Elysium (2013)

Content by Tony Macklin. Originally published on August 7, 2013 @ tonymacklin.net.

Elysium is loud, boisterous nonsense. But it is entertaining.

Elysium is the Elysium of expensive "blockbusters." That's because it's only an hour and 49 minutes. That means the normal redundancy of effects is limited.

That makes it special. There is the usual overload of cacophonous frenzy, but at least it doesn't last for an eternity.

Elysium, set mainly in 2154, shows the earth has become a polluted wasteland. To escape crime and the bad air and go to a place where the life style is paradisaical - and the healthcare is perfect -the wealthy journey off to nearby Elysium to live and flourish.

The masses can't afford a ticket for the ideal healthcare, which can make the sick and maimed perfect again.

On earth Max (Matt Damon) is a factory worker on parole. He is a rebellious sort, who he is trying to stay out of trouble. But trouble comes to him.

An accident gives Max a lethal dose of radiation, and he only has five days to live. He must go to Elysium to save his life. He makes a deal with scruffy rebel leader Spider (Wagner Moura).

Max is changed into part machine, and sent to access the brain of a businessman John Carlyle (William Fictner), whose brain controls the keys to the kingdom.

Carlyle has just made a secret deal with Secretary Delacourt (Jodie Foster) to give her the power to take over control.

Max rediscovers his childhood soulmate Frey (Alice Braga), who now has a child in the final stages of leukemia. Subtle, Elysium is not.

Max is being hunted by mercenary assassin Kruger (Sharlto Copley), who is covertly working for Delacourt.

Elysium has some of the plodding chaos of an Arnie Schwarzenegger oldie. It also has a Mad Max anti-hero - this time bullet-headed Matt Damon.

The cast spends most of the film stomping on the plot.

Damon - with smiles and grimaces - exhibits dogged flair. Alice Braga plays Max's friend from the past.

Jodie Foster - a pastel vision of evil - is bland as power-hungry Delacourt.

Blander still is William Fichtner as John Carlyle. Fichtner can be a sensitive actor, but seldom is given the opportunity. He is sensitive on tv's Crossing Lines but nobody watches. It's on at the same time as reruns of The Mentalist.

It's good to see Diego Luna again. He effectively plays Max's loyal buddy. Sharlto Copley scowls a lot as the cruel mercenary who won't die. And, as rebel leader Spider, Wagner Moura gives his broad impression of Al Pacino.

Director/writer Neill Blomkamp keeps his pedal to the medal. He is added by the sharp editing of Julian Clarke and Lee Smith.

After all the carnage, Elysium has a soft - almost simpering - ending.

The movie is not as ridiculous as it sounds. Well, I guess it is.

But Blomkamp gets away with it.

I think the original title was Chutzpah.