posted
This was inspired in part by Jay's recent comment about liking this movie, this Fifth Element. He isn't the only one. A good friend of mine likes it too. This friend also purchased, with money, real money, money that he had presumably put some effort into acquiring; with this he purchased Battlefield Earth. Battlefield Earth!
But I digress, messily.
The Fifth Element.
What the hell? I mean, really. Can someone explain to me what part of this film makes it watchable? Is it parody? Do I have to be French to get it?
As I understand it, the film proceeds like this:
In the past, a race of metallic space ducks fought a war with Evil, which exists as a big black chunk of stuff. They built special vaults on Earth to store their anti-Evil weapon, but forgot to put in adequate safety measures. Plus, Luke Perry!
Then the future comes, in which the President of some non-descript but presumably important government dispatches the Well-Manicured Man to shoot at Evil, which has returned. This fails.
Meanwhile, Bruce Willis is a cab driver who used to kick ass for a living. Now he drives a floating (yet charmingly retro) cab in New New York.
Also meanwhile, the space ducks return only to be killed by some space dogs who work for space Gary Oldman. The hand of one of the space ducks is recovered and cloned, and we discover that space ducks are actually French models. Testy French models, though I suppose that goes without saying.
So the space duck/model meets up with the ass-kicking cabbie and adventures begin. They have to find all five elements, which are apparently stuck inside an opera singer. There's shooting and stuff.
Meanwhile, Gary Oldman ACTS. We know this because he ACTS! And he wears a fetching transparent salad bowl on his head.
So then the big climax, which apparently shows how love conquers all, or something.
Again I ask you: the hell?
I've heard that it's all about the visuals. Well, ok, in part I agree. There was some nice production design, and the city looked very good. But apparently the major difference between today and the future is silly hats. And not just hats that look like today's hats with minor modifications. We're talking about hats that closely resemble theme parks or the U.N. General Assembly.
So, what am I missing? Do I need to give it a second chance? Is there something terribly wrong with me?
posted
So, what am I missing? Do I need to give it a second chance? Is there something terribly wrong with me?
ummm, a different point of view, yes, and yes again... but anyway...
I think a basic point is that they were running all over looking for this fifth element to make the get-rid-of-evil weapon, and lost hope of finding such a little thing on this great big world. Only to discover, at the last minute, that this french-model-virgin-space-duck was the fifth element. This are never where you expect them to be, or sometimes, what you expect them to be...plus you never know where you'll find your true love....and love conquers all...(except a bad head cold)
------------------ "One's ethics are determined by what we do when no one is looking" Nugget Star Trek: Gamma Quadrant Star Trek: Legacy Read them, rate them, got money, film them....
"One of these words is not like the other / one of these words just doesn't belong"
I am so sorry.
Anyway, I think, or think that I think, that I get the film. But what makes it worth the effort? It seems, to me, to be ill-conceived and poorly put together, lurching from place to place without ever making me feel like I should care whether Evil gobbles up everyone in the film or not. I suppose what I'm asking is, what makes this film special?
------------------ "One's ethics are determined by what we do when no one is looking" Nugget Star Trek: Gamma Quadrant Star Trek: Legacy Read them, rate them, got money, film them....
posted
It's just a cool movie is all. I enjoyed it. I mean, who cares about how silly the plot is? You give a French guy a big budget to make an SF movie, what do you expect?
------------------ "Businesses used to be like Christianity; if you were faithful and obedient, you could obtain bliss in the afterlife of retirement. Now it's more of a reincarnation model. If the worker learns enough in his current job, he can progress to a higher level of employment elsewhere."
posted
I'm not sure that the girl is cloned from a hand. I thought she was cloned from something else on the "space-duck's" ship.
The great thing about the film was the style, the guns, the action, Milla Jovovich, and the detail. Little things, like Bruce Willis lighting a cigarette which was 75% filter, cracked me up.
------------------ *Kenshiro gets off bed made from solid stone* *Bed made from solid stone explodes* Fist of the North Star
[This message has been edited by Gurgeh (edited January 30, 2001).]
posted
And Sir Ian Holm was good also... There are many things I like about it, but Willis was one of the best. When he kissed Leeloo, and had to turn 180 there, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, that was bad". Chris Tucker was a bit annoying, but they seem to have at least one of those per action-flick.
The ships were nice, I wish there were someplace I could get some good pics of them fighters, or a 3d-model...
