The Fifth Element can be described as a both a failure and a success. It’s a classic example of “Too many cooks spoil the brew.” Yet no one can really call it “boring.” Crazy is never boring.
The film itself is very ambitious in both production design, casting and story line. Somehow, everything got turned up to 11, and what theater audiences got from this 1997 sci fi epic was a loud, crazy myth in 96 bit technicolor.
The only thing more amped up than the color scheme in the futuristic cityscape were the actors fighting for the title of Most Outrageous Over-Actor in a Performance. Even Bruce Willis’ hair was doing its best to steal the spotlight (it was the last time anyone saw it on film, he’s been shaved bald ever since).
So what’s the plot of The Fifth Element?
A huge ball of molten lava and flame is hurtling toward Earth, and scientist-holy man Victor Cornelius declares that in order to prevent it from destroying the planet, four elemental stones (Earth, Water, Air, Fire) must be combined with the fifth element, as embodied by a visitor from another world named Leeloo (Milla Jovovich).
Despite her remarkable powers, Leeloo needs help with her mission, and she chooses her accomplice, military leader-turned-cab driver Korben Dallas (Bruce Willis), when she literally falls through the roof of his taxi.
Writer and director Luc Besson (Taken, The Professional, The Transporter) began writing the script for The Fifth Element when he was only 16 years old, though he was 38 before he was able to bring it to the screen. And yeah – it LOOKS exactly like what a 16 year-old boy thought the future looked like in 1976. Keep that in mind…
Anyway – enjoy truck drivers. If you can’t get the movie to play in the window below, just click this direct link to get started.
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