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The Fifth Element [1997]
![The Fifth Element [1997]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41J8Y0B0ANL._SL160_.jpg)
Original Theatrical Trailer
RRP: £17.99
Our Price: £3.05 (subject to change)
Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review
Ancient curses, all-powerful monsters, shape-changing assassins, scantily-clad stewardesses, laser battles, huge explosions, a perfect woman, a malcontent hero--what more can you ask of a big-budget science fiction movie? Luc Besson's high-octane film The Fifth Element incorporates presidents, rock stars and cab drivers into its peculiar plot, traversing worlds and encountering some pretty wild aliens. Bruce Willis stars as a down-and-out cabbie who must win the love of Leeloo (Milla Jovovich) to save Earth from destruction by Jean-Baptiste Emmanuel Zorg (Gary Oldman) and a dark, unearthly force that makes Darth Vader look like an Ewok. --Geoff Riley
Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review
Luc Besson's high-octane film The Fifth Element incorporates presidents, rock stars and cab drivers into its peculiar plot, traversing worlds and encountering some pretty wild aliens. Bruce Willis stars as a down-and-out cabbie who must win the love of Leeloo (Milla Jovovich) to save Earth from destruction by Jean-Baptiste Emmanuel Zorg (Gary Oldman) and a dark, unearthly force that makes Darth Vader look like an Ewok. Ancient curses, all-powerful monsters, shape-changing assassins, scantily-clad stewardesses, laser battles, huge explosions, a perfect woman, a malcontent hero--what more can you ask of any big-budget science fiction movie? --Geoff Riley
Editorial
Video Description
DVD Special Features
Searching For The Fifth Element
Cast and Crew Biographies
Interactive Moving Menus
Ratio: 2.35:1
Languages: English
Running Time: 121 mins
Editorial
Synopsis
A visual feast combining ancient mysticism, cyberpunk sensibilities, flamboyant entertainment personalities, and gun-toting alien mercenaries. In the 23rd century, Korben Dallas, an ex-special forces agent who now practices as a down-and-out cabbie, finds himself caught in a struggle to defy a prophesied Evil from destroying the Earth when a mysterious woman falls into the back seat of his cab. Pursued by both the government and a powerful magnate enlisted by the forces of Evil, the woman is the key to Earth's salvation, known only as the Fifth Element. Auteur Besson's first offering with Hollywood backing.
It Had Its Moments, But I Just Didn't Get It
Review date: 2008-08-08 Rating: 10 out of 10
I had never seen this film before, but had bought it a while ago. It was sat in my DVD drawer... (Yes I have a DVD drawer) It was constantly calling my name, begging me to stick it in my PS3 and enjoy the ride I had heard so much about. How disappointed was I when I was given a movie, that at times even lost itself when it came to what it was about and how it was meant to present itself. It has been billed as a Sci-Fi, action thriller. At times it became a slapstick comedy and others it became a romance movie set in the future. I'm not sure whether she's cursed, but Milla Jovovich has a knack at appearing in over hyped, yet terrible movies. Need I mention the first two Resident Evil movies or the travesty that was Ultraviolet?
The basic plot outline is that in the year 2214 the very existence of life itself is threatened by Evil. Want to know what evil is? It can only be described as a spherical object that absorbs everything mankind throws at it, and it's growing. The only thing that can stop it is the combination of the four elements along with a person who's the fifth element.(hence the movie name) In this year the fifth element is a woman who's created through the remains of a destroyed spaceship. When she's created she goes on the run and finds herself in the unlikely hands of, you guessed it. Bruce Willis, otherwise known as Korben Dallas. He's going to help her achieve her destiny and save existence. They are faced with obstacles, however, in the form of a money hungry "Art Dealer."
Yes. The plot is that weird. You would have thought that along with the strangeness of the plot it will have created a quirky, but gritty action movie. Instead it became a mess and from one moment to the next it simply didn't know what genre it wanted to belong to. If this was a movie trying to take itself seriously, then it failed. If it was meant to be a comedy then I have to admit it succeeded in making me laugh. Apart from the odd cool action sequence, this movie was simply ridiculous and failed to hold my attention. I struggled through it and I'm wondering who I can write to, to get my time back. I expected better from Bruce Willis and I have to be honest, I didn't expect anything more of Jovovich.
