The Fifth Element

This 1997 film takes us first to the past, back to 1914 in Egypt where scientists discover something miraculous.  They discovered a fifth element, an element said to be used against evil.  Because of the discovery, robotic beings, mondoshawan, come to retrieve the stones of the elements, saying to a priest that they are not safe anymore because evil is coming and asked for him to pass his knowledge onto the next generations.

300 years later, in the 23rd century, we find Cornelius, a priest with the knowledge of the fifth element, who tells the president there is only one thing that can defeat the great evil, the fifth element.  When the Mondoshawans from the beginning are destroyed by the Mangalores, Cornelius now thinks they are hopeless.

In South Brooklyn, New York, an ex military man, Korben Dallas, is in his apartment.  Around his room is a cat, a machine that limits his cigarettes to five per day, and with a press of a button he can hide his bed.  The scene shows that this future is much different then our today.  Over 10 years have passed since this movie came out and our technology hasn't even show a hint of the idea of this future; especially the hover cars.

The military finds one survivor in the Mondoshawan wreakage; technically just a few cells of an arm.  They use a machine to reassemble the body with the few cells they have.  The DNA chain is the same as human beings but only multiplied.  One of the doctors says, "the cell is perfect".  Thing is, what is perfect?  Is there a right and wrong for what a woman or man should look like to be PERFECT?  I don't think there is such thing as perfect or even NORMAL for that matter.  What is normal to me can be abnormal to someone next to me.  What is perfect for me is completely different then any one I know.

The doctors start the machine with the bones, then the tissue, then the skin.  They think that what will come out is a man, when in fact it is not.  They find themselves face to face with a redheaded, pale skinned woman.  She speaks, but not English, something foreign.  It surprises me with how smart she is the moment she is born: she knows a language, knows how to walk, and run away from the police.  She does the CRAZIEST thing ever: leaps from the building.  She falls down and down and lands in the back of a cab driven by Korben Dallas.

Their first eye contact is so powerful.  I can just feel the instant attraction they have.  She tries to explain what happened recognizing that he won't hurt her.  The only word that makes sense to him is the "boom".  From there is the well-known phrase, "Big badda boom".  If I ever forget the title, I just say, "big badda boom" and my family knows what I am talking about.

When the police find his cab she tries to think of a way to communicate with him.  She sees a poster about helping an orphan.  On the poster it says, "Please help".  Somehow she figures out how to say the word even though she doesn't know the English language at all.  I think that is crazy because she does not know what the letter sounds are and what they make together.  I just honestly feel that that would have been impossible even for the fifth element.  Unless, of course, she knew the language before but has to review.  I do not think that is the case though.  Korben soon feels terrible and takes off, dismissing the police order, and uses his last point on his licence.

Two policemen who are at a drive-thru at McDonald's get a call of the escape but they dismiss it.  I think that is the stereotype for cops: always just sitting around not taking anything seriously, doing nothing.  Also, the women working there look like strippers.  What has this world become!?  Their cleavage is hanging out and their hair and make-up are done all pretty.  Another strange bit is that the woman calls the meals, "Golden Menus".  This name change is a good idea of a change for the future.

When Korben takes her to Cornelius, the priest's, apartment Korben does a silly thing: he kisses her.  She wakes up and points a gun at him and says something in, what the priest calls, the divine language.  He finds out in a bit from Cornelius that it translates to, "Never without my permission".  He then exchanges names with her.  She says her name and it nearly took 5 seconds just to say her name.  He asks for a shorter name and she says, Leeloo.  When Korben goes back home his boss calls and he tells him about, "A big fair" that fell in his lap.

She puts some powder on a plate and puts it in the microwave and a few seconds later a big chicken dinner comes out. It's funny because I have had powdered food and food that astronauts eat but nothing like that.  I think of Ramon noodles when I see that; but instead of noodles with water we get the real deal chicken.

Mangalore take a case with the stones to Zorg, an evil being, and he opens the case and finds it is empty.   When Leeloo tells the priest where the stones are, Fhloston Paradise, the priests comes up with a plan to get on that plane to go there.

