Gives viewers something to think about and digest while enjoying the action.

Rating: 10/10 (14 August 2013)

'ELYSIUM': Five Stars (Out of Five)
Writer/director Neil Blomkamp's second feature (and follow-up to his immensely popular and critically acclaimed 2009 sci-fi hit 'DISTRICT 9') is yet another sci-fi action film laced with social and political commentary. Where 'DISTRICT 9' deals with social segregation and racism in South Africa this film deals with class warfare, immigration and the healthcare system in America. The film is set in a future world (2154) where the poor are forced to live on an overpopulated, disease and war stricken Earth while the rich live on a space station (called Elysium) without these problems. Blomkamp has been quoted as saying although it's set in the future it's about right now. Above all it's an awesome action movie. It stars Matt Damon as a an ex-con who's exposed to a deadly level of radiation, at his crappy job, and will stop at nothing to make his way onto Elysium in order to cure himself. It co-stars Jodie Foster and the star of 'DISTRICT 9' Sharlto Copley (who's a scene-stealer).
Damon plays Max Da Costa, an ex-con who now lives in a ruined Los Angeles working a dead-end factory job. The factory is ran by CEO John Carlyle (William Fichtner), who routinely visits Earth in order to make sure his company becomes profitable again. While returning to Elysium a high ranking government official, named Jessica Delacourt (Foster), asks Carlyle to write her an illegal computer program, that will allow her to override Elysium and make her the President, in return for years of defense contracting business. When Da Costa is exposed to a lethal dose of radiation (that will kill him in five days) doing a deadly job for Carlyle's company (and simply 'thrown away' by him) he wants revenge. He agrees to take a job, from a smuggler named Spider (Wagner Moura), stealing corporate information from Carlyle in exchange for a free ride to Elysium. Due to the fact that Max is deathly ill Spider has a strength enhancing exoskeleton surgically attached to Max's body (to help him do the job better). When Delacourt finds out what Spider and Max are up to she enlists an insane South African mercenary, named Kruger (Copley), to stop them.
Damon is once again a great action hero (but nothing too much, in terms of acting, is required of him here). Foster makes a good despicable corporate villain as well but it's Copley that once again steals the show. He and Blomkamp make a great team and going from bumbling nerd hero (in 'DISTRICT 9') to treacherous lethal villain in this is remarkable (He was also a great scene-stealer in 'THE A-TEAM' in-between). Copley makes a classic and very memorable movie villain here and the movie overall is just great sci-fi action. The drama isn't quite as effective as it would like to be but it works. Like all great science fiction the film is a thinking man's movie and full of brilliant social commentary. Everything the movie says about society is exactly true, as well, right now (like Blomkamp says). It's only a matter of time until things turn disastrous or we do something about it. The movie delivers this message in a very effective way. I've heard people complain (as they did with 'DISTRICT 9') that the movie absorbs itself in action by the end and turns from smart to the routine. I agree but I think it's a good thing. This (like 'DISTRICT 9') is primarily an action film; Blomkamp obviously loves action and movie violence and he glorifies it in both films. It's not that he turns his films from thinking man's movies into action films it's that he makes his action films 'thinking man's movies' as well. That's a good thing! He gives viewers something to think about and digest while enjoying the action and the thrill ride. He's an awesome action film director and I love his movies. I can't wait to see what he does next!
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