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| The Fifth Element (1997) |  |
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What was the last truely brilliant science fiction film you saw? Did it have something new in it? Was it in some way original? The Fifth Element does have something new in it. A curious mix of thought-provoking story, humour and high-octane action sequences, this one of the best films I have seen in a long time. Something has returned to our universe. Something that can devastate all life. To fight it, all five elements need to be united in one of the great pyramids of ancient Egypt. Earth, wind, fire, water and the Fifth Element- life. The Fifth Element
manifests itself in the form of the sumpreme being, Leeloo. In an exciting sequence of events, she ends up on the run from the authorities and in the company of taxi driver Bruce Willis. Together with the only person who knows what's happening, a priest called Cornelius, they find the representations of the other four elements, some stones, while trying to escape the clutches of Zorg and his band of heavily-armed ugly creatures.
It all sounds like a bit of an action film formula, but is played with such intelligence, wit and enthusiasm that the action genre is left far behind. A cynic could watch the film and see it as a poor action flick with too much chatting to pad it out, but looking beneath the surface there is a wealth of talent, ideas and originality demanding the viewer's attention. Bruce Willis plays his usual role, but his character is a little less superhuman than usual, and is just one of the main characters. Milla Jovovich does an excellent job of not only being a babe, but actually acting. Her character sometimes displays a childlike naivite, and at other times a Nikita-type determination coupled with astonishing fighting skill. Her grief-ridden revenge attack on Zorg's soldiers is brilliantly played. Coupled with scenes of violence are moments of humour, and the juxtaposition is a
constant jolt to the viewer, demanding attention and respect. Absolutely brilliant.
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