Nostalgia to Keep You Afloat

Rating: 5/10 (27 December 2019)

An ancient order, corpse reconstruction, aliens and spaceships; not much more is needed for a perfect 90s sci-fi action film. Yet with all of these elements, The Fifth Element fails to stand the test of time like its other contemporary sci-fi films, such as The Matrix. We begin in a desert learning about ancient aliens who visited earth and the religious order that works to keep in contact with them, giving the overall quest of the film. Suddenly, it's 300 years in the future and our two leads Korben Dallas, Bruce Willis, and Leeloo, Milla Jovovich meet by chance of Leeloo diving off of a building and landing in Korben's taxi cab. Korben has just been introduced as a renegade, tough-as-nails, ex-military-gone-civilian, who is on the verge of losing his license due to reckless driving. Leeloo is a reconstructed alien who turns out to be a really hot woman who remains lightly dressed in the entire film but is a certifiable badass. A cast of stars, what appears to be a sizeable special effect budget, and a well-received director, it had a lot, but somehow The Fifth Element has simply not withstood the test of time. While it is averagely rated at about a C-, I feel that it is only out of the fondness of nostalgia that this movie was not lost as an action film trying too hard to be in the sci-fi genre.
The Fifth Element is perfect as a nostalgic movie, under the blurred veneer of childhood memories of the crazy colors and bizarre monsters that seemed so opposite of anything we were seeing, it could really capture your attention. Aside from Tim Burton's Mars Attacks (1996), sci-fi was colorful, but not in the eye-popping way these two were. The use of color in costuming and set creation in the film is easily imprinted in a viewer's brain just after one watch. The color pallet is striking and memorable with bold colors in contrast to the grey and dingy settings. Leeloo's bright orange hair was iconic and a lasting image that could be the only thing you need to know what movie you're watching. If the colors didn't capture you, the characters certainly will. There is Leeloo who barely speaks in a way we can understand but has the most expressive face, and the perfect tough-guy for Korben, and the pinnacle of memorable characters Ruby Rhod played by Chris Tucker. From the entrance of Ruby Rhod, the movie seems to move faster and faster exponentially. Ruby Rhod moves and speaks a hundred miles a minute and the camera position and editing mimic this. The characters and use of the camera for each actor really made them memorable and unique. When Leeloo is panicking from being inside the reconstruction tube, the camera perspective changes and we see the room through Leeloo's eyes as she is still just recovering from being 3-D printed into existence again. The camera is shaky and the image is slightly blurred, and the editing is quick cuts of similar shots in the small space, engaging our fight or flight just as Leeloo. Through this editing and camera work, the viewers are able to be immersed in a character's feelings and point of view.
While these are all wonderful, playful elements that add to the appeal of the movie, the plot and dialogue are pitiful. The theme of the movie comes down to sci-fi with hot aliens and exciting action scenes. This film is action and sex-packed, so much so that after its 126 minute flash of scenes it isn't surprising that the plot remains basic and surface level. At the end of this whirlwind adventure through space and beyond, it seems likely that you'll remember the imagery, colors, and design, but entirely forget or miss key plot points. If you can look past the poorly aged jokes and characterizations and the awkward plot, you can certainly enjoy this film at face value. It is a sci-fi movie whose lead is Bruce Willis, a man who will go on to do The Sixth Sense but ultimately be a great action star. The way Korben says Leeloo will never seem natural and it will always be awkward that Leeloo doesn't get to communicate for nearly the entire movie, but Chris Tucker as Ruby Rhod will always be fun.