Review of Elysium (2013) by Arth J — 23 Aug 2018

What binds all the mayhem..

Elysium.

Elysium is a plot driven sci-fi thriller with a familiar theme that we have always been fed with for years, but with a newer perspective which is appreciative since it is more humane than we asked for.

The premise guides you the one-man stereotyped action but at the end of the line surprisingly and fortunately delivers much more than that. Blomkamp's uncertain near future world runs on merit and doesn't rely upon any help, the protagonist or the antagonist will have to stand up after getting beaten down and take matters into his or her own hand.

Eerie d.o.p. and pointless slow motions in action sequences unfortunately doesn't work in here. The production design is finely detailed with alluring set pieces, lethal weapons and slick vehicles that helps you feel like, future is here. The visual effects are decent enough to believe in it but is short on technical aspects like background score, cinematography and editing.

The narrative isn't as exhilarating as it assumes it to be, it walks on a familiar path with a known textbook structure. The sense of urgency is the key to its fast and hard core screenplay that is equally bold and smart. The writer-director Blomkamp is much more powerful with his script than his execution skills which factors in when he is cornered to draw out the emotions from the screen.

Damon is angry and oozes power from it with a reserved Foster, emotionally challenged Braga, supportive Luna and Moura but the trump card in here would be Copley's baddie that is horrifying to encounter on screen. The fluent screenplay, self-created high tech world and a children's tale are the high points of the feature.

Elysium may take place in different and easily filtered acts but its easiness to transact from one sequences to another is what binds all the mayhem.