The Fifth Element (1997)

In the colorful future, a cab driver unwittingly becomes the central figure in the search for a legendary cosmic weapon to keep Evil and Mr. Zorg at bay.

Director:

Luc Besson

Writers:

Luc Besson (screenplay by), Robert Mark Kamen (screenplay by)

Stars:

Bruce Willis, Milla Jovovich, Gary Oldman

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 10 wins & 38 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bruce Willis	...	Korben Dallas
Gary Oldman	...	Zorg
Ian Holm	...	Cornelius
Milla Jovovich	...	Leeloo
Chris Tucker	...	Ruby Rhod
Luke Perry	...	Billy
Brion James	...	General Munro
Tom Lister Jr.	...	President Lindberg (as Tommy 'Tiny' Lister Jr.)
Lee Evans	...	Fog
Charlie Creed-Miles	...	David (as Charlie Creed Miles)
Tricky	...	Right Arm
John Neville	...	General Staedert
John Bluthal	...	Professor Pacoli
Mathieu Kassovitz	...	Mugger
Christopher Fairbank	...	Mactilburgh

Storyline

In the twenty-third century, the universe is threatened by evil. The only hope for mankind is the Fifth Element, who comes to Earth every five thousand years to protect the humans with four stones of the four elements: fire, water, Earth and air. A Mondoshawan spacecraft is bringing The Fifth Element back to Earth but it is destroyed by the evil Mangalores. However, a team of scientists use the DNA of the remains of the Fifth Element to rebuild the perfect being called Leeloo. She escapes from the laboratory and stumbles upon the taxi driver and former elite commando Major Korben Dallas that helps her to escape from the police. Leeloo tells him that she must meet Father Vito Cornelius to accomplish her mission. Meanwhile, the Evil uses the greedy and cruel Jean-Baptiste Emanuel Zorg and a team of mercenary Mangalores to retrieve the stones and avoid the protection of Leeloo. But the skilled Korben Dallas has fallen in love with Leeloo and decides to help her to retrieve the stones.

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Plot Keywords:

futuristic city | future | taxi driver | love | alien | 

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Taglines:

250 years in the future, all will be lost unless the fifth element is found.

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for intense sci-fi violence, some sexuality and brief nudity

Did You Know?

Trivia

Bruce Willis spoke favorably of this movie in a 1999 interview, concluding "it was a real fun movie to make." Chris Tucker and Milla Jovovich also spoke favorably of both their experiences making this movie and working with Luc Besson, in interviews on the Ultimate Edition DVD, Jovovich described Besson as "the first really amazing director I had worked with."

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Goofs

Leeloo is supposed to be a perfectly formed being, yet her skull has two small faults above the right eye socket.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Omar: [whispers to sleeping Aziz] Aziz! Aziz!
Professor Pacoli: [shouts] Aziz! Light!
[Aziz wakes up with a start]
Billy: "Aziz! Light!"

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Alternate Versions

In the version currently running on SyFy Ruby Rhod's sexual encounter with the flight attendant is cut as are all cutaways to it during the take-off sequence. Therefore the cockpit crew's preflight checklist has no double entendre meaning.

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Connections

Featured in CineMaverick TV: Episode #1.15 (2012)

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Soundtracks

All Night Long
Written by Lionel Richie

User Reviews

Earth Meet Cosmic Beauty

And what a beaut she is.

I like to drive her around on all four all hours.

And Bruce Willis. He is the man!

8/10 for this film and loads of action!

Details

Official Sites:

Sony Pictures [United States]

Country:

France UK USA

Language:

English Swedish German Arabic Egyptian (Ancient)

Release Date:

9 May 1997 (USA)

Also Known As:

The 5th Element

Filming Locations:

UK

Box Office

Budget:

$93,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$17,031,345, 11 May 1997

Gross USA:

$63,820,180

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$263,920,180

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures, Gaumont, Pinewood Studios

Technical Specs

Runtime:

126 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS Dolby Digital DTS Dolby Atmos (remastered version)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1