Quartile rating: 9/10 · 1 rating
In 2257, a taxi driver is unintentionally given the task of saving a young girl who is part of the key that will ensure the survival of humanity.
The Fifth Element is a visually spectacular and utterly singular sci-fi spectacle — Besson's maximalist, candy-colored future New York is iconic and unmistakable, earning top marks for both cinematography and novelty. The film's anarchic tone, operatic set pieces, and wildly eclectic character design make it one of the most distinctive genre films of the 1990s. The plot, however, is fairly thin and propelled more by energy than coherent storytelling — the MacGuffin-driven race-against-time structure is serviceable but slight. Acting is a mixed bag: Willis is charismatic but low-key, Oldman chews scenery entertainingly, and Tucker's Ruby Rhod is divisive; none are truly exceptional. The ending disappoints most — the climax is rushed and underwritten, resolving with an abrupt love-powered deus ex machina that feels emotionally unearned despite all the buildup.