Great Sci-Fi action, but could have been better

Rating: 7/10 (29 November 2014)

After the greatness of District 9, I was anticipated for the next project by Writer/Director Neill Blomkamp. Years later came Elysium and was somewhat amazed and disappointed at the same time. The movie is set in the year 2154 where Earth is overpopulated and all the wealthy elite have fled to a space station called Elysium. It's essentially a ring-world that harbors a natural habitat filled with grassy fields, reservoirs and beautiful mansions. Unfortunately for the folks down on Earth, Elysium is hard to get to let alone live there unless you were born in a rich family. The story focuses on former criminal Max DaCosta (Matt Damon) whom is destined to make it to Elysium one day. After getting in a radiation accident at work, he is forced to undergo surgery by a ragtag group of thugs that give him an exo-suit to wear. The plot eventually follows a data heist which will get them to Elysium.
The best parts of Elysium has been the cinematography, special effects and the action. The not so best parts is the writing of the story. There's not a lot of character development, the plot is too quick and thin, and some of the acting by Actress Jodi Foster isn't too good. My real problem with the movie is it's heavy-handed political message that's it's trying to force audiences to submit to. Elysium wants to be relevant. It wants to explore immigration and healthcare issues that America is facing currently. The execution of the socio-political commentary is done so poorly. It's explained through stereotypes. There's a good guy/bad guy. No gray areas. Throw in some action and you get the message by the end of the film. It failed to explore those issues in a complex manner. Another poor execution in Elysium was it's worldbuilding. It's set in the year 2154 yet feels very much like 2013-2014 with a few technological advancements. We see highly advanced guns, robots and some vehicles. Not to mention, Elysium itself but that is really it. Everything else felt too contemporary from the clothing of the characters to the overall atmosphere and the setting.
In the end, Elysium is a a Science Fiction film that really could have been better. it had so much potential. The final product isn't bad, it just didn't meet up with Blomkamp's first feature, District 9.