Elysium

'And the meek shall inherit the earth'. Unfortunately in this film they inherit a diseased, overpopulated earth while the wealthy live it up on Elysium, a luxurious space station orbiting the planet. It's an interesting and relevant idea from the mind of Neill Blomkamp, the same guy who wowed audiences in 2009 with sci-fi thriller District 9. The action comes thick and fast as Matt Damon finds himself with only a few days to live and must get to Elysium where he can be cured of radiation contamination. His fate becomes intertwined with the fate of humanity and the bigger picture overshadows his own life. The relevance of the film is in the vast gulf between rich and poor and the determination of the rich to hold onto what they have. It's nice to have an action film with a social conscience, although I feel Blomkapp could have fleshed out this part of the story more and also focused more on character development. The special effects are very good and Sharlto Copley, of District 9 fame, makes a brilliant baddie. All in all it's good entertainment but not the film that could fully redeem this summer's disappointing cinematic releases. 7/10