Two Jews on Elysium

Neill Blomkamp, writer and director of the critically acclaimed, ‘District 9’, once again brings us a thought-provoking, sci-fi fantasy action film.

‘Elysium’ starring Matt Damon takes place in the year 2154. Earth is polluted, overpopulated and crime ridden. The rich have long ago abandoned the planet for Elysium, an orbital space station, a 19 minute shuttle ride away.

But those 19 minutes, might as well be several light years. The space station is protected by a killer security force run by Jodie Foster who will do anything and everything to keep keep Elysium safe for the wealthy.

Matt Damon (Max) is an ex con on parole who lives and works in Los Angeles which is now a getto. Max is a guy that’s just trying to do the ‘right thing’ trying to put his days of stealing cars behind him.

He works at a Armadyne, a corporation specializing in defense.

Now the company is run by John Carlyle (the wonderful William Fichtner) a man who cares about 3 things…Money, money and more money…

Okay, back to Max, who’s just trying to be a good worker and stay out of trouble. All that soon changes when he gets into an accident at work. Max winds up getting a lethal dose of radiation and finds out he only has five days to live…

However, if he can somehow make it up to Elysium, he can be cured in a matter of seconds.

It seems that every home on the space station, not only comes equipped with a washer and dryer, but also has a machine a machine that can heal any disease. You just have to be a ‘citizen’ of the place.

Now if you’re thinking this is a commentary on our health care system and the haves and have- nots of this world we live in, you’d be right.

But it’s also an exciting, suspenseful film with plenty of great action.

Max has to find a way to get to ‘Elysium which mean making contact, with his criminal associates, including Spider (Wagner Moura) a scary dude, who helps illegal immigrants get to Elysium. He’s also quite adept at turning people into Cybourgs, which comes in handy, but that’s all I’ll say on the subject. Don’t want to spoil the fun.

And ‘Elysium’ is fun… a lot of fun. It also has a great message and for a sci-fi film, that’s rare.

Rounding out the cast is Alice Braga, who plays Frey a childhood friend of Max, who has her own reasons for wanting to get to Elysium. Sharito Copley (District 9′) is excellent as the villaninous, Kruger, Jodie’s pet operative/assassin.

I gave ‘Elysium’ which opens in theatres Friday August 9, 2013, 4 bagels out of 5. John however, had a different take on the film.

Check out our video for his bagel score and for more of our musings.

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Joan and John Schwartz

Joan and John Schwartz are ex New Yorkers, living in Los Angeles. They are married and see a lot of films. They usually disagree but always tell it like it is. John is most famous for creating the cult classic films Faces of Death. He has also written for various prime time series and has written movies for both Showtime and HBO. In the world of reality television John has produced, written and directed over 450 segments for various magazine shows He has also written and Executive Produced several Prime-Time Specials. Joan has appeared on the New York Stage on and off Broadway…and has been in several Los Angeles theater productions as well.. Joan has been in several low budget films and at present she is busy writing screenplays with her husband, John.

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