Adventure in a dystopic future

Rating: 8/10 (18 August 2013)

What will happen to the Earth if we are unable or unwilling to stop environmental mismanagement, overpopulation, massive illegal immigration, and the erosion of the middle class? Things would just get worse and worse until, in about 150 years or so, we would have a seriously contaminated, overpopulated and borderless planet. Society would be divided into the very poor and the very rich, and the poor would live in vast urban slums. Imagine a Los Angeles that looks like the slums of Jakarta or Cairo. It's not so unimaginable.
But of course the very rich would escape. They would use their billions and their advanced technology to create the ultimate gated community, perhaps even a massive space station from which they could continue to run their exploitative enterprises, and yet live in comfort away from the squalor.
They would develop the medical technology to cure any illness and prolong life, but this could not be shared with the teeming masses. (In America at least.)
Neill Blomkamp (District 9) shows us this dystopic future in "Elysium", a science-fiction action film. The story revolves around a lowly worker (played by Matt Damon) who, after suffering an deadly accident, stumbles across a way of changing his situation -- and the world's. He's a tough and determined ex-con with a good heart. Will he succeed?
I enjoyed this highly visual movie, although its bleak portrayal of the future was at times a little depressing and frustrating. Blomkamp, a promising young filmmaker, has succeeded admirably in bringing his grand vision to the screen. The special effects are excellent.
At times I found the film unexpectedly moving.
Some of the basic premises underlying the vision seemed not to have been properly thought out (or at least are not explained in the movie). I kept asking myself questions. Also, some of the characters were over the top. I'm not sure what was wrong here, but the writing may have been a little weak.
Viewers who are quick to suspend disbelief will enjoy this movie the most. Science fiction fans and future technology junkies will enjoy it immensely. Judging by the reviews here on IMDb, if you're a right-wing American actively fighting in the culture wars, you won't enjoy this film. So save yourself the heartache, and save us the post-movie rant: don't go.