FIFTH ELEMENT, THE

Plot, characterisation, structure --- all inherent elements of film language, at least by conventional Hollywood standards. But not in Luc Besson's outlandishly frenetic sci-fi action comedy The Fifth Element. Yet that lack of convention doesn't seem to matter in a movie that simply bristles with brazen originally, visual fluidity and a sense of its own flashy style. Bruce Willis is perfectly cast, as another reluctant hero, a cynical ex-law enforcer-turned-New York cabbie, who stumbles on this plot to destroy the world, and with the help of a beleaguered priest and a gorgeous extra terrestrial, is out to save it. Besson has designed a future with flying cars and a visionary dress sense, aided by remarkable costume designer Jean-Paul Gaultier, whose work matches the stylisation of Dan Weil's imaginative production design. The Fifth Element is not original in terms of plot and genre, but Besson is truly a cinematic artist, and his film is immersed in flashy colour, style and astonishing effects, many of which have never been done before. Apart from Willis, there's a delightful performance by Britain's Ian Holm as the thankless priest, and the always-reliable Gary Oldman makes a first-rate villain. But the real star of this is movie is the power of cinema itself. Besson has taken a conventional genre and turned it upside down on its flashy ears, to create an extraordinary pastiche of colour and movement. Its plot may be incomprehensible [though its moral anti-war message tidies things up rather nicely], but forget everything you've read or heard. Come along for the ride; it's bumpy at times, but you'll be in for one hell of a journey.
Paul Fischer.

"Yes, a mish-mash is what it, as Todd says, and hence the "American-style" tag: it carries less venom, less hate and its violence is more from the comic book class. This is at least one reason why the film may have a broader audience than the Die Harder American films. (It may not be BIGGER, but it could be WIDER.) The "mythololgical, quasi religious" aspects to which he refers are perhaps alien to mainstream American audiences because life is much simpler in the land of the American Dream. Isn’t it? Middle Americans do like their films fairly squarely between the eyes, although the mythological, quasi religious mumbo jumbo of that great adventure film, Raiders of the Lost Ark, didn’t attract this sort of criticism. This is not to defend The Fifth Element, I’m just debating the comments . . . In my view, the film’s biggest fault lies elsewhere: Luc Besson has allowed too many of his cast to overact. This alone has reduced the film’s credibility to the level of an afternoon tv series, despite the efforts of Bruce Willis to keep it straight. The rampant imaginations of all the designers deserve praise for their muscular creations, and the visual impact overall is great. There are a few silly touches, granted, such as the final location of the secret stones, but the seamless inclusion of hundreds of optical and CGI effects are stunning."
Andrew L. Urban