Fifth Element, The (US)
There is no future without it
Certificate: PG-13
Running Time: 127 mins
Retail Price: $27.95
Release Date:
Content Type: Movie
Synopsis:
Two hundred and fifty years in the future, life as we know it is threatened by the arrival of Evil. Only the fifth element (played by Milla Jovovich) can stop the Evil from extinguishing life, as it tries to do every five thousand years. She is helped by ex-soldier, current-cab-driver, Corben Dallas (played by Bruce Willis), who is, in turn, helped by Prince/Arsenio clone, Ruby Rohd. Unfortunately, Evil is being assisted by Mr. Zorg (Gary Oldman), who seeks to profit from the chaos that Evil will bring, and his alien Mercenaries.
Special Features:
Interactive Menus
Scene Selections
Video Tracks:
Pan & Scan 1.33:1
Widescreen Letterbox 2.35:1
Audio Tracks:
Dolby Digital 5.1 English
Dolby Digital Stereo 2.0 English
Dolby Digital Stereo 2.0 Spanish
Subtitle Tracks:
English
Spanish
Directed By:
Luc Besson
Written By:
Robert Mark Kamen
Luc Besson
Starring:
Bruce Willis
Chris Tucker
Gary Oldman
Milla Jovovich
Ian Holm
Casting By:
Lucinda Syson
Soundtrack By:
Eric Serra
Editor:
Sylvie Landra
Costume Designer:
Jean-Paul Gaultier
Production Designer:
Dan Weil
Producer:
Iain Smith
Patrick Ledoux
John Alan Amicarella
Distributor:
Columbia / Tristar
Your Opinions and Comments
"The Fifth Element" has achieved a stunning transfer to DVD that makes it a showcase product. It is the kind of disc that will, without question, convince everyone about DVD's outstanding qualities.
This is, by far, Chris Tucker`s best role. I have not enjoyed watching him in other films, such as Friday, Dead Presidents, Money Talks etc. I think he was more original in this role as Ruby Rhod then he was in his other roles combined. His humor is the strictly recycled type, and it gets old in a hurry... but for this film, he was absolutely brilliant.
The thing I love about "The Fifth Element" is that it doesn`t take itself or it`s genre too seriously. There are continual parodies or references to such movies as "Star Wars", "Blade Runner", "Indiana Jones" and so on. The pace is fast and frantic, kept up by Willis` "Die Hard" style of saving the world - which basically consists of destroying everything in sight so the bad guys can`t get it! And Gary Oldman plays a wonderfully campy villain. A perfect popcorn adventure from director Luc Besson, who previously gave us "The Professional", where Oldman played a much nastier bad guy.
Director Luc Besson's "The Fifth Element" is a furious, fast-paced, hi-tech spectacle that, at the same time, remains poetic. The movie is rich in its presentation and is simply one of the best movies of 1997. As one of the best looking and sounding DVDs, this is a downright must-have disc for every DVD owner. It sounds great, it looks great... but the film is lacking in any special features.
This is the very first time I`ve got the chance to watch this movie.
While the movie`s beginning seems promising, it eventually becomes a no-brainer sci-fi action flick with flat characters and no real insights at all.
The video transfer is very good. The so-called "superbit" technology helps the colors seems deeply saturated, with no compression signs at all.
The DTS and DD 5.1 soundtracks are both good. The surrounds are active throughout the movie.
The menus are still and silent.
The disc offers no extras at all (higher bitrate stuff etc. ...).
Bottom line - definitely overrated, this is simply a fun-packed ride. Please stop regarding it as the masterpiece it is not.