THE FIFTH ELEMENT Nailed it, bailed it or failed it? Let’s play!
Writing: BAILED IT! Luc Besson’s science fiction classic is a unique fairytale with a bizarre, deep and oftentimes difficult-to-grasp story. The film opens with some bizarre and memorable moments, almost like a Guillermo del Toro movie. Besson’s vision is not the easiest to follow and the script is somewhat incomprehensible due to it’s bizarre tone, colorful action and tongue-in-cheek approach to science fiction.
Characters and Acting: BAILED IT! Bruce Willis could never be anything more than just good old Bruce Willis, and The Fifth Element is no exception. Milla Jovovich, however, absolutely steals the show with her wonderfully expressive part. Another memorable performance is given by Gary Oldman as the villain, even if his part in the film is shamefully small. The same could be said by veteran Ian Holm, who just isn’t given enough material to truly shine. And while Chris Tucker is admittedly great at what he does, his part is terribly annoying and could have been left on the cutting room floor.
Direction: NAILED IT! There’s no denying it: Luc Besson has a clear artistic vision for his story, his characters and his world and he follows that vision throughout the entire film. Every little detail is carefully mapped out and Besson makes sure the audience is allowed to enjoy the colorful world he has created in almost every scene.
Visuals: NAILED IT! The visual side of the film is its strongest asset. The entire film is visually stunning, colorful and playful. The action set piece at the climax is particularly spectacular and most of the special effects hold up 20 years later.
Sound: NAILED IT! A beautiful and magical score by Éric Serra adds to the colorful fairytale atmosphere of the film.
Pacing: FAILED IT! Most of the film is fast-paced action with a hint of humor thrown in, but otherwise it seems the film struggles to decide whether it wants to be a Bruce Willis-led action flick or a more sophisticated fantasy movie - or something else entirely. The tempo is sometimes so fast it’s actually difficult to understand what’s going on and why the characters do what they do.
Themes: FAILED IT! I actually had a hard time grasping the deeper tones of this film and therefore I couldn’t identify any themes.
Atmosphere: BAILED IT! It’s surprisingly warm and jovial, with a very lighthearted take on science fiction. This is not a gritty tale of death and despair. The bizarreness of the world makes many things annoyingly over-the-top, which is why the atmosphere falls flat at times.
Rewatchability: FAILED IT! One could argue that by rewatching this film, one could understand it’s different layers better. I didnät enjoy this one enough for me to actually go back and watch it another time. If I’m frustrated by a movie, it’s not very rewatchable.
Expectations: FAILED IT!
I expected to see an original take on the genre by one of our more artistic directors, and while that is what I got, I also got a bizarre and frustrating experience that left a sour taste in my mouth.
Bottom line: BAILED IT! The colorful visuals and the mostly magnificent cast help make this original science fiction film memorable, but the bizarre undertones, the frustrating story and Luc Besson’s artistic vision also make it a difficult film to enjoy.
Review by Theo KallströmVIP 6BlockedParent2019-10-19T08:37:55Z
THE FIFTH ELEMENT
Nailed it, bailed it or failed it?
Let’s play!
Writing: BAILED IT!
Luc Besson’s science fiction classic is a unique fairytale with a bizarre, deep and oftentimes difficult-to-grasp story. The film opens with some bizarre and memorable moments, almost like a Guillermo del Toro movie. Besson’s vision is not the easiest to follow and the script is somewhat incomprehensible due to it’s bizarre tone, colorful action and tongue-in-cheek approach to science fiction.
Characters and Acting: BAILED IT!
Bruce Willis could never be anything more than just good old Bruce Willis, and The Fifth Element is no exception. Milla Jovovich, however, absolutely steals the show with her wonderfully expressive part. Another memorable performance is given by Gary Oldman as the villain, even if his part in the film is shamefully small. The same could be said by veteran Ian Holm, who just isn’t given enough material to truly shine. And while Chris Tucker is admittedly great at what he does, his part is terribly annoying and could have been left on the cutting room floor.
Direction: NAILED IT!
There’s no denying it: Luc Besson has a clear artistic vision for his story, his characters and his world and he follows that vision throughout the entire film. Every little detail is carefully mapped out and Besson makes sure the audience is allowed to enjoy the colorful world he has created in almost every scene.
Visuals: NAILED IT!
The visual side of the film is its strongest asset. The entire film is visually stunning, colorful and playful. The action set piece at the climax is particularly spectacular and most of the special effects hold up 20 years later.
Sound: NAILED IT!
A beautiful and magical score by Éric Serra adds to the colorful fairytale atmosphere of the film.
Pacing: FAILED IT!
Most of the film is fast-paced action with a hint of humor thrown in, but otherwise it seems the film struggles to decide whether it wants to be a Bruce Willis-led action flick or a more sophisticated fantasy movie - or something else entirely. The tempo is sometimes so fast it’s actually difficult to understand what’s going on and why the characters do what they do.
Themes: FAILED IT!
I actually had a hard time grasping the deeper tones of this film and therefore I couldn’t identify any themes.
Atmosphere: BAILED IT!
It’s surprisingly warm and jovial, with a very lighthearted take on science fiction. This is not a gritty tale of death and despair. The bizarreness of the world makes many things annoyingly over-the-top, which is why the atmosphere falls flat at times.
Rewatchability: FAILED IT!
One could argue that by rewatching this film, one could understand it’s different layers better. I didnät enjoy this one enough for me to actually go back and watch it another time. If I’m frustrated by a movie, it’s not very rewatchable.
Expectations: FAILED IT!
I expected to see an original take on the genre by one of our more artistic directors, and while that is what I got, I also got a bizarre and frustrating experience that left a sour taste in my mouth.
Bottom line: BAILED IT!
The colorful visuals and the mostly magnificent cast help make this original science fiction film memorable, but the bizarre undertones, the frustrating story and Luc Besson’s artistic vision also make it a difficult film to enjoy.