One thing I don't get though, when Evil talks to Oldman, some brown syrupy goo drips all over his forehead. What's that all about?
------------------ Here lies a toppled god, His fall was not a small one. We did but build his pedestal, A narrow and a tall one.
posted
From the edge of the dome thingy he works with. If you watch the Captain of the big-ass-spaceship, he's bleeding too when he's about to get blown to pieces.
I loved this film. I really did -- it was great! Who expects the future to look like that? Although, the wall of the space-port being garbage could happen ...
------------------ Star Trek Gamma Quadrant Average Rated 6.83 out of 10 Smileys by Fabrux *** "Oh, yes, screw logic, let's go for a theory with no evidence!" -Forum Member Who Shall Be Nameless. 11:48am, Jan. 19th, 2001
posted
I thought this film had a lot of style, natural humor, and somewhat of an epic feel.
The detail was great. Most everything was printed on velum because there were no more trees to make paper. If you look really carefully as the shuttle lifts off for Phlosten Paradise, you can see that the oceans have receded drastically and that Manhattan Island and the statue of Liberty are like pillars in the center of this huge crater.
And too clarify, Leeloo was indside that statue the Guardians carried out of the pyramid, not one of the duck suits. The hand that was holding the case was the hand of the statue she was in. The Guardians don't all look like her.
------------------ "You don't tug on Superman's cape. You don't spit into the wind. You don't pull the mask off the ole' Lone Ranger And you don't mess around with Jim." Aban's Illustration www.alanfore.com
Saiyanman Benjita
...in 2012. This time, why not the worst?
Member # 122
posted
Unfortunately this film fell into the odd-not-very-much-fun department. What is it with French film?
------------------ Though it will go without saying ten minutes into these preceedings, View Askew would like to state that this film is - from start to finish - a work of comedic fantasy, not to be taken seriously. To insist that any of what follows is insensitive or inflammatory is to miss our intentions and pass undue judgement, and passing judgement is reserved for God and God alone (this goes for you film critics too...) Just Kidding So please, before you think about hurting someone over this trifle of a film, remember God has a sense of humor. Just look at the platypus. Thank you and enjoy the show. P.S. We sincerely apologize to all platypus enthusiasts out there who are offended by that thoughtless comment about the platypus. We at View Askew respect the noble platypus and it is not our intention to slight these stupid creatures in any way. Thank you and enjoy the show.
posted
I think what we needed was more background. It fit into that epic catagory for me because its story that has been going on for millenia, and here we see the culmination in just a couple of days. I thought the various parties concerned flowed together very nicely and the interaction was very natural.
You've got the Mangalore who don't even give a rat's ass about Korben. They're doing their own thing. Korben's working for the Government, then there's the priest, Mr. Evil, and Zorg all trying to get their hands on the stones and the Fifth Element for different reasons, but they all come together in the culmination of the story.
Of course there's always the sequels...
------------------ "You don't tug on Superman's cape. You don't spit into the wind. You don't pull the mask off the ole' Lone Ranger And you don't mess around with Jim." Aban's Illustration www.alanfore.com
posted
Sol, you nimble headed slacker, what do you know of film...you've never been to Hollywood and I just came from there.
If you are looking for science fiction with a "point" clearly The Fith Element isn't your bag. However is suspnsion of disbelief writ large. It is a wonderful film to sit, bag of popcorn in hand, cognitive skills turned way down low and just look at.
Roger Ebert wrote:
quote:That's not to say this is a good movie, exactly. It's more of a jumble that includes greatness. Like "Metropolis" or "Blade Runner," it offers such extraordinary visions that you put your criticisms on hold and are simply grateful to see them. If Besson had been able to link those sights with a more disciplined story and more ruthless editing, he might have really had something.
Visually, I think it equals the work on Dark City...TFE is afterall really a film about science fiction art direction. Yet it does not come close to the thoughtfulness or depth of characterof Dark City or Blade Runner.
Why spend the time? Well film is a visual medium afterall and there was a lot to look at and enjoy there. And I though Gary Oldman made another juicy bad guy role tres cool.
------------------ "We're just going to have a lot of work. ... Redefining the role of the United States from enablers to keep the peace to enablers to keep the peace from peacekeepers is going to be an assignment." ~ George W. Bush, Deer-In-The-Headlights of the United States
Printer-friendly view of this topic
