Pop-Art Celluloid.

Rating: 10/10 (15 November 2002)

A fantastic pop-culture feast for the eyes. A simple good-vs-evil tale told with humour, stylish costumes, sharp direction and great effects.
I am going to stick my neck out here, and say it's the best "fun" Sci-Fi Movie ever made - taking on the likes of Star Wars, Star Trek, Battlestar Gallaticar, and knocking them into a cocked Stormtroopers Helmet. With it's U.K. 15 Certificate, it is able to explore more mature themes - so perhaps this is its appeal when comparing it against standard "bubble-gum" Sci-Fi flicks.
It's beautifully filmed, with eye-popping colours, sets and costumes by Jean-Paul Gaultier. Nearly all the costumes are fun and widely impractical, allowing Gaultier to squeeze muscle-bound extras into Lycra shorts for some mild homo-erotic images. Milla Jovovich (Leeloo) gets carefully placed 2 inch straps as a costume to jump off buildings with, for the heterosexuals in the audience.
The humour ranges from slap-stick with Lee Evans, black with Gary Oldman, subtle with Ian Holm and deadpan with Bruce Willis. I think it's this that really makes the film - it will just not take it's self seriously, but still delivers tension and conflict. Oldman showing off his latest multi-function ZF-1 gun is just a cinemagraphic treat - with real punch on the effects and treacle dialogue delivery from Oldman. "A word on firepower. Three thousand round clip with bursts of 3 to 300. With the Replay button (another Zorg invention) it's even easier. One shot, and Replay sends every following shot to the same location".
Luc Besson is not worried about using character actors for most of the smaller parts - so the screen is filled with a superb looking supporting cast, rather than the "bland" model-look-alike extras in most films. Some of the lighting and effects emphasise this aspect, which makes for great viewing, and adds realism to the experience - as most scientists will probably not look like Male Fashion Models!
I suppose the only flaw in the film is the simplistic story-line. It is almost childish in its concept, but gets such a superb cinematic treatment, I can forgive this - and get on with enjoying what it has to offer.
It's up there with the Sci-Fi greats, head-and-shoulders above most of them - so make a date with a Pop-Culture Classic, and then get it voted into the Top 50 - for heaven's sake....