The latest dystopian sci-fi to hit our cinemas is District 9 director Neill Blomkamp's Elysium, a film that continues his fixations with the disenfranchised and explosive CGI.
Set in 2154 Los Angeles, Matt Damon plays Max Da Costa, a factory worker trying to leave his dubious car-jacking past behind him. After a work accident sees him suffering a near fatal dose of radiation, his only means of averting death is finding a way to get from ravaged, overpopulated Earth to the much-coveted space station Elysium for treatment. The asylum seekers analogy reveals itself here, as Elysium is populated by the rich few and its air space is fiercely guarded to prevent uninvited spacecrafts entering.
Aesthetically, even though this future earth is a hellhole, it's been beautifully shot, particularly the opening panoramas. In terms of performances, Damon's softly spoken Max may be hard to swallow as an ex-con, but his physicality gets him over the line (once again). Jodie Foster's performance as the Machiavellian Secretary Delacourt is surprisingly wooden, but the supporting cast is great, with Wagner Moura's charismatic Spider the standout.
Elysium merges frenetic live action with special effects in a very taut, thrilling way. Not as emotionally charged as District 9, the film still succeeds in gripping the viewer firmly, in what is ultimately a fun, tension-filled ride.
In cinemas now.
