Elysium

"From The Director Of District 9." That's what took my hope away from this movie immediately. I understand why people loved District 9. But I loved it as a summer action movie. As the brilliant Oscar-nominated movie it was perceived to be, however, I thought it was vastly overrated. Friends and colleagues would declare "Tom, you simply must have not understood it!" No. I got it. I think a 5 year old could have gotten the allusions to racism and apartheid. It's so obvious it's almost painful.

This movie suffers more of the same. Of course this is an allusion to many issues. And there lies the first problem - MANY issues. Universal health care, illegal immigration, government structure, what defines a hero politically, class divides, income discrimination, population control. I get that the story was written to be a commentary of today's society. But with so many issues, it becomes contradictory in ways that very much hurt the message of the film.

For example, one of the reasons for illegal immigration to this colony Elysium, a utopia type space station, is for the med-pods inside residential houses. People are fighting to allow those med-pods to be placed on Earth, pods that have the ability to cure cancer, rebuild destroyed body parts, essentially do anything. In fact, these pods can extend human life and prolong youth....but wait. Wasn't it established at the beginning of the film that Earth is VASTLY overpopulated? Is universal health care and prolonged human life really such a godsend,  when it's implied that the entirety of the planet lives much like Damon's slum?

Also, equality of healthcare and living conditions is a very liberal minded ideal in our country, at least right now. So why is it then that in this world, Damon is viewed as a bit of a loser for having a job? That's right, he walks past a group of people who tease him for going to work. Why? Is this supposed to be some form of commentary about the society? While I understand that the idea of using social programs as a crutch is potentially helpful and do support their use in a perfect world where systems aren't abused, are we supposed to support that these men who do nothing all day, and in fact make fun of the one guy going to work, deserve free healthcare?

But that's not the only problem keeping Elysium from greatness. There's also the issue of scientific bullshit. We're not talking about nitpicking, though. No, it's not about the very tiny subtleties of the film that may pissoff someone like me, a perfectionist. No, we're talking about a character literally having a grenade blow up in his face, and yet revealing that his brain is still functioning despite the fact that literally about two thirds of his face is gone. Really? The film is trying to tackle all of these incredibly heavy and poignant issues, and it doesn't even have faith in us to know that that isn't exactly just a flesh wound?

I see what the director was going for. But plain and simple, it just doesn't work. It's heavy handed and blatant, but also badly written out. It contradicts itself. Frankly, it should have picked one issue, stuck with it, and watched where it went. The trend is set though - Neill Blomkamp will make heavy handed political sci-fi. I just hope his next film makes more sense.

Rank - 2.5/5