Terrible On Every Level

Rating: Null/10 (8 August 2013)

Like bad action movies of the past with a big budget but no brain, (Can you say Reloaded? Can you say Revolutions? Can you now say Man of Steel?) This movie pretends to be smart but ultimately there was no thought put into it on any level other then how to make an overall socialist agenda look cool. Even the action scenes were on the weak and flimsy side. The entire movie lacks any real energy. Not only that, but there was zero chemistry between the stars--who have no personality or charisma. Yes, even the normally charismatic Matt Damon spends the film in pouty face with nothing deep to do. I know the characters are facing horribly depressing events but those monotone performances, interrupted by bursts of anger, are terrible. Since the movie tries to put some sort of emphasis on a theme, this was a serious problem. This film had some nice effects that quickly became boring as their setup and overuse flowed for far too long. Just like the Matrix sequels, this movie works as eye candy for a combined 15 minutes of its running time. The rest is crap.
To reiterate, what sinks the movie is that it lacks a sense of wonder and never emotionally connects with us. Sure, the CGI isn't bad but that clearly isn't enough in today's digital day and age. YAWN. Elysium is yet another victim of the spend more and think less way to make movies. You couldn't pay me enough to see it twice.