Review of Elysium (2013) by Carlo C — 12 Oct 2015

This sci fi action thriller starring Matt Damon has plenty of action and intriguing futuristic technologies.

The setting is a dystopian future where the elite wealthiest humans live in a luxury space habitat called Elysium which orbits Earth. Everyone else lives in abject conditions on an overpopulated Earth. The elite have access to incredible healing technology while humans stuck on Earth do not. Naturally, for those on Earth with terminal conditions, getting to Elysium for the potential of complete healing is a great temptation. Too bad the elite rulers of Elysium don't want to share.

Matt Damon's character, Max, receives a lethal dose of radiation during a work accident. His only hope at long term survival is treatment on Elysium, quickly. Getting there is a challenge. In order to secure a ride up, Max makes a bargain with shady smugglers and ends up with a powerful badass exoskeleton attached into his body and a mission to complete in exchange for the ride up. Things do not go as planned, and Max also ends up with an important bit of computer data plugged into his head. Is the data going to help him or hurt him?

Max succeeds in getting himself and some others onto Elysium, where a coup by an evil politician is taking place. Max's exoskeleton technology gives him superhuman strength to fight bad guys and try to help save a sick little girl, the daughter of his childhood friend.

Another classic tale of good vs evil, in a futuristic sci fi setting. The director took me to another time and place and made this futuristic world come to life.