Elysium is Neil Blomkamps big budget Hollywood movie. It was released in August, the part of summer that is usually the risky business month for Hollywood. I viewed this movie opening weekend after seeing multiple movies this summer that failed to deliver. Elysium was one of the movies this summer that actually made me pay attention. I didn’t look at my phone or joke around. I actually wanted to delve into the world that Neil had created.
I honestly enjoyed seeing Matt Damons character live his life in a constant struggle. It made him relatable and only more human. It was interesting to see a man that was once a criminal try to become a better citizen. The flashbacks to when he was a kid were very well done I felt. He was shown to have a great purpose in his life but along the way he got into trouble. He as a character had to really develop into an individual that finally realizes his purpose in life.
Some of the action in this film was underrated in my opinion. The scene where Matt Damon shoots at one of the bad guys with a huge gun and completely obliterates his body to shreds is a scene that too my breath away. Neil was very creative when he used the advanced weaponry in the movie. The bubble shield was awesome and the mech suits were as well. There are too many movies these days that go for over the top action and I think that’s taking away from the movie experience. Elysium developed a story and made the action serve a purpose. The action wasn’t just over top nonsense.
Also I like how the villains were utilized in the film. There’s a very big cliché villain story line going on in Hollywood that I don’t like. There’s always one villain that the audience is led to believe is the sole mastermind behind everything and then threes the reveal of the REAL villain. Elysium took another route. Sharlto Copley’s character decided betrays his superiors orders went on a villainous rampage that I never saw coming. I felt disgusted with his character but that’s the whole point he sold the villain role well.
Elysium showed how it’s possible to make an original movie cool. Even though some elements of the story have been used in other movies it was refreshing to see an unexpected kind of sci fi film in this day and age. I say use Neil for one of the star wars films.