The Fifth Element (Remastered) [Blu-ray] Reviews

• Wild, Giddy Space Opera...

  
  By A31I3HXMD5H1EL on 2003-11-16
  The story goes that director Luc Besson began writing THE FIFTH ELEMENT in his teens, incorporating all the Sci-Fi elements he loved into one over-the-top, grand space opera...sort of an "E.E. 'Doc' Smith 'Skylark' Meets Flash Gordon and Barbarella" hybrid with sex, intergalactic action, and even some pseudo-religious overtones tossed in...in other words, a teenage daydream come true! Critics panned the end result for this very reason, sneering at Bruce Willis' Earth-saving (yet again!) Korben Dallas, and Besson's then-girlfriend, clothing-optional Milla Jovovich, as the innocent demigod, Leeloo.
  
  The critics were wrong!
  
  THE FIFTH ELEMENT is, in the best sense of the word, a classic 'B' movie, a space opera where a prologue vaguely similar to STARGATE leads to a future Earth where traffic jams occur thirty stories above the ground, humanity is ruled by beefy 'Tiny' Lister Jr., and where the Ultimate Evil is served by everyone's favorite villain, Gary Oldman, sporting a Southern accent! If this DOESN'T convince you that this is a 'popcorn' flick, not to be taken too seriously, there is Chris Tucker, sporting a blond hairdo, as the Galaxy's favorite media personality, promoting himself as he hits on his adoring female fans; Ian Holm, as the monk who knows 'the Secret', forced, despite himself, to become an active participant in the adventure; and some of the most ... ugly alien mercenaries you'll ever see, terrorizing a space resort, until they meet their match in Bruce Willis' 'DIE HARD in Space' protagonist! Yippee-Ki-Yay, indeed!
  
  The FX are astonishing, the comedy, broad and sly, the heroics, macho, and as Leeloo, sent to save Earth, Jovovich manages to be both naive and sexy, with broken English and a gymnast's grace.
  
  Bruce Willis is a joy, as always, to watch, and he carries the film with charm and self-depreciating humor, whether dealing with endless phone calls from his mother, driving his sky taxi recklessly (cabbies change very little in the future!), taking on terrorists single-handed, or falling for the exotic Leeloo. When he blows away a roomful of hostage-holding aliens, then asks, "Does anyone else want to negotiate?", you KNOW Besson picked the right guy for the lead!
  
  If you want Profound Science Fiction, watch 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY again...but if you want to kick back and just have fun, look no further...THE FIFTH ELEMENT delivers!
  
  

• Great movie finally remastered

  
  By A3FEQXNCFC68KC on 2007-07-02
  This is a really fun, fun movie. It's not the beat all of science fiction as it was hyped when it was released, but it certainly is a good combination high adventure, situation comedy, cyberpunk, and Bruce Willis gun fighting action. Doesn't make sense? Don't worry. I'll explain.
  
  High adventure comes from the plot: save the earth from evil by finding some mystic items and a perfect human before the appointed zero hour. That much is obvious. Cyberpunk explains in a way the setting of the futuristic urban scenes, which are fantastically portrayed in this movie. All of the settings and technology were impressive as well as stylish. The special effects were well above average and in many scenes very impressive, but a situation comedy? You got it. I won't get into the details. I will say there are quite a few scenes that involve the kind of subplots you find in sitcoms. This is a good thing by the way. A lesser movie would mess this up. Director Luc Besson made all of these elements (no pun intended) fit seamlessly.
  
  Acting is great. Despite popular opinion of models not being very good actors the models that acted in this film did a good job of being campy in an entertaining way without hamming it up. I can go on an on about each of the reas actors and how they succeeded in pulling off whatever character, but I will digress to two ends of the spectrum. Chris Tucker as Ruby Rhod is priceless and worth the price of admission alone. One exception I would have to say is Tommy "Tiny" Lister as the President. Up until the final scenes his acting was pretty dry. I also have to criticize whoever decided to hype up the fact the movie has Luke Perry in it, who played Billy. Billy did nothing to carry the plot and only had a cameo role in the beginning. Ugh... Hollywood.
  
  The movie can get too trendy. The music, though nice, didn't really fit the setting. The very last scene is totally lame and if you ask me unlikely (sorry Korby...). And there is a scene or two that was just trying too hard to be hip. I can forgive all that because the comedy, action and drama do fit in to what ends up being a mirthful romp in high flying action.
  