The military reports to the President telling him that the stones are with a demon, Diva Plavalaguna an opera singer, who will be singing at Floston Paradise.

Korben's mother calls saying he won a trip to Fhloston Paradise and nags about how he should take her.  After he gets off the phone the doorbell rings and it is a military man telling him he will take Major Iceborg, a fat unattractive woman as his wife to Fhloston Paradise.  Another ring at the door: Leeloo.  He shoves the three military people in the fridge and answers the door.  Cornelius is there too to get the tickets.  Korben  has to hide them because the police are they looking for Korben but find his name tag on someone else's door and take the other guy captive.  Funny because that is the same guy who stopped by his place earlier that day trying to rob Korben.

As Korben and Leeloo are about to board the plane a flight attendant takes Korben to meet Ruby Rhod for an interview on his talk show. Ruby, an eccentric man who, when I was young, I thought was a woman.  His hair and his outfits make him look either: like a woman or like a cross-dresser.  The only indicator that he was a man was that he hit on the flight attendants and even fooled around with one as the plane took off.  He asks his groupies how the show was and they say "green".  Green only means two things to me: the color and a term for money.  I don't understand really why they picked "green" to be the word for good or great.

At Diva Plavalaguna's concert, her singing is amazing.  She has a 4 and a half octave range.  Her operatic voice is smooth and wonderful.  As she sings, the Mangalores attack her troupe and find the case of which they think the stones are in.  Leeloo is there and takes on the group of Mangalores herself.  Some of Leeloo's moves go along with the rhythm Diva sings.  They both end at the same time with a glorious finish.  Just as Leeloo takes the case a Mangalore tells the rest of the Mangalores that it was an ambush and they shoot the Diva and scare the audience and kill some.  Also, Leeloo is found by Zorg, and is shot by him in the air vent.

Korben tries to help Diva Plavalaguna and asks where the stones are and she says they are in her.  As this is happening Zorg opens the trunk and finds the stones are not there again!  Korben digs his hands inside her wound and finds the stones.  This whole time, Ruby is reporting the events through the talk show of which is actually being reported to the President.  Ruby's hair is ridiculous in this scene.  His hair is in ball forms on his head.  Also, his scream is hilarious when the bomb goes off!

When they come to a point where the Mangalore are holding people hostage, including Cornelius, they have to negotiate.  Korben's way of negotiating is shooting the leader square in the head.  Classic.  Ruby and Cornelius soon find a countdown and figure out it is a bomb.  Ha funny that no one else noticed that thing counting down before.  If I saw something like that on the wall I would be curious enough to ask someone, especially if some ugly beasts were attacking the ship.

Korben takes Zorg's ship and says, "It's like driving a cab".  Haha I can't believe he compared them.  It's like comparing a car to a motorcycle.

Zorg stops the countdown for the bomb.  But shortly after, a Mangalore starts up a different one and says, "for the honor".  This is interesting because they honor their beliefs just as our military and society honor our beliefs.

Leeloo makes a great point when she says that everything we create is used to destroy.  Korben tries to tell her that there is more then just danger and destruction; there is love.  But she searches "war" on the computer and sees dreadful pictures.

Bad news.  A ball of fire is headed toward earth and is said to hit in less then two hours.  When they get to Egypt they set the stones and try to figure out how to "open" them.  Korben asks Leeloo and she says, "the wind blows, fire burns...".  You would think they would use that information to think about what she meant by that.  Easy.  Each stone needs the particular element to "open" it.

They finally figure it out when David accidentally starts his up.  "Water for water, fire for fire, earth for earth", Korben instructs them all to start theirs up.

He wakes Leeloo up and tells her that there is a lot worth saving.  She wants to give up but he tells her love is worth saving.  She doesn't know love though, she was built to protect not to love.  But who isn't built to love?  We are all meant to protect ourselves and our children but also to love.  Love is our greatest emotion.  Love is equal to hate but when it comes to which is stronger in the end love overpowers hate.

Just before the fire ball reaches the Earth's atmosphere a big light comes from Leeloo and that kills the fire ball 62 miles from impact.

At the end they are in a reactor kissing and happy.  In love.