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The Fifth Element
Metascore
52 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 22 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 22
  3. Negative: 3 out of 22
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  1. Los Angeles Times
    Reviewed by: Kevin Thomas
    80
    The cast is a delight, but it's Willis who is the film's true "fifth element," giving it life, depth and humanity.
  2. Washington Post
    Reviewed by: Rita Kempley
    80
    An entertaining tangle of pop aesthetic and comic book myth that occasionally bogs down, but manages to be ingratiating for all its defects.
  3. Austin Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Marc Savlov
    78
    Although the film tends to suffer from a severe case of overt preachiness in the third reel (shades of James Cameron's "The Abyss"), it's still a wonderfully visual, exciting ride.
  4. Chicago Sun-Times
    Reviewed by: Roger Ebert
    75
    I would not have missed seeing this film, and I recommend it for its richness of imagery. But at 127 minutes, which seems a reasonable length, it plays long.
  5. Chicago Tribune
    Reviewed by: Michael Wilmington
    75
    It's ludicrous, but it's fun. Besson is a filmmaker so in love with his own daffy excesses that he's able to pull us, laughing, right into his world of loony pop. [9 May 1997]
    All this critic's reviews
  6. San Francisco Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Peter Stack
    75
    What an attempt, and what a work of the imagination. The Fifth Element' will change the look of science fiction and will probably be imitated for years.
  7. L.A. Weekly
    Reviewed by: Manohla Dargis
    70
    Too long by half, burdened with shabby F/X and offering up some seriously weird performances, this pricy foray into science fiction is a muddle of miscues and narrative bloat--along with a lot of frivolous fun.
  8. Washington Post
    Reviewed by: Desson Thomson
    70
    There’s so much high-voltage fun running throughout this comic sci-fantasy -- engineered gleefully by director Luc Besson -- you’re hard-pressed to be unaffected.
  9. Entertainment Weekly
    Reviewed by: Owen Gleiberman
    67
    The future-shock details are witty, the sets and skyscapes spectacular. Besson may not be a good director, exactly, but he's a wizard at retrofitting cliches.
  10. The Globe and Mail (Toronto)
    Reviewed by: Rick Groen
    63
    The movie unreels like a depressive in a manic phase, a frenzy of lightning-fast cuts, cuts, cuts.
  11. Christian Science Monitor
    Reviewed by: David Sterritt
    50
    The action is fast, furious, and as wacky as science fantasy gets.
  12. San Francisco Examiner
    Reviewed by: Barbara Shulgasser
    50
    This is a prodigious something. It's just difficult to say whether that something is good or evil.
  13. USA Today
    Reviewed by: Susan Wloszczyna
    50
    But for all the fancy-schmancy effects (budget: $90 million-plus), the vision of a hypercongested metropolis is not much more sophisticated than an episode of "The Jetsons." [9 May 1997]
    All this critic's reviews
  14. ReelViews
    Reviewed by: James Berardinelli
    50
    Besson may have misfired with The Fifth Element, but at least he does it with flair and a sense of humor.
  15. TV Guide
    Reviewed by: Maitland McDonagh
    50
    It's all densely imagined and more than a little goofy -- perhaps too goofy for the average American viewer.
  16. Film Threat
    Reviewed by: Jimmy Chertkow
    50
    The story is such a cut-rate kid's sci-fi fairy tale that at one point Evil actually calls Gary Oldman on the phone (and it isn't played for laughs).
  17. The New York Times
    Reviewed by: Elvis Mitchell
    50
    As a yammering, swishy talk show host, Chris Tucker is flat-out incomprehensible, while Mr. Oldman preens evilly enough to leave tooth marks on the scenery.
  18. Dallas Observer
    Reviewed by: Peter Rainer
    40
    With Besson, it's all eye candy; despite all of his mythic posturing, his loop-the-loop camera moves and in-your-face fandangos are the true substance of his films. And that's not much substance. He's a dry-hump orgiast.
  19. Variety
    Reviewed by: Todd McCarthy
    40
    Ultimately a mess of diverse ingredients that sorely could have used a rigorous screening process to eliminate all the chaff.
  20. Chicago Reader
    Reviewed by: Lisa Alspector
    30
    Even the revelation of what the fifth element is at the end is disingenuous--in fact, the archness of this whole project is repellent.
  21. Slate
    Reviewed by: David Edelstein
    20
    It may or may not be the worst movie ever made, but it is one of the most unhinged.
