The Fifth Element (1997)
Average Rating: 6.3/10
Reviews Counted: 56
Fresh: 40 | Rotten: 16
Visually inventive and gleefully over the top, Luc Besson's The Fifth Element is a fantastic piece of pop sci-fi that never takes itself too seriously.
Average Rating: 5.1/10
Critic Reviews: 12
Fresh: 5 | Rotten: 7
Visually inventive and gleefully over the top, Luc Besson's The Fifth Element is a fantastic piece of pop sci-fi that never takes itself too seriously.
liked it
Average Rating: 3.7/5
User Ratings: 502,985
Movie Info
Good and evil battle for the future of 23rd century Earth in this visually striking big-budget science fiction epic. In the movie's prologue, which is set in 1914, scientists gather in Egypt at the site of an event that transpired centuries earlier. Aliens, it seemed, arrived to collect four stones representing the four basic elements (earth, air, fire and water) - warning their human contacts that the objects were no longer safe on Earth. A few hundred years later (in the 23rd century), a huge
May 9, 1997 Wide
Dec 9, 1997
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Watch It Now
Cast
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Bruce Willis
Korben Dallas -
Milla Jovovich
Leeloo -
Ian Holm
Victor Cornelius -
Gary Oldman
Jean-Baptiste-Emmanuel ... -
Chris Tucker
Ruby Rhod -
Luke Perry
Billy -
Christopher Adamson
Airport Cop -
John Bluthal
Professor Pacoli -
Lee Evans
Fog -
Mia Frye
TV Stewardess -
Brion James
General Munro -
Mathieu Kassovitz
Mugger -
Maïwenn Le Besco
Diva -
Tommy 'Tiny' Lister
President Lindberg -
John Neville
General Staedert -
Indra Ove
VIP Stewardess -
Charlie Creed Miles
David -
Tricky
Right Arm -
Eve Salvail
Tawdry Girl -
Fred Williams
Hotel Manager
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All Critics (58) | Top Critics (12) | Fresh (40) | Rotten (16) | DVD (43)
A hodgepodge of elements that don't comfortably coalesce.
Top CriticBesson's futuristic fable is flawed by a messy narrative which strains to incorporate far too many grotesque and eccentric characters.
The Fifth Element has to be the most creative visualization since Tim Burton's first Batman in 1989. On top of that, it's a whole lot of fun.
There's no doubt about it, when it comes to saving the world, Bruce Willis is your man. He does it with smarts and style, humor and courage.
Mr. Besson directs with ceaseless flamboyance and with an obvious enthusiasm for his film's comic book conceits. But the tone of The Fifth Element is often terribly shrill, especially when attention shifts to grating minor characters.
One of the great goofy movies -- a film so preposterous I wasn't surprised to discover it was written by a teenage boy.
Loud, long, and overwhelming...
Stylish and very violent sci-fi action flick.
Pure eye-candy and a rollicking good-time.
It's a triumph of form over content, but it's a stunning triumph.
I knew where it was going at all times, but the ride was excellent.
The story is such a cut-rate kid's sci-fi fairy tale that at one point Evil actually calls Gary Oldman on the phone (and it isn't played for laughs).
Besson has done a solid, if not outstanding, job in bringing his story, written as a teenager, to the big screen.
A motion picture with the body of a mainstream blockbuster but the spirit of a trendy cult flick.
The special effects provided Besson with the tools to provide the movie with the spectacular images, displaying the eagerness of a child in a candy store.
It's cyberpunk!
Everything from the visual effects to the costume design seems to shout out like a precocious child: "Look at me!"
The best-looking science fiction movie to come out in years, with fabulous sets, costumes and special effects, but its plot doesn't quite measure up to its appearance.
Fifth Element doesn't reach the level of great sci-fi to which it clearly aspires because it has too many characters doing too many things for too few reasons. Still, it's a lot of fun.
don't mind the one-dimensional characters and the sci-fi nonsense, but I really could have done without the unfunny, very French humor.
Slam-dunk sci-fi extravaganza.
The film's most basic conceit -- that there is an anti-life that, despite its nature, can have a desire and can operate physically in this universe, using its elements -- is not only never explained, it can't be.
The pace is perfect, the combination of international casting superb and the cinematography sublime.
Audience Reviews for The Fifth Element
Super Reviewer
Even the crazy costumes by Gaultier and Eric Serra's corny if adventurous soundtrack cannot save this one from being nothing else but a expensive camp.
It seems to me that Besson was not aiming for pure camp but that is what this film is and not in a good way.
All the manic set pieces, horrible performances, Chris Tucker's screaming (which isannoying as hell), candy colours and far out plot, The Fifth Element cannot rise to be nothing more than a ridicilous attempt to create something new in the science fiction.
Besson has ideas, maybe even too many ideas for his film. Now evertyhing just goes out of the hand and ends up being a messy affair.
For science fiction fans this film offers nothing that special or worth to see. Not one of Besson's brightest moments.
Super Reviewer
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- Korben Dallas: Anyone else want to negotiate?
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- Jean-Baptiste-Emmanuel Zorg: [unfazed after an explosion erupted right behind him] Bring me the priest.
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- Ruby Rhod: Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzt!
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- Ruby Rhod: Korben, my man! I ain't got no fire!
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- Korben Dallas: Listen lady, I only speak two languages: English and bad English.
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- Korben Dallas: Anyone else want to negociate?
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Latest News on The Fifth Element
December 6, 2011:
Angelina Jolie in Talks for Luc Besson's NextIt's described as "a dramatic thriller that is rooted in true scientific elements."
October 14, 2010:
Luc Besson Plans Epic Sci-Fi FilmLuc Besson is planning a return to sci-fi with his next project, which he describes as "'The Fifth...
March 14, 2007:
Besson Contemplates Post-"Fifth Element" Return to Sci-Fi"The Fifth Element" was Luc Besson's only foray into science fiction. Though praised by...
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Featured
Movie: ID: 10557 Title: The Fifth Element Release Date: 1997-05-09 00:00:00.0 MPAA: 3 Status: 1
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Top Headlines
Foreign Titles
- Le Cinquième élément (FR)
- El quinto elemento (ES)
