Perhaps the biggest strength director Luc Besson has in his arsenal is his ability to construct an immediately endearing fantasy world. He does so with The Fifth Element, a sci-fi drama with sprinklings of comedy and whimsical light-heartedness, wrapped around a host of action set pieces, effective set and costume design, and an impressive ensemble. It’s impressive how in just a few minutes, his backstory, world history and prose are all set in stone, convincing enough to draw in an audience, but simple enough for those wanting to switch off with a well-paced, thoroughly enjoyable sci-fi flick.
With fun at the forefront of this piece, The Fifth Element takes its time in building up a good cast of characters, all of which have their expected tropes, and unsuspecting moments. Bruce Willis’ leading role as Major Korben Dallas, taxi driver extraordinaire is fantastic, and it’s one of the few roles where Willis is having a great deal of fun. He’s sharp, connects with the writing and settings well, handles a whole slew of subplots, and manages to bring to life a character that really shouldn’t work all that well. Comedy, action, all dashed with that sci-fi sweetener Besson is so consistent with, it makes for a startlingly good performance.
The rest of the cast is just as entertaining, yes, even Chris Tucker. Considering the universal loathing attached to Tucker’s role as Ruby Rhod, I’m surprised at how little I cared for him. Ambivalence is better than hate, and it’s startling how excessive his scenes can feel, but he’s detrimental to the story at hand and Tucker is clearly throwing himself at the role with full force. Ian Holm and Milla Jovovich make for superb additions too, Jovovich’s leading role as Leeloo feels more like a relevant plot device than an actual character but can be excused somewhat by her spotlight-stealing moments early on in the movie. Holm too plays well, an exceptional performance that toes the line between comedic breaks and exposition machine.
Besson’s visual talent is clear from the first few seconds of this Willis and Jovovich led piece, a spirited, lively bit of entertainment that has no trouble connecting with its viewers through sheer worldbuilding alone.
THE FIFTH ELEMENT
The Fifth Element oozes its late 90s influence, primarily through its production value. Claustrophobic apartment blocks that remind one of Dredd, a clutter of funky attires and half-truths of the future. Besson’s influences are clear, rooted in the foundations of Blade Runner, but expanding on the world, environment and colour scheme more than some of his characters. We’re lacking the exposition expected for a thousand new species of sentient life, we’re just thrown into it without a starting point, and it makes is so much easier to digest the more far-reaching moments of the film. Besson’s lengthy development and constantly changing script do work their wonders, but nothing can stop The Fifth Element from its rather forgettable, underwhelming end. It all feels a tad rushed and constrained, shoehorning in action, comedy and a romantic conclusion all in the span of just twenty minutes.
With a touch-up and remastering from Studio Canal, fans of the film are in safe hands, with The Fifth Element looking as crisp as you could hope for. It’s genuinely rather impressive how great the film looks here, keeping the lively nature and vision of Besson alive through a colour scheme of vivid revitalisation. It feels fresh, crisp, and clear, especially compared to the old DVD copy I had knocking about.
A stellar sci-fi trip, one filled to the brim with more than enough build-up, but not enough pay-off. Besson’s visual talent is clear from the first few seconds of this Willis and Jovovich led piece, a spirited, lively bit of entertainment that has no trouble connecting with its viewers through sheer worldbuilding alone. It’s a tremendous surprise, one that leaves its mark as a certainly unique and wholly enjoyable piece of the sci-fi landscape.
The Fifth Element is available on Studio Canal Blu-Ray
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