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Reviews
so cool I watch it every 6 months
Review date: 2007-11-07 Rating: 10 out of 10
This film is so much fun I watch it gain after 6 months.
I have never done this with another film!
Quick Reviews!
Review date: 2007-10-07 Rating: 10 out of 10
*** This comment may contain spoilers ***
Luc Besson shows again why he was one of the most stylish and innovative directors of the nineties with this effort. Bringing together a wildly varied cast, from action stars to stage actors to supermodels to cult heroes, and putting them in a genre defying film about the salvation of earth in the future, he gives one of the most visually impressive films of the era, as well as one of the most entertaining.
The story begins in the early 20th century with an archaeologist and friend uncovering proof of aliens, and of a mysterious fifth element, the only thing capable of saving the world from destruction. Aliens arrive and take the apparent device, leaving Luke Perry to pass on the secret through the generations. Flash forward a few centuries and we meet a group of scientists who have found the Fifth Element. It is a beautiful young woman, and half the galaxy is after her, including evil aliens, and the tyrannical Gary Oldman. The young woman escapes, only to literally crash into washed up taxi driver and ex soldier Bruce Willis. She speaks in an alien language, but together they find Ian Holm, a descendant of the original archaeologist. Thus begins a frantic race to save the world from an approaching black ball of shadow, while protecting the fifth element from capture.
The film has much to give- the sets, effects, and costumes are all wonderful, giving one of the best visions of the future since Blade Runner, and borrowing many ideas from such sci-fi classics. There are brilliant performances from all, though Oldman, Johovich, and Tucker stand out. The film is bursting with ideas and imagination, there are many funny moments, and the message that love can conquer all, though slightly glossy, is still relevant. At times bizarre, but always highly watchable, the Fifth Element is a film which everyone with a heart and soul should enjoy, or at least find something worthwhile in it.
This DVD has plenty of extras- intersting features on the production of the film, lots of trailers, interviews, and a commentary. A must have for sci-fi fans, and if you have a few pounds going spare this is one everyone should try.
Die Hard meets Star Wars
Review date: 2007-08-17 Rating: 8 out of 10
Bruce Willis plays himself admirably amidst a comic ' save the universe ' plot and even manages a Die Hard reminiscent orange vest designed by master outfitter Jean Paul Gaultier who lends a future Fellini-esque element to the bustling cast of eccentric characters. Bruce's indolent, malcontent ex-special-forces resignee turned taxi driver ( I know the feeling ) seeths with urban survivalist irritation and takes no prisoners. He gives us tongue in cheek 'frozen-then-revived John McLean style' see the scene 'anyone else want to negotiate?' for that revelant comparison!
Luc Besson's high-octane film is beautifully thought out and set against the classic french futurist visions of two French comic book artists, Jean Claude Mezieres and Moebius, who inspired, and ultimately worked with writer/director Luc Besson, on the film's overall production design creating a stunning 'comic book' influenced grande-scale series of sets.
The seething future-vision multi layered city with its nestling protective smog layer, flying cars, vertical monorails and lifts and urban sky level walkways echoes and precedes scenes from Blade Runner and Minority Report but is tinged with the yellow/reds of Marvel Comic land. Yes in this movie the future is predominantly Orange at times! Bruce's insouciant action hero taxi driver excells as he daredevil pilots his adapted classic NYC Yellow Cab thru multi level city sky traffic in scenes worthy of John Dykstra's Star Wars breakneck speed hoverbike and Tie fighter chases.
Leeloo (Milla Jovovich) is the mysterious personnified 5th Element loaned sacrificially by a visually circular metallic alien race of robot-like creatures Modoshawans, who clearly have a Stargate feel about them. She comes in an unconventionally curveless real life mere 19 year old girl-package with a hint of underfed lower-teen-androgyne. Of course this being 20th Century family Hollywood such a perilously ingenue creature is ludicrously but interestingly costumed for the sake of cinema modesty. At least Jean-Paul's minimally creative 'bandaged car crash victim' outfit is a change from the usual silver bikini of futurist fems.
