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The Fifth Element is a movie full of contradiction. It is all at once loud, dark, funny, frightening, and clumsy, while at the same time is full of hypnotic and carefully rendered detail. Though the basic plot of the movie is about a massive evil that threatens all life as we know it, on a deeper level it’s about good versus evil, light versus dark, creation versus destruction, love versus hate. With its stunningly gorgeous futuristic graphics and a story that focuses on a heroine who must overcome the atrocities of death and war to fully experience love and life, it’s clear that The Fifth Element is a symbol of life, love, and art.
The Fifth Element is a sci-fi action film that was created by Luc Besson and released in May 1997. Its sub-genres include fantasy, action, romance, and comedy. Reviews have declared it both the best and worst sci-fi movie of all times, having been nominated for prestigious award as well as Golden Raspberries. Though the story is full of plot holes and underdeveloped characters, the mesmerizing visuals and details are simply too gorgeous to ignore. It’s the amazingly detailed effort that Besson put into world-building that allows the audience to believe that the film takes place in a real world that’s in danger.
The Fifth Element takes place on Earth in the year 2263. The story focuses on Korben Dallas, an ex-military cab driver, who unwittingly becomes the main protagonist who must search for and protect five legendary cosmic elements to save the world from destruction. Unbeknownst to him, the fifth element is a perfect being that was created for the sole purpose of saving humanity. As the embodiment of the fifth element, Leeloo must combine the power of the other four into a divine light capable of defeating the Great Evil. However, having witnessed and researched so much war and death, Leeloo loses hope in humanity and refuses to cooperate. It’s only after Dallas confesses his love to Leeloo that she can release the divine light and save the world.
The Fifth Element offers a variety of design aspects to enhance a moment in a scene. For example, the scenes featured in the trailer offer insight into the darkness of the presence that is threatening the Earth. As the object of evil approaches, the darkness that is descending upon the Earth begins to fall in the form of cut scenes, first in space and then upon the Egyptian tomb. The costumes and make-up in the film are made up of both futuristic and traditional items. In one scene with Dallas, there is a modern fish tank, as well as a modified fold-a-way bed. In the ending scene, the director uses light from the four elements to focus onto Leeloo, creating a cross and turning Leeloo into a symbol of new beginnings, hope and salvation. Each aspect here adds to the viewer’s believability of the movie.
As mentioned previously, the director took careful consideration with every detail of the film. What is chosen in each shot and how these elements are arranged in each frame helps in creating a certain reality for the viewer. For example, in almost every scene with Zorg, there is a circle behind him, signifying him as the villain. Dallas, on the other hand, almost always has a rectangle behind him. Furthermore, triangles are used to represent the elements and planetary alignment. In one particular scene, Dallas is running from the police and as he speeds around a corner, the camera reveals that six more cars are waiting for him. In the far background, viewers can see another chase taking place between another police car and a long black car. These compositions of figures and backgrounds helps create a truly believable world.
The lighting throughout the movie is kept low-key to better establish a mood of imminent danger. Even during the scenes involving both Dallas and Leeloo, their background is darkened. The movement of the film shows how Dallas becomes drawn to Leeloo. The more he comes to care for her, the more frenzied his actions become. For example, in the scene where Dallas is drying Leeloo off, the camera rarely moves. It gradually pans closer to the couple in a slow process to make the scene more intimate. Later, when Dallas is fighting the Mangalores, the camera moves frantically, the shots are faster, and the mise-en-scene is messier. The lighting is a constant reminder of the lurking danger, whereas the movement helps the viewer to realize how important Leeloo will become to Dallas.
The Fifth Element combines a vibrant color scheme with classic neutrals to create a perfect blend of a futuristic feel and everyday reality. In Leeloo’s introduction, the color gold is used to set her apart as the supreme being. She later is seen wearing golden disco pants combined with a cream crop top and orange suspenders. Both Leeloo and Dallas dress in orange, which is used to express the developing relationship between them. The color purple is given to the president to acknowledge his higher, almost royal-like, status.
Along with the movement, the camera distance also adds to the relationship of Dallas and Leeloo. When the camera is zoomed out, not only are viewers able to see stunning visuals of the city and planets, but the actions and event are more hectic. In the scene where Leeloo has escaped the lab and is walking on a building perch, the camera pans out to show the hustle and bustle of a busy city. However, in the intimate scenes involving Leeloo and Dallas, the camera zooms in and the events around them become calmer.
The editing used in The Fifth Element are a perfect example of parallel editing. For example, in the opera scene, Plavalaguna first begins a soft acapella aria. During this time, the shots switch between her and Leeloo, who is patiently waiting quietly. As the song becomes more intense, so do the events surrounding Leeloo. As she beings fighting the Mangalores, the film cuts back and forth between the singer’s intense song and Leeloo’s fight. As the music climaxes and the fighting intensifies, the beat of the song matching the actions of the fight and ends with both women taking a bow. This scene is edited in an artistic and creative way to help the viewers focus on two important events that happen at the same time.
In conclusion, The Fifth Element represents a story of love and life. Had Dallas not expressed his love for Leeloo, then she would never had found the power to save mankind. From her rebirth to releasing the divine light, Leeloo embodies all that is pure and holy, while the great evil symbolizes death and destruction. Furthermore, it’s no wonder that The Fifth Element was the 9th highest grossing film of that year worldwide, earning more than $263 million. The stunning visuals and world-building that were put into the film help the viewer overlook the plot holes, unnecessary characters, and continuity mistakes. Everything from the view of the city to the lavish bedrooms and opera hall on Flostan Paradise are works of art.
| Additional DVD options | Edition | Discs | Price | New from | Used from |
|
DVD
November 25, 1997 "Please retry" | — | 1 | $3.00 | $2.12 |
|
DVD
October 9, 2001 "Please retry" | — | 1 | $11.99 | $3.62 |
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Reviews with images
The Best Sci Fi Film
This is one of the best sci films ever, perfect picture quality the blu ray came in great condition would recommend it to anyone this is the 2007 blu ray version
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Reviewed in the United States on January 12, 2019
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Top reviews from other countries
Kody
One of my favourites
Reviewed in Canada on April 7, 2024
Kody
Reviewed in Canada on April 7, 2024
Ignore the Velcroe One Wrap... actually don't, get a box of that too. That stuff is AMAZING, tidy up a PC build, tv cables, EDC/Range stuff, tie together long objects you are moving etc. It's amazing.
But yeah The Fifth Element is inspiringly cool.
Images in this review
Claudio Bucci Laporta
Um filme de ficcção científica bem concebido.
Reviewed in Brazil on August 3, 2022
