It’s a grim and realistic premise. Then, sadly, it turns into a macho action film.

But it’s exciting and they know how to grab your heartstrings, sick kid and all.

A bit of subtly would have been nice. It really deteriorates into senseless testosterone violence. Boring.

A pity after such a promising start, such a strong cast, and such an important subject.

2 ½ + * of 5