The Fifth Element

What’s the Story?

THE FIFTH ELEMENT is the story of Korben Dallas (Bruce Willis) a retired soldier turned cabby who is given the task to protect the universe from Evil. Evil is apparently somewhat relentless and tries to destroy life as we know it every 5,000 years. The only thing stopping it is the "Fifth Element," which takes the form of a hot androgynous babe named Leloo (Milla Jovovich). The film's bad guy is Jean-Baptiste Emanuel Zorg (Gary Oldman), a power-hungry corporation owner whose ill temper is echoed by his horrendous hairstyle and Hitler mustache.

Is It Any Good?

Not every film has to have brilliant dialogue and a well-crafted plot. A few films manage to be a whole lot of fun based solely on excellent cinematic execution. The Fifth Element is just such a film. In creating his futuristic vision, director Luc Besson had the work of French comic-book artists Jean Giraud and Jean-Claude Mézières. These influences are quite clear, as the film is filled with bright colors and visual overload. Both artists are credited as designers. A further contributor to Besson's stylized future is designer Jean-Paul Gaultier who designed the film's fantastical costumes.

The acting in this film is fine, though it's largely secondary to the amazing visuals. The movie is, first and foremost, fun to look at. Bruce Willis plays the reluctant hero quite well, and Milla Jovovich's chattering in an ancient tongue is rather impressive. Gary Oldman manages to be absolutely vile. For families with older teens, the film could be easy popcorn entertainment, though there is quite a bit of violence and some brief sexual content.