Fun highly watchable sci-fi

Rating: 8/10 (4 April 2000)

Okay there are some real faults with this film, like its tendency to go a little too far into silliness, which becomes a problem when the film wants to then be serious, but all in all its good points out weigh its bad.
A couple good points: This movie is visually stunning, a fresh view in sci-fi. A welcomed change from the dark trashiness that has been watered down and done to death.
The story is a pretty original. The editing is particularly good. Pay attention to the ends of scenes, because what ever was talked about in the end of a scene is exactly what the next scene is. The impact this has on the energy of the film is easy to overlook and disregard as obvious.
The effects are of course good. They should be considering how many effects houses worked on it and how much this film cost.
The acting is good. Bruce Willis is of course Bruce Willis. Gary Oldman is as usual a pleasure to watch. That little piece of plastic on his head is annoying though. I suppose it was put there to make him look silly. However he already looked kinda weird without his patented evil man goatee.
I would say the worst part and completely unnecessary and out of place part of this film is Chris Rock's character. Oh was he annoying. He runs toe to toe with Jar Jar Binks as worst character to almost ruin a movie.
I don't know why Luc Besson put him in there. Maybe to poke fun at Americans. All it does is once that overt reference is gone (about five seconds after appears) is leave us with an annoying and overbearing character you just wish would die in a crossfire.
Take him away and some other out of place cheesiness (like that stupid creature in Gary Oldman's desk) and you have a perfect movie.
So if you want a near perfect sci-fi/action/comedy movie and can handle these sometimes annoying imperfections rent or buy this.
Not exactly thinking man's sci-fi, but neither were most of the Star Wars movies.
I would equate this with Episode I. Only this was better because it didn't have all that extra baggage.