Elysium - grade/review and spoilers - also controversy

[Agent Richard07]

Saw the movie last night and loved it. It was the prospect of seeing a realistic-looking ringworld for the first time on the big screen that piqued my interest, but I ended up getting a pretty good movie to go along with it. The whole thing looked very much like District 9 and I thought that was Sharlto Copley I saw. Sure enough it was him and the movie even came from the same director who made District 9. I wasn't expecting all that going in. Amazing how many of the same elements it had, right down to the exosuit. Excellent cinematography, by the way. I like Blomkamp's style. I do have one minor nitpick though. Future L.A. looked great as an appropriately impoverished dystopia, but I didn't feel like I was watching something that took place in L. A.

I give the movie an A. Lots to debate and think about. I downgraded it a bit because it's a movie that has it's heart in the right place but its attempt at a workable solution to the problems presented is pretty weak. Didn't downgrade it too much though because the entertainment value and spectacular visuals made up for the few weak spots that were there.

Jodie Foster loved District 9 and wished that she had directed it, so she was happy to get onboard with this. Reminds me of Jet Li doing Hero after having passed on Crouching Tiger.

 

[NX74205]

I saw the movie last night also and I think I will give it an A- or B+. I don't know how you could watch this movie and feel....i dunno something.....the movie does not try to hide its themes and they really are right in front of you to digest. Movies and books that cause me to think really stay with me for a while and I am still mulling over this movie and the world that Blookamp (sp?) created.

The one weakness of the movie though was I felt the 'Kruger' character and his assorted goons were very one dimensional and cartoonish. I dunno for some reason , I like to root for my villains or at least see where they are coming from. Jodie Fosters character was cold, but she at least had a couple of lines where you could see where she was coming from.

Honestly,it is good the movie ended when it did as I felt the last 20 minutes the movie was starting to fall apart for me. That being said I would highly recommend it.

 

[Agent Richard07]

The one weakness of the movie though was I felt the 'Kruger' character and his assorted goons were very one dimensional and cartoonish. I dunno for some reason , I like to root for my villains or at least see where they are coming from.

Between this and District 9, it looks like Blomkamp likes to mix it up a bit... Real drama and a hot button issue along with some fun stuff thrown in.

Jodie Fosters character was cold, but she at least had a couple of lines where you could see where she was coming from.

I was surprised by the blatant use of the name "Homeland Security". They certainly didn't try to hide that.

 

[Pingfah]

When are conservatives not whining about Hollywood or crapping their pants about some imaginary red threat?

This is a common theme throughout sci-fi anyway, a number of dystopic books and films centre around the idea of capitalism and wealth disparity spinning out of control. Just from last year the Total Recall remake had a very similar setup where the rich all live in Great Britain, and the poor people have all been exiled to Australia and spend their time working to support the rich.

It's hardly an unimaginable concept. I mean just take right now, for example.

 

[EyalM]

I saw it. I'd say it's a B, I enjoyed it, but have no urge to see it again anytime soon.

There are some points I wish the movie was more clear about:
Like, what exactly was the legal standing between Elysium and Earth? In some cases it looks like Elysium is a sovereign separate nation (one of the charterers mentions having embassies down on Earth). In others, it seems like Elysium is ruling the world with only the rich having citizen status.
I'm guessing the movie chose to be vague on this point since it wanted to focus on more on the issue of access to health care.

One spoiler nitpick:

Spoiler: ending

Why did Elysium had all those medical shuttles standing by? They obviously didn't want to use them to help the Earth people.

 

[DarthTom]

It's hardly an unimaginable concept. I mean just take right now, for example.

Well the ultra-capitalists believe the world will de-evolve their way which is as depicted in Atlas Shrugged. That is - everywhere where socialism or hybrid Marxism has taken control falls to shit except for the few that embrace individualism and capitalism.

 

[DalekJim]

When are conservatives not whining about Hollywood or crapping their pants about some imaginary red threat?

The American liberals voted in to office a man that is currently leading a manhunt for a nerd that reported a crime. It's hard to see where the moral high ground exists any more. Your (almost entirely interchangeable!) liberals and conservatives have both fucked things up. I don't see how any comparison between the Republicans and Democrats could even get heated. Bush and Obama have both served the same big business and big government agenda.

You had the chance to improve things with Ron Paul, but even he'd only have been slowing down the inevitable.

 

[RAMA]

Elysium is certainly trying to make a point, extrapolating that the richest percent of the planet will simply remove themselves from Earth as they apparently have already done on Earth (out of touch), the movie also seems to claim the non-rich are incapable of doing anything themselves and will fall into violence, poverty and environmental ruin.. Though there may be some overlap with such a scenerio, I tend to think this will not happen, for reasons outlined here in far greater detail than I will go into:

http://www.abundancethebook.com/

http://www.amazon.com/The-Singularity-Is-Near-Transcend/dp/0143037889/ref=pd_sim_b_3

http://www.amazon.com/The-Rational-Optimist-Prosperity-Evolves/dp/0061452068/ref=pd_sim_b_2

http://www.amazon.com/The-Better-Angels-Our-Nature/dp/0143122010/ref=pd_sim_b_6

http://www.amazon.com/The-Skeptical-Environmentalist-Measuring-State/dp/0521010683/ref=pd_sim_b_11

So generally speaking, the movie is a thought experiment scifi fantasy, worthwhile, entertaining, but ultimately a little too negative and simplistic.

