May 8–15, 1997

movie shorts

THE FIFTH ELEMENT

(recommended)

With director Luc Besson utilizing Blade Runner's vision of the inner city as multicultural/multisexual freeport full of mutant physical fury and Casino Royale's wacky vision of international intrigue, silly gadgets and power-mad clutzy bad guys, this Element is nothing if not way out. Way way out. Besson places a too-blond ex-military hero (Bruce Willis) behind the wheel of a cab to drive through the script's zillion plotholes, searching for the Fifth Element: "that perfect creation if left in the hands of good is salvation, the hands of evil: destruction." Willis tackles the role without too much of his usual snideness, playing each moment with comic but quiet heroics. The embodiment of perfection is a splendid red-haired mutant LeeLoo — Milla Jovovich — who does her Dazed and Confused bit again, only this time adding bits of Bruce Lee and David Bowie to her performance. Her services are sought by the powers of good because bad is looking to, if not destroy the world, really fuck it up and then get the cleaning concession. (Not kiddin', folks.) Good is embodied by Priest Vito (Ian Holm), who is the only scholar who knew LeeLoo was coming. That he doesn't know it was a woman — ooh, laughs ensue. Representing bad is Mr. Zorg (Gary Oldman), a mercenary businessman who — with a sappy overbite, broad Southern accent and the worst haircut this side of the Human League — believes that "destruction encourages life." Which means he's got the clean-up concession for whatever galaxy they're in. And what a galaxy: with clothing by Jean-Paul Gaultier and buildings to match, the future is nothing if not colorfully neat and snug-fitting. Oh, there's a flaming Prince-like DJ Ruby Rhod (Chris Tucker) who goes along with Willis for a holiday joyride that turns religiously purposeful. He's dressed the funniest and truly embodies all the silliness at hand. For it's silliness and old-style farce that sets the joyous Element apart from so many of its competitors. The fight for good and evil is clear (hmm, sometimes), but the framework's alive every second with a sense of fun, as Besson mocks the mystical space search that always made Jules Bergman seem so serious. I think Element would've made him smile. It did me.

— a.d. amorosi

(AMC Andorra; AMC Orleans; Cinemagic; UA Cheltenham; UA Grant; UA Main St.; UA Riverview; UA Sameric; UA 69th St.)