A nice hit turns to an infield out.

Rating: 3/10 (9 July 2001)

A friend wrote this: I liked Fifth Element only because of its excess. A good comparison is Water World. When the French blow 200 million dollars, you get a crappy film with a lot of style (great clothes), beautiful expansive scnenery and some kind of cool music. When the American blow 200 million, you get Kevin Costner.
My reply: I actually liked Fifth Element until around Jovavitch's big fight scene. Suddenly the film took a left turn, lost whatever focus on style it had, and became an embarrassment on the level of Tank Girl.
Chris Tucker was fine for his first scene. But to keep him on screen for more than five minutes was a huge mistake that derailed the movie. Father of the Bride did it right with Martin Short as the wedding planner -- five minutes then out. If the performance sucks then no harm no foul. Every second past that is unpaid overtime.
That whole last third from the departure to the fantasy planet onwards was as though Besson said " I can't make up my mind between sci fi and forced camp." If there's a hell below intentional camp I'd like to know what it is. It began subtly with the jewish mother jokes and the General's crew stuffed in the freezer, by the fight scene it was outta control. Bruce Willis had a great action sequence, overshadowed by Tucker's shrill-bitch running commentary. He's not saving the world anymore, he's saving the girly-man from burping aliens.
Like fake boobs, you get less pleasure staring at them right after watching the operation. Not only is it false advertising, but now you know you're being taken for a sucker. I kept watching with the hope Tucker would drop out of sight or a plot twist might keep it interesting, but got the feeling by the end that the Besso didn't give a damn anymore either.