Fun film that's breathless in style and creates a sense of awe!

Rating: 9/10 (6 June 2003)

Luc Besson has to be applauded. He has created a fun and interesting story that looks fantastic with breath taking visual design. This is what we need to see more in the movie industry. Too many directors play it safe, and don't push the boundaries. The classics Blade Runner and Alien gave us a darker, dirtier future. So what about the other side of the coin (or Multi-pass)? The '90's brought us too many look-alike movies with horrible plot lines, stupid science and unimpressive set design and costumes (remember Event Horizon!).
If you're going to design a sci-fi film, show me something new, fresh and thought provoking. This movie has it in spades! Lots of stuff you've never seen before, like flying taxis during daylight hours, no rain but sunny skies in a future New York built hundreds of feet below street level (the ocean level dropped hundreds of feet, and the city built downward!), costumes look fantastic and sexy ( thanks to Jean Paul Gauthier) and even Milla's spoken language is freaky. And it's Sarah Brightman who sings the operetta!
Even if the story isn't earth shattering, the film works well, and the chemistry between the actors is great. It's even refreshing to see Bruce shift acting gears to a more subdued tone. He's a modest hero in this film, which works fine . Overall, this film does what few sci-fi films do today, it gives you a feeling of awe and wonder at the future.