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THE FIFTH ELEMENT

for narrative coherence,
for sheer fun
Dr T. White

Directed by: Luc Besson
Story by: Luc Besson
Written by: Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen
Cast: Bruce Willis, Milla Jovoich, Gary Oldman, and Ian Holm
Produced by: Columbia Pictures and Gaumont Productions
Running Time: 127 minutes
Rating : ** for narrative coherence, **** for sheer fun

[ FIFTH ELEMENT, movie still ] It's hard to watch this film without thinking about the fact that, at US$1 million and some change, it's the most expensive movie ever made. Not because it looks so cool (and yes, it does look really cool), but because it's just not worth it, and obviously so. Sure, it's a hell of a lot of fun, but then so is FARGO at a fraction of the cost of THE FIFTH ELEMENT. For the cost of this movie, you could make at least ten really good movies...maybe even twenty or thirty.

The biggest problem with the movie is that it really doesn't make a lot of sense. Besson's original story was much longer, maybe three or four hundred pages, and in the process of cutting it down to affordable (!) length, it has lost a lot of important information. Without reading about the movie before seeing it, I would have been completely lost. So anyway...

[ FIFTH ELEMENT, movie still ] THE FIFTH ELEMENT, which takes place in the 23rd century, is about a New York cabbie, Korben Dallas (Bruce Willis), who just happens to be a former special forces agent (surprise!). Dallas gets involved in a scenario in which a "dark force" is consuming all that is good in the universe and can only be countered by the mysterious "Fifth Element". And the Fifth Element just happens to be...an incredibly cute, spunky girl (Milla Jovovich) with hair that looks like orange yarn and nipples that are highly visible regardless of what she is wearing. Standing in the way is Zorg (Gary Oldman, with the world's worst accent and haircut), an evil guy who wants the four stones (oh yeah, forgot to mention those...they are necessary for the Fifth Element to conquer the dark force; don't ask, I don't understand it either) in order to give them to the dark force (why?).

So they all end up on a resort ship in space, along with an offensively stereotyped black disc jockey named Ruby Rhod (Chris Tucker), and all hell breaks loose as the various characters seek the four stones (hidden inside a blue opera singer from some other planet) before the dark force consumes the universe. OK.

[ FIFTH ELEMENT, movie still ] So the story make very little sense, but, as I said, it looks really cool (lots of special effects and explosions), and it is unexpectedly very funny. Unfortunately, it all seems so familiar. In fact, the film reminds me very much of Total Recall (not Blade Runner, as Columbia and Gaumont would have you believe), not just in the special effects but in its sense of humor as well. Both share a macho main character in a future world that is confusing to a real, hands-on type of guy who likes to blow things up and hit people, as well.

This film is important only as an example of what can be done (and the limits of what can be done) with a hell of a lot of money. It will not go down in history as a great film, or even as another Star Wars or Indiana Jones type film (you know, intellectually undemanding but endearing for largely unexplainable reasons). But everybody's going to go see it, so go ahead (and you MUST see it on the big screen). You won't be overly dissapointed, but you won't be all that impressed, either. Let's just hope that Besson doesn't get so much money for the production of his next movie; maybe it will make more sense.

THE FLYING INKPOT's RATING SYSTEM:
* Wait for the video.
** A little creaky, but still better than staying at home with Gotcha!
*** Pretty good, bring a friend.
**** Amazing, potent stuff.
***** Perfection. See it twice.

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Readers' Comments

From: Faun Wilson (faun_reg@istar.ca)

Regardless of content, I LOVED the music of the Fifth Element - do you by chance know who the tall blue operatic singer in Blue is??? I'd love to be able to get the soundtrack.
From: Mark G. (leather@tisd.net)

