Comrades, rise up!

Rating: 8/10 (29 August 2013)

Neill Blomkamp made a massive impression with his $30 Million debut District 9, a smartly written sci-fi film with great special effects that supplied both blockbuster thrills and social commentary. His follow-up film was also going to be a highly anticipated film, but also runs the risk of suffering second album syndrome.
By the end of the 21st Century Earth is overpopulated and polluted. The rich and the elite leave Earth to live on Elysium, a huge space station that could be seen from Earth. By 2154 Earth is a poverty stricken, diseased world that has suffers from crime and health problems and an oppressive robotic police force whilst Elysium is a calm paradise where they have healing pods that can cure anything from broken bones to cancer. Many people on Earth try to break into Elysium despite it being pretty much a suicide mission.
On Earth is Max De Costa (Matt Damon), a convicted criminal who tries to live a clean life and works as a factory worker, despite being targeted by the police. But after a work accident he gets a lethal dose of radiation and only has five days to live. Max's only hope is going to Elysium, but to do that he needs to steal the thoughts of a billionaire (William Fincher). What Max ends up with something that could change the world and makes him a target for Elysium's Defence Secretary, Delacourt (Jodie Foster) and her personal covert agent, Kruger (Sharlto Copley).
Some of the critical and audience reaction to Elysium has been mixed and lukewarm with people disappointed with Blomkamp's work. But Elysium is still an entertaining sci-fi film with substance. Blomkamp uses some simple story ideas, such as Max only having a few days to live, so has to go on one last mission and Max having a McGuffin that everyone wants. Blomkamp does this so he can fresh out his world and themes. Earth does look like a hole of despair of urban decay and crime and the planet does seem to not have advance very much.
Elysium is very clear and open about its themes and ideas; this is a film that very critical of access to healthcare in America, particularly how the poor had inadequate healthcare compared to the rich and elite who can have anything they want. There are rampant poverty which the elite ignores, looks at gated communities, immigration, particularly of Latin Americans going to the United States and xenophobia of the elite and classism. Elysium's wears its leftist politics on the sleeve as we see the world split into the bourgeoisie and the proletariat as companies aim to maximum their profits regardless of the workers. There are also smaller themes but no less important like the how workers, particularly immigrant workers are expendable. The film is at its most subtle when robots are in bureaucratic positions like Max's speaking to his parole officer, complimented with Damon's sarcastic interaction. Elysium is very much a film about the lower classes taking back what is theirs which should appeal to revolutionary Marxists.
Blomkamp is known for coming from a special effects background and like District 9 the CGI and models were excellent. Blomkamp is able to supply action and spectacle with his world building. Blomkamp does go for a little too much shaky-cam at times, yet the hand-held camera work did give Elysium a pseudo-documentary feel and adds a scene of authenticity to the film, making it look more real and add to Blomkamp's photo- realistic style.
Like District 9 the action is strong and very well directed. Whilst shaky-cam is used Blomkamp also uses a lot of slow-mo to great effect. We get gun battles, fist and knife fights with men in exo-skeletons and District 9 style weapons leading to exploding bodies. Elysium is how I like my R-rated sci-fi action, very bloody and violence: we even get a man getting a grenade to the face.
Some of the art direction was very similar to Looper, with old cars and guns being modified and people on Earth having to do in a rag tag world. There are also some elements of Total Recall, In Time and Escape from New York.
Copley was fantastic as Kruger, a raging psychopath with menace and dark humour to his role. It was a shame that he wasn't the main villain as he injected energy into his role. He should be considered to play the next Bond villain. It is a shame that Foster as the main villain was lacklustre, being a politician with xenophobic views who had a cold persona and a strange accent. She should have been written out and Kruger been made as the main villain.
Elysium does use a similar storyline and plot points to District 9, both the main characters end up being inflected with something that will kill or change them and both character end up having something that an organisation really want. As mention is very heavy handed with its political commentary and one be that was so transparent was Fincher's character, a billionaire tycoon who puts his workers to the limited and does not care what happens to them. It could have been handled better such as the billionaire trying to squeeze out very bit of profit they can and do things like ignoring safety regulations or concerns.
On a final note composer Ryan Amon was clearly influenced by Hans Zimmer as his used a lot of horns, strings and choir music used during the film.
Elysium is not as strong as District 9 but it is still a very worthy film that is entertaining and thematic. Even if you do not agree with the politics of Elysium it holds up as an R-rated sci-fi and more should be made.