No doubt the people responsible for Elysium had good intentions. They probably wanted to make a movie which dramatized what might happen in the future if the gap keeps widening between the rich and the poor. I think they also intended to illustrate important points about immigration and health care issues. So the plot of this sci-fi action movie unfolds in a future world where these serious problems have been dealt with in non-humanitarian ways, to say the least. The wealthiest individuals live on a beautiful man-made space station called Elysium; the poor remain on planet Earth, which looks like a devastated third-world country.  It’s no wonder many needy people try to break through the barriers and get to Elysium, especially those with ill or injured children who will die without the treatment available only on that exclusive space community.

Unfortunately, the movie goes overboard with loud, jerky, repetitive action sequences instead of focusing much on character development. And casting Matt Damon (The Adjustment Bureau) in a Jason Statham-type role doesn’t help matters either. Damon plays Max, a poor paroled thief who gets pulled into an “equality” mission involving big changes in his own body/mind structure and a dangerous trip to Elysium. Also, the background noises and music frequently interfere with the film’s dialogue, and this becomes highly annoying. Plus, although Jodie Foster (Flightplan) looks great as an evil Elysium politician/official, I’m sorry to report that she’s not as convincing as usual. So here it comes, dear reader. Another film poem.  You’ve been warned!                   

Elysium --

a film of pain

that left me numb

and hurt my brain.

Elysium

keeps wealthy blokes

up in the sky --

not with plain folks.

Elysium

looks down on Earth

and stays aloof

from all that dirt.

Elysium --

a frenzied flick --

won’t give us time

to care a lick.

When will it end?

We have to wait.

Jerky action

seems our fate.

Shootings and guns,

space fights and blasts,

smash our senses

until the last.

But when it ends

we’re very glad

to leave a film

so loud and sad.    

(Released by TriStar Pictures and rated “PG-13” for strong bloody violence and language throughout.) 

For more information about Elysium, go to the Internet Movie Data Base or Rotten Tomatoes website.