“The most radical element of Luc Besson’s 1997 space opera The Fifth Element is not the absurdly opulent future-costumes designed by Jean Paul Gaultier. It isn’t the bizarre Southern twang of the Hitler haircut-sporting villain Zorg (Gary Oldman), nor is it Chris Tucker’s performance as an intergalactic sex symbol who hosts a radio show. It’s that Bruce Willis cries at the opera.”
“In budget, in scale, and in casting, The Fifth Element feels like any other big Hollywood sci-fi movie, featuring popular English-speaking actors running around a high-concept world, complete with lavish sets and CGI effects. But not many blockbusters would let its male star weep at a musical performance.”
“Besson takes an all-American cowboy hero, a trope as old as the Flash Gordon sci-fi films he’s aping, and uses not violence, but art, to help teach Korben a larger lesson about the importance of other people in his life.”
“Valerian, opening in theaters this week, is already drawing the same kind of polarized reaction The Fifth Element got 20 years ago, with critics praising its visual boldness while expressing, at best, a little confusion about its dialogue and storytelling choices.”
“Besson, the French director who pioneered the stylish cinema du look of France’s 1980s, likes to use grand imagery to present his often simplistic narratives. But beneath the surface, The Fifth Element is a highly underrated piece of subversive Hollywood cinema.”
“Besson’s sincerity might not have worked as well if it weren’t backed up with his similarly free-spirited design sensibilities. The Fifth Element might be less memorable if it hadn’t followed through on its operatic storytelling, but each frame of the film is a delight to look at, each set a dizzying wonder, each costume (down to Korben’s favorite skintight tank top) a daring fashion choice.”
“The release of Valerian, another emotionally grounded genre work by Besson, is a reminder that the director’s 20-year-old sci-fi classic is worth a second look for much more than its pioneering visuals.”