Elysium isn't the Paradise of Movies, but it's Solid Entertainment

Rating: 6/10 (11 August 2013)

Is Elysium the masterpiece of thought-provoking sci-fi cinema of 2013? No. Is it the masterpiece of action and spectacle of 2013? No. Is it terrible or a total letdown? No.
And given that, it's a much more entertaining 'thinker' sci-fi than Oblivion, which was really trying too hard and overstuffed with convenient clichéd or fortuitous plot devices. In comparison, the only similar type of plot device that made me really groan was the defense mechanisms of the Elysium space station: a rather laughable construct used just to force the allegory of today's illegal immigration problems in the USA.
Matt Damon and Sharlto Copley give strong performances as opposing characters. For the most part (except for a couple of brief scenes), continuity is maintained well for the deteriorating state of Damon's character's health. Their first battle has exhilarating staging.
Personally, I really enjoyed Jodie Foster's full-tilt aristocrat, but I can see where some will be turned-off by her accent and execution. I think she pulled it off.
Outside of the above, and where Elysium falls down a bit, is that no one else is very memorable. There's an underground resistance leader (Diego Luna) who's solid, but a bit of a cardboard character, and William Fichtner puts in a short deliciously loathsome performance as an Elysium elitist. But, Damon's love interest, Alice Braga, is 'just there', and there is a needless subplot involving her injured daughter which really plays more as the standard abhorrent 'child in distress' cliché.
While you get a glimpse of the disparity between the Haves and the Have Not's, you really don't get to see that much of the 'star of the show' (Elysium itself), and the story feels a bit empty being focused primarily on the 3 main stars. Fleshing out the plot is sacrificed for action at the end of the day. Which is not to say the movie is bad overall. It's a decent watch, and pretty stunning in an IMAX theater. It just could have been more.