Film Review: "Elysium" (2013).

"There's nothing left down here. They have it all on Elysium, food, water, medicine, and they'll do anything to keep us out. It's time to change everything." This is what Elysium brings this summer. This science fiction action thriller film written, co-produced and directed by Neill Blomkamp. Set in the year 2154, two classes of people exist: the very wealthy who live on a pristine man-made space station called Elysium, and the rest, who live on an overpopulated, ruined Earth. Secretary Rhodes, a government official, will stop at nothing to enforce anti-immigration laws and preserve the luxurious lifestyle of the citizens of Elysium. However, unlucky Max agrees to take on a daunting mission that if successful will not only save his life, but could bring equality to these polarized worlds.

Although set in 2154, Elysium's director argues that it is a comment on the contemporary human condition. "Everybody wants to ask me lately about my predictions for the future," the director said, "No, no, no. This isn't science fiction. This is today. This is now." James Kirkpatrick from VDARE considers Elysium a parable about the devastating impact of Latin American mass immigration on Anglo-America. Matt Damon is the last Anglo in Los Angeles, an overcrowded Mexican slum city with no sense of identity or civic unity. The – mostly white – wealthy people have fled the earth to establish another home in space, but are finally overrun a second time by illegal Third World migrants after Damon dismantles their security system. For Steve Sailer dystopian Elysium is "another Malthusian tale about open borders" and its catastrophic effects on civilization, whereas the rich in their carefree, gated "Beverly Hills" space community profit from the collapse of the borders on earth. For the film's titular space-station Elysium, Neill Blomkamp and Ivery consulted with NASA scientists and engineers to see if the man-made space station in the movie was possible? It turns out that NASA has been experimenting with a spinning ring that would create its own gravity field.

The film stars Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, Sharlto Copley, Alice Braga, Diego Luna, Wagner Moura and William Fichtner. The performances in this film were extraordinarily complex and portrayed. Damon was never better as he returned to his action-orienated chair since his Bourne films (2002-7) and his Ocean's trilogy (2001-7). Foster, as always, gave a intelligently delivered performance as one of the film's main antagonists. Braga gave a great performance even though I felt her chemistry with Damon did not win my heart. Luna gave a great performance since I last saw him in The Terminal (2004). Mourna gave a brilliant performance in his first English speaking role. Lastly, Fichtner gave a great small performance in contrast to his rather disappointing performance in The Lone Ranger (2013).

After the heady sci-fi thrills of District 9 (2009), Elysium (2013) is a bit of a letdown for director Neill Blomkamp, but on its own terms, it delivers just barely enough to satisfy.

Simon says Elysium receives: