Elysium, a celestial sanctuary only for the chosen few, orbits the futuristic ruins of Earth as a beacon of hope for the human race. This man- made nirvana is the ultimate destination for men and women from all walks of life. Yet, the expensive wages that come with boarding shuttles bound for this planetary Eden prove more suitable for the wealthy while abandoning hope for minimum-wage recipients like 36-year-old Max, a worker on an Armadyne assembly line. Ever since his childhood, Max, played by Matt Damon, has dreamed of escaping the ever-disintegrating Earth that is manifested in chaos and destitution and living among the wealthy that thrive in Elysium’s paradise.
Brought to life by Damon’s magnificent performance, this tale of enthralling science fiction unfolds in rapid fire. After a life threatening encounter, Max vacates his past life of hard- knocks in the barren dust bowl that was once Los Angeles. His one hope for survival resides on Elysium. While wading in the crippling valley of his death, Max crawls to the doorstep of Spider, a self-appointed leader of an underground network bent on redirecting power to the downtrodden Earth residents. Max bargains with his rebel pal for passage to Elysium in exchange for Max’s help in acquiring vital programming information. Upon Max’s consent, surgery is performed to implant a data port in his skull along with a gangling exoskeleton that is attached by drilling directly into his spine and upper body. This vivid scene does well in engaging all five senses.
Elysium is not just a fantastic ball of yarn spinning for people’s unbridled imaginations. The picture reveals a complicated storyline, riddled with underlying messages that resemble social issues in today’s society. In an allusion to real world healthcare and living standards, “Elysium” highlights current concerns about the disparity of today’s socioeconomic issues. Medipods, MRI-type diagnostics and miracle-curing devices available only on Elysium metaphorically emphasize the gap in modern-day healthcare. In another scene, Jodi Foster’s high-brow character, Delacourt, is aboard an elaborate spacecraft and dismissively orders the annihilation of three incoming derelict shuttles filled with illegal Earth residents. Foster’s sublime acting as a posh, power-hungry politician with an overzealous trigger finger in defending her homeland should make people re-evaluate their definitions of patriotism.
This multi-layered, sci-fi thriller is food for creative, forward-thinking movie enthusiasts. There will be some who fail to appreciate the film’s subliminal messages; however, they will certainly be in awe of the futuristic realism made possible through its computer graphics. Even though the plot of the film does not move the film industry forward creatively, Elysium should not be missed by anyone looking for a great, high-octane action flick.
