Elysium: scifi socialism wrapped in contemporary issues

Rating: Null/10 (19 August 2013)

Elysium: scifi socialism wrapped in contemporary issues Matt Damon reached for the stars in his new scifi flick Elysium. Instead he fell to Earth, with a loud thud, as the story line was revealed. Set in the year 2154, with a post-apocalyptic Los Angeles as its backdrop, Damon must fight his way through two worlds for his own survival and the rest of humanity. Wealthy elites live on a gigantic space platform named Elysium, while the rest of Earth's population lives in the ruins below. Twenty-second century Los Angeles is populated with millions of Hispanic individuals who have reclaimed a city once under their auspices. Very little work is available except for a few giant corporate structures managed by the Elysium hierarchy. Damon's female interest has a child who is in her last days of life. With our hero facing his own demise from an industrial accident, the clock is ticking for both to get to Elysium where cures are available. Numerous obstacles are placed in the path of the protagonist Damon before he can achieve passage for himself and others to the elites floating abode. Jodi Foster is engaging as the Defense Secretary in Elysium. Contemporary social themes overburden this film's futuristic settings begging the question, did the White House edit this film. A war between the rich and poor is continually emphasized. Climate change is creatively worked into some of the scenes. Yet, the most provocative theme is sophisticated medical services are only ordained for the rich, sound familiar. Director Neill Blomkamp, denies in numerous interviews, that Elysium was intended to showcase America's current problems. Any other interpretation would be antithetical to the evidence before the audience. Damon's performance is flat, as though he was forced to perform in a venue out of his league. Half-hearted direction makes the interplay between the actors lame and uninteresting. As an avid fan of scifi, I would wait until this one comes to cable. It has very little future. Mark Davis, MD platomd@gmail.com