The Fifth Element

The Fifth Element (1997)

  • 71% of critics liked it
    (56 reviews)

  • 84% of users liked it
    (502,985 ratings)

Good and evil battle for the future of 23rd century Earth in this visually striking big-budget science fiction epic. In the movie's prologue, which is set in 1914, scientists gather in Egypt at the site of an event that transpired centuries earlier. Aliens, it seemed, arrived to collect four… More

Play Trailer

PG-13,
Directed By
Written By
Luc Besson, Robert Mark Kamen
Genres
Drama, Science Fiction & Fantasy
In Theaters
May 9, 1997 Wide
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Critic Reviews

  • Todd McCarthy, Variety

    A hodgepodge of elements that don't comfortably coalesce.

  • Geoff Andrew, Time Out

    Besson's futuristic fable is flawed by a messy narrative which strains to incorporate far too many grotesque and eccentric characters.

  • Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

    The Fifth Element has to be the most creative visualization since Tim Burton's first Batman in 1989. On top of that, it's a whole lot of fun.

  • Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times

    There's no doubt about it, when it comes to saving the world, Bruce Willis is your man. He does it with smarts and style, humor and courage.

  • Janet Maslin, New York Times

    Mr. Besson directs with ceaseless flamboyance and with an obvious enthusiasm for his film's comic book conceits. But the tone of The Fifth Element is often terribly shrill, especially when attention shifts to grating minor characters.

Read all 18 critic reviews

See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

  • Dan S


    An absurd, visually spectacular, totally goofy sci-fi good vs. evil tale that takes place in a futuristic society where a taxi cab driver (Bruce Willis) is compelled to assist an alien (Milla Jovovich) in bringing down the evil planet that is threatening to destroy earth. It's a… More

  • Emil K


    The Fifth Element is like Spaceballs that takes itself serious. Director Besson is clearly in love with his own future-vision, but it just feels like something that 7-year old boy could write while daydreaming. Even the crazy costumes by Gaultier and Eric Serra's corny if… More

  • JY S


    <i>The Fifth Element</i> simply dazzles in all aspects. Congratulations Luc Besson.<p>The plot is easy to pickup and follow, even for a picture heavy on the science fiction. Most of the high tech and futuristic elements are left to the imagination with very little… More

  • Alexander D


    Honestly, I know very little what I should think of THE FIFTH ELEMENT. If I were to make a list of the most bizarre films I have seen to date (and I've seen quite a few recently that would make the list), this would easily rank as number one, and by a long shot. I feel the… More

  • Mark H


    Utterly loopy plot is what makes this French/American space adventure story so intoxicating. Apparently, writer/director Luc Besson began the script for The Fifth Element when he was only 16 years old. The naïve perspective benefits the material; the refreshingly straightforward… More

Read all 20 featured audience ratings

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