Star Wars + Indiana Jones + Austin Powers = Fifth Element

Rating: 7/10 (19 August 2001)

S K E T C H Y and O V E R THE H E A D
This movie seems to be more of an experiment than a great movie. And perhaps that is what makes it unique and worth watching. Picture the hybrid of Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and (double-YUCK) Austin powers. Think about it. Intrigued?
An ordinary guy with an extraordinary past meets up with the perfect girl and a priest of an ancient order, to defeat the essence of darkness intangible, set on a collision course for their world to destroy all life. All the characters in this movie fill in a niche resulting in defeating evil. Like life, the individuals do not work together, but in the end everything works out (or does it) in a way in which one would wonder could it have been done any other way. It seems that fate directs humanity (it's evils, lusts, carnage, greed, anger, and most of all innocence) too defeat evil as a whole, even though most are not working towards that goal, and even oblivious to the ramifications.
The problem with this movie is that the producers tried to cram in too many elements; comedy, action, love, thought provoking concepts, wacky spin, and Wild West type hero... Instead of being a top 10 movie with just a few elements, what resulted was a C movie in a class all it's own. Although, after watching it two nights in a row, I admit I am disappointed in how it turned out. It could have been in league with 12 Monkeys, yet it is worth watching despite it's bane just to try to understand the effort at genius.
Simple plot, carried out with taste, remarkably enter twined from different angles. Although it falls short of the mark, respect the effort at genius. Watch this movie of simple entertainment, good special effects, and a coy attitude between the lines that makes me think... (what the heck?!)
7.5 This mistake is much more enjoyable to watch than Hollywood dogma (not the movie, go look up dogma in the dictionary). I enjoy watching it to try and find it's potential.