by Renee’ Collins
Rating: 3 (Out of 5 Reels)
I went into this film with no expectations because the trailer did not reveal too much about the plotline. But, since I am a science fiction junkie I thought I would give it a chance. Set in the year 2154, where the very wealthy live on a manmade space station while the rest of the population resides on a ruined Earth, a man takes on a mission that could bring equality to the polarized worlds (IMDB).
I knew this film was made by the same folks that gave us District 9 which is a wonderful film that should not be missed by and sci-fi fan. I was expecting another great human story here but for some reason I never connected with the main characters. Don’t get me wrong, Matt Damon does a fantastic acting job as Max, a man just trying to survive but I found the story to a bit boring and for some reason I didn’t connect with him like I did to Sharlto Copley’s portrayal as Wilkus Van De Merwe in District 9.
The special effects in this film are visually stunning. Elysium is a beautiful world where the superrich live with not a care or need. Conversely, in the real world on Earth everyone lives in ruins and struggles to survive most without basic health care. It is a stark contrast that unfortunately, in a way, I see in society today and it concerns me deeply. As a whole, this film is entertaining and worth a look but for some reason I found it did not delve to deeply into the main characters lives and therefore it seemed superficial and felt like they were just going through the motions because the plotline is really nothing I haven’t seen before.