Predictable Political Pap

Rating: 4/10 (15 August 2013)

I should have known from the trailer and choice of actors what this movie was all about. No spoilers here. It's the usual choice for Hollywood's villains - rich people (especially capitalists). In this case they are not only greedy, but murderous. The political message of income and health care inequality is so in-your-face, it was hard to enjoy the movie. The rich separatists have unlimited health, and effortless medical cures. All the "poor" need to do is become citizens of the Elysium paradise, instead of "illegal aliens."
Problem: an automated "MedPod" doesn't have the problem of 8-10 years of medical school, a quarter-million dollars of student debt, long hours, on-call weekends, and unlimited liability to lawsuits. Of course a machine makes things easier.
Problem: The "capitalist" is seen on the phone worrying about making "restoring profitability." Really? Have we gone past "excess" profits being a bad thing, and now "restoring" profitability is a bad thing? I suppose it's more honorable to be losing money? How do you stay in business and keep people employed if you're losing money? Oh, I forget - government bailouts. But where does the government get its money? They don't tax themselves, and they don't tax non-profits. That's right - the ONLY place they get money is from PROFITABLE businesses. You might say, "but those employees pay taxes" . . . but the employees of government get their money from capitalism, and non-profits get their donations from "profits" of others.
So. Preachy. And ignorant.