Director: Neil BlomKamp
Writer: Neil Blomkamp
Cast: Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, Diego Luna, Sharlto Copely
The year is 2154 and the earth has been abandoned by the rich and powerful who have moved on to a space station paradise called Elysium. Earth is plagued by garbage and a lack of healthcare while the rich on Elysium enjoy premium healthcare and instant cures to once life-threatening illnesses. Max (Matt Damon) is a poor factory worker with a checkered past who has dreamed of a place in Elysium since his childhood. His dream suddenly comes crashing to Earth as he finds himself in desperate need of life-saving care only available on the elite space station. It is illegal for Earth citizens to enter Elysium and he must overcome some extreme obstacles to land there and save is life.
We are used to seeing Damon as the good-natured hero but not quite used to the grizzled tattooed version of himself depicted in this film. He is in some ways the anti-hero on a solo mission to save only himself despite the need for the many still suffering on Earth. His mission leads to action-packed fight scenes with a mix of villainous characters which makes for some very memorable images. There is a great deal of graphic violence in this film which is unsuitable for children under 13. Some scenes, in fact, are even hard for adults to watch. For example, there is a scene where a thug catches a grenade, with his face! For action lovers and sci-fi geeks, this film is a must-see that both types of fans will enjoy. The film is quite predictable but the action keeps the story enjoyable and the pace does not lag with too much pointless dialogue. Elysium opens in theaters nationwide on August 9th.