Good, but ...

Rating: 4/10 (1 December 2013)

This movie was thoroughly disappointing and left me with the feeling it could have been so much more. For example: I found the long, wide shots of the habitat to be stunning, but up close they took on a surreal, fake quality. I've certainly seen better CGI. The characters had a similar quality - all of them. Character development? All of Damon's character development seemed to happened when he was child and all at the same time sitting on a swing in the ghetto. Relationships? Other than a few flash-back scenes between Damon and Braga, and a snippet here and a comment there Elysium leaves you trying to figure them out for yourself. Back story? Oh, right ...we had a few sentences at the beginning of the movie explaining everything. Again and again, I was left wanting more, or asking "Why?" or worse, asking "Did I just miss something?" and reaching for the back button on the remote.
Damon and Foster certainly try, but even Foster's brilliance can't save this movie. The rest of the cast doesn't get the chance to try, although Moura's 'Spider' character certainly leaves an impression. And I don't think I've ever seen Fichtner (Carlyle) play a block of wood so well.
Watch Elysium if you need a refresher on stereotypical science fiction, extreme rich vs. poor, totally ruthless bureaucrats, completely evil spec-op soldiers, and the really, really, really downtrodden masses.