Great performances and special effects highlight Neill Blomkamp's latest.
The movie has action galore, including encounters between Max and Kruger that are fun to watch. It's easy to get lost in them, thanks to the film's "shaky cam" effect – one of its biggest weaknesses – but the effects never let up. It also has a human side as well, including Max's attempts to reconnect with Frey, as well as her young daughter, who's not doing so well herself.
Blomkamp isn't the only one to thank for Elysium's success. Damon does a superb job with Max, giving him a dry dose of humor (his interaction with a cybernetic parole officer his hilarious) while at the same time having him deal with his Foster also brings her best to Delacourt, with a mean political edge that makes her a worthwhile villain. However, if anyone deserves credit here, it's Copley. As he did in District 9, he steals the show with force, killing people with little effort and having a lot of fun doing it. He does go a bit overkill close to the end of the movie, getting all "powered up" and what not, but he's still fun to watch.
Elysium does have a couple of minor moments that could've used tweaking, like with the flashbacks, but it's one of the better sci-fi movies of the summer, a blast of fresh air that steps away from the usual formula and lets Blomkamp do his thing. Hey, with the streak he's on, more power to him.
Score: 8.5 / 10
