Fifth Element, The (US)

Boasting a $90 million budget, "The Fifth Element" is the most ambitious French movie production to date. The money was well spent. What starts out feeling like a remake of "The Mummy" quickly turns out to be one of the most colorful and unique science fiction-action-comedy epics of recent years. It's a bubbling melting pot of different styles, ideas, visions and quotes, delivering a sensationally entertaining experience. In Egypt of 1914, an archeologist discovers a cosmic secret, but before he can further uncover it, aliens appear, taking the find with them. The discovery is the fifth element secretly placed there to help protect mankind from the ultimate Evil, a force that returns to Earth every 5000 years. When the time comes in a bare few centuries they will return the element to save the world… or so they say.

"The Fifth Element" has achieved a stunning transfer to DVD that makes it a showcase product. It is the kind of disc that will, without question, convince everyone about DVD's outstanding qualities.

This is, by far, Chris Tucker`s best role. I have not enjoyed watching him in other films, such as Friday, Dead Presidents, Money Talks etc. I think he was more original in this role as Ruby Rhod then he was in his other roles combined. His humor is the strictly recycled type, and it gets old in a hurry... but for this film, he was absolutely brilliant.

The thing I love about "The Fifth Element" is that it doesn`t take itself or it`s genre too seriously. There are continual parodies or references to such movies as "Star Wars", "Blade Runner", "Indiana Jones" and so on. The pace is fast and frantic, kept up by Willis` "Die Hard" style of saving the world - which basically consists of destroying everything in sight so the bad guys can`t get it! And Gary Oldman plays a wonderfully campy villain. A perfect popcorn adventure from director Luc Besson, who previously gave us "The Professional", where Oldman played a much nastier bad guy.

Director Luc Besson's "The Fifth Element" is a furious, fast-paced, hi-tech spectacle that, at the same time, remains poetic. The movie is rich in its presentation and is simply one of the best movies of 1997. As one of the best looking and sounding DVDs, this is a downright must-have disc for every DVD owner. It sounds great, it looks great... but the film is lacking in any special features.

The review is for the "superbit" version of the movie, which does not exist in this site`s database.
This is the very first time I`ve got the chance to watch this movie.
While the movie`s beginning seems promising, it eventually becomes a no-brainer sci-fi action flick with flat characters and no real insights at all.
The video transfer is very good. The so-called "superbit" technology helps the colors seems deeply saturated, with no compression signs at all.
The DTS and DD 5.1 soundtracks are both good. The surrounds are active throughout the movie.
The menus are still and silent.
The disc offers no extras at all (higher bitrate stuff etc. ...).
Bottom line - definitely overrated, this is simply a fun-packed ride. Please stop regarding it as the masterpiece it is not.