A Must See!

Rating: 8/10 (22 August 2013)

After seeing District 9 I was a bit wary of Neil Blomkaps new sci-fi film Elysuim with its vision of a utopian world far from our time. It has been a long time since I have watched a film that completely enthralled me but with Elysuim I was totally hooked within the first five minutes. I wanted to know more about this wondrous place called Elysuim and wow if only such a place did exist, well one can dream I guess. A world in which the poor and the rich are not one but separate from each other on the basis of wealth creates social divide as the rich have accesses to human resources that makes them able to live a luxurious lifestyle whilst the poor struggle to survive makes for a gripping tale of a man that defys all odds to break free from oppression.. From the first moment we learn of Max played by Matt Damon, we can identify with him, with his dream, his aspiration. Correct me if I am wrong but don't we all long for this utopian lifestyle, to break free from the oppressions of everyday life, from those chains that restrict us from being who we long to be and this is the reason why Max is such a great character in my mind, he is the anti-hero but still he is cheered and applauded as he does what I believe we all wish to do and break from an oppressive society. However, what Neil Blomkaps cleverly does is give the film ever greater substance by not making this simply your typical action movie where its all about a powerful, heroic hero fighting against the bad guy but by showing Max's compassionate and honest nature with the on-going accompanying tale of two people finding companionship in one another at a young age and creating a bond that still remains as strong as it was then once they are reunited as adults. This is where the film pulls on the heart strings and no more than at its conclusion but of course I will leave this for you to decide, as I do not wish to spoil what I believe is to be a cleverly and well thought out ending that leaves no stone unturned.
This a well casted film with the likes of Jodie Foster but it is Matt Damon's performance that stands out. He not only presents a character that is believable in his compassionate and honest nature but one that is also lovable for his quick-wittedness. Although, you would think of this as a overly serious film, Neil Blomkaps still allows us to have a little giggle and be entertained by Max's cynical humor. I really cannot credit this film enough, it has a clear beginning, middle and end and I never found myself bored because nothing was prolonged, everything was just right. Before I finish one thing I will say is I'd be careful of who's watching this as things were a bit gorier than expected but boy did this allow you to appreciate how brilliant the special effects were. I would definitely say this is a film to be seen on the big screen and not the standard television, so what are you waiting for? You too can see the utopian world you dream of with Elysuim.