The movie review of THE FIFTHE ELEMENT should and needs to be done by someone that understands what the movie is about, with the notion of directing, editing, visuals, etc. as a backdrop. Before getting into the movie itself one must know what the five elements are. Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and last Soul (Love). In many spiriutally minded cultures (not like in the West) these five basic elements are what make the world go round (to make it plain and simple). Many religions and spiirtual paths use these elements in daily life, actually everyone uses these elements in life, but those on a spiriutal path know and understand what these elements are used for. The movie..it takes Hollywood to make a movie on such a matter that will appeal to the movie going audiance, with state of the art scenery, visual effects, top named stars, etc Hollywood takes a most simple topic of Esoteric Studies to the mainstream of society. I for one care about the meaning behind movies more than the Hollywood-ism in it. But to make a point in a movie you have to have a story line, and maybe that storyline has to be long and tiresome (at times) to get a point across. I also read the review of CONTACT, who ever you have that does these reviews doesnt see the strong, underlying message, the spiriutal message of a movie, of a though, of a message. Contact wasn't about aliens and such, if your reviewers have read up on any of Carl Sagans work you would realize the spiriutal conectedness he had towards the exploration of space, about the understanding of the universe and the realization of how humans came to be. Also, the review of PHENOMENOM and MULTIPLICITY fail to hit the mark of the meaning behind the movies. Well, actuall it is one persons view of the movie, but yet it fails to deliver a suited direction of what the movie's message might be. Also, THE CRAFT is another, I have read many reviews for actual Wiccans (Witches) that didn't like the Hollywood-ism of the movie, and failed to see another side of what the story was giving out. There are a few reviews here and there I found that gave a good impression, but most did not. Just keep up the work, hire people that can relay a message, or teach your staff to review on the bases of understanding. As in the review of PHENOMENOM your reviewer stated that "apart from being thoroughly immposible in a realistic setting" of what the main character was realizing, the reviewer didn't understand the basic abilities of human kind, to understand and realize what 'energy' is, what 'power' is within the mind, within human consciousness. Enough. Thank you.
From: red1900 (red1900@hotmail.com)

I LOVED IT, LOVED IT, LOVED IT!!
From: red1900 (red1900@hotmail.com)

I LOVED IT, LOVED IT, LOVED IT!! I watched this movie 5 times. Twice back to back. It's one of those movies that has you constantly laughing. Chris Tucker is always fun to watch and I love Bruce Willis in anything. Great movie!!!!! *****
From: Abraxas (A.H.III@Juno.com)

I really liked the movie. Maybe its because I think Milla is really cute, or because I think it had a good plot. Truthfuly its both I thought the movie was easy to understand, and I liked it.
From: Nur (hotel.martos.bme.hu)

It's one of the greatest movie I ever seen . Great scenografies , storie and , yes , actors .
From: Michele (hotel.martos.bme.hu)

Great music , great scenaries , and I LOVE ! Mila (Leloo) . She is so nice....
From: Jeppe (as400@post.tele.dk / Thursday, December 24, 1998 at 06:43:41)

Dear Inkpot A note for The 5. Element (T.5.E.) review: The 4 basic elements are (obviously) needed when dealing with the fifth. What would any of the four elements be on their own? It's in the relationship to the other elements, that the singular element obtains its status / justification. As for the "resort" - its Paradise - the konnotations are pretty strong. What, from my point of view, makes the movie a very interesting one, is its view on the future (as is the case with every SF-movie). More specifically, the artificiallity which seems to be a determining factor all through the movie. Nothing is original - its either has been or plain art(ificial). Korben is an ex soldier, (becomes) ex taxidriver, (trying to be) ex smoker, Leeloo is (re-)made, an artificial construction, made possibly by the human evolution / progress. Paradise is made by man - technology - a recreation of the loss caused by Adam & Eve - and retold by Milton in "Paradise Lost" (subseqently "Paradise Regained"). Many more elements could be mentioned, but alas ... I might be in touch. Final note: I'm in the process of writing af 30 page analysis (Media Dramaturgical Analysis), which has let me to quite a bit of interesting T.5.E. readings on the net - my family has only just aquired a net-connection - luckily! Merry Christmas Regards - Jeppe
From: Not Tellin Ya (snootzy@aol.com / Friday, February 26, 1999 at 12:25:45)

Well, the best thing about this movie is its artistic appeal, in a sense of excellent french taste, not in sense of plot or story. The French know how to touch your esthetic sense, this is what the French do better than anybody else. I'm amazed that no one can't see the esthetic pleasure of this movie, which shows how insipid our American lifestyle really is. People can't see real beauty cos they lame and blind. It's like a soul of a cleaning lady that can never become soul of a princess.
From: JDavis (1-day-soon@excite.com / Monday, April 19, 1999 at 23:37:29)

I think Milla was the best person for the movie The Fifth Element, I also think she is the most beautiful actress there is, she is truly one of a kind.