Emmanuel Zorg (Gary Oldman) is an unlikeable posturing villain in comically non frightening Lex Luther mode reporting to a dark, unearthly never revealed planet-killing force. The best characterisations are the shape-changing assassins, Mangalores, which were the prosthetically challenging special effects triumph. They are the grunts - storm trooper type stock enemy troops who were actually pretty cool-looking in the film, but dumb as they come.
Sexiest creatures in the movie are the sky-blue outfitted Gaultier dressed scantily-clad stewardesses on the interplanetary flight liner who fit all out many male notions of what flight attendancy should be all about!
The rest is villainy, comedy interchange, laser battles, huge explosions, and all the usual Die Hard cliches transferred to a spacefaring environment. If you are looking for the va-va-voom element it's all provided by the camply outrageous multi-media show host presenter, the idiotically vain and narcissistic Ruby Rhod. This skillfully realised annoying yet ultimately watchable pastiche character gives Jar-Jar Binks a decent run for his money as he/she can talk-sing non-stop like a 20 to the dozen future version of RuPaul on speed. Jean-Paul went to town on the looks and costumes for this mega-camp media star and Bruce's visible action-male discomfort and bemusement is a treat to observe when first cornered by the outrageous over the top Ruby, who makes the UK's Lily Savage look like a shy retiring wallflower.
Bruce triumphs in the end (natch!)and doesnt say Yippe-kay-yay Mofo even one time....and the bad guy meets the usual just fate and the universe is saved in the nick of time in true Capt Kirk/Flash Gordon style. Hoorah !
The films scores for me for sheer fun value and the comic book comedic action and dialogue is balanced against the superb futuristic detail and grandiose set visions. My favourite moment of the entire film is the start when Bruce is buying noodles from the wonderful old chinese man in his 'floating red-sailed' sky junk steaming away in the breakneck cluttered traffic snarled sky. This makes the opening of the film reminiscent of Deckard at the noodle stand in Blade Runner. I loved the homage and incongruity of that scene.
All in all I like this film and have watched it many times. Although it's a comic romp and lacks the gritty drama of my other favourite movies, for many reasons the overall futurist 'dream' of it and the fun exuberance of seeing Bruce play his favourite action hero cliche out on the future sci fi stage make it a regularly revisited DVD.
Sci Fi Classic with Futurist Undertones
Review date: 2007-05-17 Rating: 8 out of 10
From the vast timeless desert expanse of Egypt, then reaching far out into space, touching the future of Earth, comes an extraordinary story of how a race of beings have come to protect the planet Earth from ultimate oblivion. In order to do that, the powerful Mondoshawan race entrusted four very special elemental stones within a crept to be used in conjunction with The Fifth Element which morphs them into an unimaginable power of cosmic proportions. The story itself is fantastic in it's inception, wondrous in it's creation, explosive in it's delivery and dynamic in it's projected outcome. The film advances rapidly through the masterful and exciting talents of Bruce Willis as taxi driving Korben Dallas and Gary Oldman as Jean-Baptiste Emanuel Zorg. He is devilishly crafty as the servant of the Great Evil. Ian Holm is religiously mysterious as Father Vito Cornelius and Milla Jovovich is excitingly sexy as Leeloo. All in all, with the great spectrum of colorful characters, weapons and special effects, writer, director Luc Besson blends drama, tragedy and comedy to create a superior film which evolves quietly into a classic.
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Milla Jovovich
Bruce Willis
Gary Oldman
Chris Tucker
Ian Holm
Creators:
Bruce Willis (Primary Contributor)
Gary Oldman (Primary Contributor)
Director(s):
Recording label: Pathe Distribution
Manufacturer: Pathe Distribution
EAN: 5060002830055
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: PAL, Widescreen,
Release date: 1999-10-25
Number of discs: 1
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Audience rating: Parental Guidance
Region code: 2
Running time: 121 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1997-05-09
Language: English (Original Language)
Language: English (Subtitled)