 

[Set Harth]

It's hard to see where the moral high ground exists any more.

Health care.

Now was that so hard?

 

[BillJ]

When are conservatives not whining about Hollywood or crapping their pants about some imaginary red threat?

The American liberals voted in to office a man that is currently leading a manhunt for a nerd that reported a crime. It's hard to see where the moral high ground exists any more. Your (almost entirely interchangeable!) liberals and conservatives have both fucked things up. I don't see how any comparison between the Republicans and Democrats could even get heated. Bush and Obama have both served the same big business and big government agenda.

You had the chance to improve things with Ron Paul, but even he'd only have been slowing down the inevitable.

You shouldn't make comments about subjects you obviously have no clue about.

 

[PKerr]

Just got back from seeing it and it was very average, all of the action stuff was in the previews.

And BTW it's very political, once again the "evil" rich keeping the average Joe down.

 

[chardman]

When are conservatives not whining about Hollywood or crapping their pants about some imaginary red threat?

The American liberals voted in to office a man that is currently leading a manhunt for a nerd that reported a crime. It's hard to see where the moral high ground exists any more. Your (almost entirely interchangeable!) liberals and conservatives have both fucked things up. I don't see how any comparison between the Republicans and Democrats could even get heated. Bush and Obama have both served the same big business and big government agenda.

You had the chance to improve things with Ron Paul, but even he'd only have been slowing down the inevitable.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Just got back from seeing it and it was very average, all of the action stuff was in the previews.

And BTW it's very political, once again the "evil" rich keeping the average Joe down.

Not all of the rich are evil (in or out of the film). I mean, Captain Robau's in it and he's not evil, is he?

 

[The Wormhole]

As an action movie it's pretty cool and definitely entertaining. Though if you think about the plot and the setting, it is rather simplistic and not particularly well thought out. Specifically this whole class division, space station with rich people who wine and dine and enjoy a life of luxury. Earth with poor who are violent, scruffy and struggling to get by. There'd have to be some sort of overlap. Even with robots and drones to take care of the menial work on the station, there'd have to be some sort of "lower class" on the station just for things to get done. Likewise Earth should have some sort of "upper class" authority to govern the planet. And I mean something other than a snobby CEO and a douchebag labour supervisor.

But hey, I went in expecting an action movie with a cyborg and crazy action and that's what I got, so all things considered this movie's a solid thumbs up from me.

 

[CaptainCanada]

Anvilicious!

Future dystopia movies are almost invariably the most interesting in how they reflect contemporary concerns. I saw one review that called this a mix of Occupy Wall Street fears of the 1% and right-wing xenophobes who fear a future America largely overrun by Hispanics, but the movie is pretty much entirely in the court of the latter group, so I don't think it's meant to be playing to fears in that respect. I thought a good part of the allegory was fine, but the "undocumented ships" bit was really silly; it'd be like it poor Mexicans were trying to get into America by hijacking airliners.

I liked that the movie stuck to its guns enough to kill the protagonist.

I'm really not clear why Jodie Foster had her psycho henchman revived if she was pissed off at him. It didn't seem like she needed him anymore, and I can't imagine she's the sort who really stresses about fulfilling her obligations.

Great action, though.

 

[Yminale]

Even with robots and drones to take care of the menial work on the station, there'd have to be some sort of "lower class" on the station just for things to get done.

If you have access to robots and drones why do you need a "lower class" (unless you need hookers, fake friends, and trainers). The robots appear smart enough to fix themselves.

Likewise Earth should have some sort of "upper class" authority to govern the planet. And I mean something other than a snobby CEO and a douchebag labour supervisor.

What makes you think the rich wants to control the planet. Does Apple care about the lives of their slave labor force. It appears they have a basic police force to protect the 1% properties and that's it.

 

[Yminale]

I thought a good part of the allegory was fine, but the "undocumented ships" bit was really silly; it'd be like it poor Mexicans were trying to get into America by hijacking airliners..

Think poor Chinese sneaking aboard cargo ships.

 

[CaptainCanada]

I thought a good part of the allegory was fine, but the "undocumented ships" bit was really silly; it'd be like it poor Mexicans were trying to get into America by hijacking airliners..

Think poor Chinese sneaking aboard cargo ships.

Those actually go into port like they're supposed to, though (or else, park discretely on the coast; and the coast isn't 100% monitored by radar or whatever). These guys are just racing up in full view of tracking systems and landing where they clearly don't belong.

The lady in the opening who is just doing it to cure her kid makes sense, mind you.

 

[Yminale]

I tend to think this will not happen, for reasons outlined here in far greater detail than I will go into:

Those aren't reasons, just opinions. Ray Kurzweil is a techno-fetishist who oversells ever andvancement (only idiots are going to implant an Iphone into their brain. Bjorn Lomborg is an apologist for the oil companies who refuses to state where his donations are coming from. Steven Pinker is delusional. Just because we have fewer wars doesn't mean we are less violent (has seen the crap on Twitter).

As for reality, I suggest visiting Detroit, NYC, Mexico City (where the movie was filmed), Sao Paulo or Beijing if you think Elysium is "too fantastic"

 

[Yminale]

These guys are just racing up in full view of tracking systems and landing where they clearly don't belong.

I see what you are saying but I've seen footage of immigrants rush check points and climb fences in full view of cameras. I've heard stories of Cuban refuges sneaking past the Coast Guard using speed boats.