  22. Salon.com
    Reviewed by: Scott Rosenberg
    10
    As you sit through the interminable two-hours-plus that constitute The Fifth Element -- a colossally stupid, overbearingly pompous new movie by Luc Besson -- you can expect to become acquainted with boredom on the most elemental level.
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User Reviews

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User Score
8.5 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 72 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 24 out of 28
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 28
  3. Negative: 3 out of 28
  1. TheKiddy
    10
    I loved this movie. I saw it in the theaters and have watched it on TV a zillion times since. There was an article in the NY Times recently about unforgettable movie lines. The article wasn't particularly good - it forgot about Better Davis's "fasten your seatbelt, it's gonna be a bumpy ride" and so on. But it got me thinking. And what popped into my mind (forgive me) were two lines from The Fifth Element that I found unforgettable: "Negative, I am a meat popsicle." and "Does anyone else want to negotiate?" And then there is the memorable "It sa, it sa, it sa..." I am really curious what it is that so turned the critics off. I am a fan for life of this whimsical, silly, funny, well-acted and yes, sentimental, film. Love might not save the world, but wait - it's on again this week! Who cares!?!… Full Review »
  2. hoops2448
    10
    The Fifth Element is a delight from beginning to end not just because it is one of the most visually adventurous films of all time but because it encapsulates everything that great cinema should be, and that is moving, clever and most of all fun. The film tells the story of Corben Dallas (Bruce Willis) a taxi driver in the 23rd century who used to be a secret agent. He is recruited to complete another mission, this time to save the world from an extremely powerful entity heading for earth. To do so he needs the help of Leeloo (Milla Jovovich), a mysterious woman who speaks an ancient language and can eat an insane amount of roast chicken. He is also assisted by an old priest (Ian Holm) and an inconsiderate shock jock (Chris Tucker). The film has a wicked sense of humour thanks to a great script which keeps the film trundling along at an exhilarating pace while never making the film hard to follow. The script (co-written by Luc Besson) not only emphasises the themes of the film but also sticks them in your mind so that by the end you have a plethora of lasting thoughts and emotions. As stated about, despite the films depth and pace it is never hard to watch. In fact its one of the easiest viewing experiences because the film works on so many levels. From a light hearted actioner to a serious commentary on love and religion the film just works. The direction by Luc Besson is flawless as the action sequences have a perfect fluidity to them. The finest part of the film however is the score which is unconventional yet incredibly powerful with the finale being a perfect example of how well it works. The depiction of the future is peculiar but stunning at the same time thanks to some inventive cityscapes (thanks to some impressive CGI that still holds up 15 years later), intriguing aliens, intriguing new technologies and most of all the costumes (by Jean-Paul Gaultier). The costumes capture the tone of this wondrous new world perfectly while still maintaining a sense of reality (nothing beats a good suit, even 200 years in the future). The film still delves into the idea of the future as dystopia but it never feels heavy handed as the film concentrates on the action most of all. The fact that Besson does his up most to ensure the movie is fun, ensures that it is, with the cast always looking like they are having the time of their lives. Speaking of the cast there are some standout performances with both Jovovich and Willis being great leads. In fact it is most likely Jovovich’s best performance and Willis is rarely as charming or energetic as he is in this. Chris Tucker provides some hearty laughs as Ruby Rod and Ian Holm entertains as a clumsy but well intentioned priest. However the best of the bunch has to be Gary Oldman, who continues his streak of entertaining villains with Jean Baptiste Emanuel Zorg, an extremely vile yet overtly camp villain who lights up the screen every time he is on it. Overall The Fifth Element is a masterpiece in not just Science Fiction cinema but in cinema all together as it has great action, great characters and one of the most unconventional love stories of all time. It’s a feast for the eyes and an adventure everyone should experience (you would be nuts not to). Finally any film that makes the viewer think its acceptable to wear orange suspenders is a winner in my book.… Full Review »
  3. ALF
    10
    Bravo to Kevin Thomas. This film is great fun and what is even better was it was made so that no sequels would follow at a time when sequels seemed to be rolling off the shelf. Gary Oldman, Bruce Willis, Milla Jovovich all clearly enjoyed working with Luc Besson along with Chris Rock who has to be commended for wearing those, umm outfits and hairstyles which alone were worth laughs. This is two hours of fun which is not to be taken seriously and is clearly meant to be family fun. Perhaps the other film critics who felt the need to moan at this creative fun should take their brain out of the fridge or maybe actually stop being tight and go and see the film they have written about. This is unlikely as that would actually mean film critics earning their salary!… Full Review »
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