THE FIFTH ELEMENT (1997, France, 126m, 12) ***
Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
dist. Columbia Pictures (USA), Pathé Distribution (UK); pr co. Gaumont; d. Luc Besson; w. Luc Besson, Robert Mark Kamen (based on a story by Luc Besson); pr. Patrice Ledoux; ph. Thierry Arbogast (Technicolor | 2.39:1); m. Eric Serra; ed. Sylvie Landra; pd. Dan Weil; ad. Ira Gilford, Ron Gress, Michael Lamont, Jim Morahan, Kevin Phipps.
cast: Bruce Willis (Korben Dallas), Gary Oldman (Zorg), Ian Holm (Cornelius), Milla Jovovich (Leeloo), Chris Tucker (Ruby Rhod), Luke Perry (Billy), Brion James (General Munro), Tom Lister Jr. (President Lindberg), Lee Evans (Fog), Charlie Creed-Miles (David), Tricky (Right Arm), John Neville (General Staedert), John Bluthal (Professor Pacoli), Mathieu Kassovitz (Mugger), Christopher Fairbank (Mactilburgh), Kim Chan (Thai), Richard Leaf (Neighbour), Julie T. Wallace (Major Iceborg), Al Matthews (General Tudor), Maïwenn (Diva).
This bizarre sci-fi fantasy is set in the 23rd century where a New York City cabbie, Korben Dallas (Willis), finds the fate of the world in his hands when Leeloo (Jovovich) falls into his cab. As the embodiment of the fifth element, Leeloo needs to combine with the other four to keep the approaching Great Evil from destroying the world. Together with Father Vito Cornelius (Holm) and zany broadcaster Ruby Rhod (Tucker), Dallas must race against time and the wicked industrialist Zorg (Oldman) to save humanity. Endowed with striking visuals and imaginatively colourful production design, the film is a narrative stew of eccentric characters, pacey action, broad comedy, and explosions. What message it has about love and war is lost in the melting pot with some of the actors going seriously over-the-top with their performances (notably Tucker and Oldman). Willis is more grounded and is seemingly the only sane character in the story. However, the farcical humour hits home just enough times for the experience to remain an entertaining if frequently overbearing, one.
AAN: Best Effects, Sound Effects Editing (Mark A. Mangini)
