The Fifth Element
The Fifth Element
PG-13 | 09 May 1997 (USA)
The Fifth Element Trailers

In 2257, a taxi driver is unintentionally given the task of saving a young girl who is part of the key that will ensure the survival of humanity.

Reviews
NekoHomey Purely Joyful Movie!
MonsterPerfect Good idea lost in the noise
Twilightfa Watch something else. There are very few redeeming qualities to this film.
Jakoba True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.
shoquandasmith The fifth element polarized critics and audiences alike upon release. The story is jumbled but it basically concerns an alien race that arrive on Earth in 1914 to hide four element stones from the ravages of the first world war. The story forwards many centuries and we are suddenly transported to a future full of lively colors and fast action. Fifth Element looks great and the special effects saturation hadn't set in back then yet, as it has now so there is that sense of visual wonder. But the screenplay lacks consistency and the fast-paced action can only hold your attention so much. Bruce Willis plays the Taxi Driver, assigned with assisting the fifth element- which happens to be a human being, Milla Jovovich. Unlike John Mclane however he is content to stay low key in this one possible future. Jovovich is alright and Chris Rock is rather annoying, even though he isn't even there all that much. Watch The fifth element to get dazzled by the special effects and the futuristic world build by Luc Besson, because that is pretty much all the film has to offer.
morrison-dylan-fan Whilst seeing bits and pieces of the flick when it was endlessly repeated on Sky Movies in the late 90's/early 2000's,I somehow have never fully seen co-writer/(with Robert Mark Kamen) director Luc Besson's Sci-Fi epic. Taking part in a poll for the best films of 1997,I decided that it was time for me to plea the fifth.The plot:Every 5,000 years a weapon made up of the four classical elements (and a "chosen" human acting as the fifth) must be made to stop the only weapon that can destroy the universe from successfully working. Finding that the aliens who vowed to guard the elements have been killed by Jean-Baptiste Emanuel Zorg, a group of scientists bring one of the aliens back to life,via re-construction. Instead of coming back as one of the aliens, Leeloo comes to life as the fifth element. Escaping the lab, Leeloo crashes into the cab of Korben Dallas,who joins Leeloo in going in search for the other four elements.View on the film:Going to space as the (at the time) most expensive European film ever made, director Luc Besson & cinematographer Thierry Arbogast take their Cinéma du look stylisation to a galactic level,with Besson leaving out any hint of darkness with a Pop Art vibrancy of Comic- Book coloured reds,yellows and blues giving the adventure a pristine shine. Planning the film since his teens,Besson (and costume designer Jean-Paul Gaultier-who personally checked the costumes of five hundred extras used in one scene!) lovingly pay attention to detail in every scene, from the unique appearance of each monstrous alien,to all the items in Dallas's run-down cab.Mixing three separate screenplays together to form one movie, the screenplay by Besson and Kamen rolls out a thrilling Sci-Fi adventure,where the threat of the world going dark keeps the live wires lit,as Dallas follows Leeloo's search across the galaxies. Whilst Ruby Rhod is a bit on the "loud" side, (played by a jiving Chris Tucker) the writers paint the five elements with a refreshing level of humour,that bubbles up from Leeloo's funny fish out of water experience.While stating that his feelings on the flick were "Oh no. I can't bear it." (he made it due to Besson helping to fund Nil by Mouth) Gary Oldman gives a wonderfully wacky performance as baddie Jean-Baptiste Emanuel Zorg, (who uniquely,never comes face to face with the goodies)who Oldman turns into a loose cannon that can go off any moment. Creating an alien language with Besson (who she would later get married to) for the film, Milla Jovovich casts an otherworldly atmosphere on the movie in her great performance as Leeloo,thanks to Jovovich having to making Leeloo come out of her alien,fish out of water state,in order to complete the five elements.
eichler2 The first time I tried to watch this movie, I couldn't even sit through the whole thing. I think I gave up not long after Chris Tucker's ultra-flamboyant character appeared and overwhelmed the movie.But recently it was on one of the free cable channels that show uncut, commercial-free movies, so I gave it another chance. I think a big part of my initial negative reaction was due to the original trailers and commercials for the movie, which totally misrepresented what it was. The ads made it seem like an epic sci-fi adventure movie with lots of action and attractive women. Well, it does have attractive women. And some action towards the end.But this isn't really a sci-fi movie at all. It's set in the future and borrows some visual elements from other sci-fi films (I have to admit that apart from some cheesy effects and costumes, the movie looks pretty amazing), but this is purely a cartoony, campy, over-the-top comic book brought to life. If you're going to watch it, don't take any of the characters or the plot lines seriously and you'll have a much better time.That said, this just isn't a very good movie. Or maybe it's just not what I was expecting and not to my tastes. At any rate, a second viewing 20 years later didn't really improve my opinion of the film very much.
peterdickerson I just saw Le cinquième élément on the big screen for a 20th Anniversary screening. It was spectacular as always, but amazing on the giant screen. This film has a tight story, great action sequences, believable villains, likable heroes, and it is so funny while everyone is in great peril at the same time. Bruce Willis and Mila Jovovich are fantastic together. As my title says, the film is worth seeing for the costumes alone.