Review of Elysium (2013) by Ryan V — 26 May 2014

It's the near future and the Earth has been ravaged by pollution, war, climate change, and overpopulation. The wealthy have shut themselves (and their advanced technology) on an idyllic space station dubbed Elysium, but their bloated privilege is constantly threatened by the desperate proletariat.

This powder keg reaches ignition thanks to a grimy ex-con (Matt Damon), a scummy mercenary (Sharlto Copley), and a Machiavellian administrator (Jodie Foster). This Neil Blomkamp film has gotten a lot of unfavorable comparisons to his preceding District 9 and most of the criticisms are less than unfounded.

However, despite its ham-fisted metaphors and plot holes, I felt that Elysium certainly had its moments. It's a solid action film whose sci-fi allegories put it in the same tradition as The Day The Earth Stood Still or Invasion Of The Body Snatchers.