Spade review for "Elysium"

Rating: 7/10 (1 October 2013)

Overall: Elysium is a visually stunning science fiction melodrama set in a very well built and designed world that is ultimately held back by its weak characterization. Neil Blokamp has firmly established himself as the genre's most visually gifted directors and will hopefully continue challenging the vapid nature of modern, big budget sci-fi. 7/10
Detailed Review:
A) Story/Script: The story is relatively straight forward; characters are archetypes that say the lines demanded by their stereotypes. Yet, the story is effective. The plot is spun out well and is decently paced from set piece to set piece. A stronger, more nuanced script would have really elevated this film, especially with it backed by such strong production values. However, Neil Blokamp really excels at making this an international affair, with different dialects and accents naturally worked into the story. 6/10
B) Characters: Each character is an archetype: the ex-con with a heart of gold, the cold Defense Secretary, the psychopathic Mercenary, the childhood friend with a kid in peril. While they do serve their purposes amiably, it is disappointing after the nuanced and multifaceted characters seen in "District 9". However, they are played well by their respective actors, with a special mention going to Matt Damon and Sharlto Copley: both play against type very well, inhabiting roles that could have been pure stock characters is played by someone else. 6/10
C) Design: This is an absolutely visually stunning movie: the stark contrasts between Elysium and Earth are more than just shifts in color palettes. Both use gorgeous architectural designs that really tell a story of their own. While the idea of the "used future" is not original, here it is used with such effectiveness that others will be hard pressed to beat it. The vehicle and weapons design are absolutely brilliant, and they tie into the respective aesthetics excellently, which really emphasizes the history of this world. All together, the visual design of this film really lends credibility to a story that would have been sorely lacking otherwise. 9/10
D) Sound/Music: The sound design is as stunning as the visuals they compliment. Engines, saws, gun shots, everything has a punch to them, really pushing the drama on screen further and wringing every last ounce of weight out of these set pieces. The score is a typical, sci fi score, with requisite bombastic portions complimented by slower and quieter sections. It serves its purpose without overstepping its boundaries; a simple but effective score is always better than a loud one that detracts from the film. 9/10
E) Purpose/Misc: Elysium is pure sci-fi melodrama, yet it's hard to hold that against it too much; it's ultimately overshadowed by "District 9". We have seen Neil Blokamp do effective sci-fi drama while still giving us a challenging story and characters in "District 9", so to see this Avatar-esque story supported by such stunning visuals and creative direction is a bit disheartening. Having said that, Neil Blokamp is a director very distinctly in command of the style and nature of the films he creates and does an excellent job building them. When he inevitably matches the style of "Elysium" with the brains and heart of "District 9", it could potentially be genre defining. 8/10