The Fifth Element

The seasoned badass Corben Dallas, the fragile Leeloo, the confused mastermind Vito Cornelius and the charismatic bad guy Zorg, (not only) these characters make The Fifth Element a brisk and wacky spectacle that I like to watch from time to time. I must commend the production design, make-up effects and costumes, as there was no limit to the imagination in this respect. The breathtaking and unearthly performance of Plavalaguna interspersed with the action-packed duel between Leeloo and Mangalore always gets me, while on the other hand I am always annoyed by the antics of Ruby Rhodes, who is similarly likeable as Jar Jar Binks. In the end, it's a goofy romp, but in a good way. (08/03/2019)

A pastiche of boredom and grayness, despite being artfully wrapped in loud colors. I think I might even have liked The Fifth Element... If it weren’t for one detail. Constant attempts at unintentionally infantile “humor". And I didn’t swallow Besson’s game of pretending that this has a large, rich and chiseled mythology behind it. The Fifth Element has its moments, but, considering how long it is, there are too few of them. (01/29/2007)

It's a real pity that Chris Tucker is involved. As entertaining as he usually is, here he is more annoying and ruins an otherwise great show with his performances. The same can be said about Besson himself, who, despite creating a wonderfully fantastic world with a fascinating mythology, couldn't hold back his imagination in the middle part, making the storyline feel a bit cluttered and rushed (especially regarding Corben's development). The biggest strengths of the film are, of course, the adorable Milla Jovovich and the slimy Gary Oldman. (09/04/2006)

The story, which takes us from 1914 to the 23rd century very quickly, has been waiting 20 years to be realized. It’s therefore not surprising that it is not accessible to everyone the first time they watch it. It's part parody of a parody and part celebration of fantasy. I am happy for Moebius and Maïwenn Le Besco. (12/11/2009)

This action film with elements of comedy is far from perfect, but its excellent cast and original vision of the future alone will attract everyone. The story itself is also very well crafted and although the film is almost two hours long, there are hardly any dead or boring spots. As far as the actors are concerned, Gary Oldman, even with his strange visage, commands a lot of respect and proves that he can play bad guys like few others. Bruce Willis certainly doesn't disappoint his fans either, as he fires several magazines, smashes up his car and stuffs his superiors into a fridge. Chris Tucker, on the other hand, is the biggest weakness of The Fifth Element and Bruce should have kicked his ass the moment he saw him. Don't expect a miracle, but this interesting film full of action and funny lines deserves to be remembered. (04/23/2011)