  Sony dropped the ball on their first blu-ray release of The Fifth Element. The uncompressed PCM and Dolby 5.1 surround tracks blew you away, but the video quality was merely on par with regular DVD resolution. This time Sony listened to their fans and remastered the movie so that you get the full 1080p love you deserved the last time. Bought the first blu-ray? No problem. Sony seems to be offering an exchange program. Just contact Sony and they will set up a way you can pass your old blu-ray for the remastered one. Contact info is below:
  
  Phone: (800) 860-2878
  Email: consumer@sphecustomersupport.sony.com
  
  One downside though: no extras. That's right. All the cool stuff in the ultimate edition is gone. Getting this DVD is just like getting the first one they released. You get only the movie and some trivia text. If I were you I would still wait until they make some kind of special edition in blu-ray so you get the higher resolution AND the goodies.
  
  If you want to experience a varied range of pleasant emotions without taking any one of them too seriously then you're going to love The Fifth Element. If you want high definition and special features then you better wait. I am betting this is going to be the case with most (if not all) new HD-DVD and Blu-Ray DVDs that first come out.
  
  
  
  

• Reference for Many Video Equipment Stores

  
  By A37F1G84K35FCZ on 2002-12-16
  Firstly, a point of film history, I noticed that many reviewers of the Star Wars films state that George Lucas and friends copied, lifted, or plagiarized the city of Coruscant from the urban scenes in this film, "The Fifth Element". The similarities that are pointed out do owe their origins to a very specific film, arguable the first science fiction film, so old that it was a silent film. The movie is named, "Metropolis", and was created in 1927 by Fritz Lang. So prior to throwing around either an indefensible accusation, or advertising how little effort a person has invested in learning about a variety of films, the rule would hopefully be, if you don't know the answer, refrain from stating ignorance as fact.

  Secondly, filmmakers worthy of the name all note the films they pay homage to, and never claim to be original when they are not. George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, and virtually all other directors in this genre, borrow, re-imagine, or often put on screen what the originators could only dream about. Fritz Lang never imagined a film shot without any film at all, a movie existing only in a computer, until transferred to film for theaters using projection methodology that Fritz would still easily recognize today. The creators of, "The Matrix", had their cast read books by science fiction legends and watch films to understand the fictional world they were trying to create. Lucas spent three years studying a variety of legends, myths, and religions prior to writing, "A New Hope" or Episode IV.

  Many purveyors of home theater hardware have made this film a staple to show off just how good a film can look and sound when utilizing today's technology that will fit in to your home. The movie is gorgeous to watch, the special effects are virtually seamless, and carry the film when the story or even the actors struggle to make certain moments work. Bruce Willis often seems on the verge of laughing during the earlier portions of the film, but again, the whole package does function.

  Tom Lister Jr., was the only player I found painful to watch, if an actor has appeared more bored and lost in a film I have not seen it. Thankfully he is a small part of a great cast that includes Gary Oldman in one of the stranger, quirk-filled characters in film, Bruce Willis, a pre, "Rush Hour", Chris Tucker, Mila Jovovich, who even prior to learning English in the film is a riot to listen to and very pleasant to look at. And then there are a host of strong supporting roles, many by faces that normally are found on high fashion magazine covers, and then the strangest part of all, the blink twice and you will miss him Luke Perry.

  The transfer to DVD is very good, but again I would suggest seeking out the improved, "Super Bit" version. If the hardware you watch films on is up to it, the new format is worth the effort to find, and the better your equipment the worse a lesser transfer will appear. Keeping a balance between top quality source material, and not having your hardware runaway is getting harder all the time, especially with films being produced on digital video, and then being transferred directly to DVD, no film, no analog, no compromise.

  This film is fun, at times over the top, but if taken as intended, a feast for the eyes, a funky soundtrack, and a script that should not be taken too seriously, as it has been done countless times before, this is a very good way to spend 126 minutes. And finally, Diva Plavalaguna is a slick and original piece of the film, and her performance will always be a noted slice of this flick.
  
  

• How to tell the difference between the old and the remastered

  
  By AY88EFORA594U on 2007-08-07
  "how can you tell the difference between the old and new packaging?" It's a good question because outside of a few minor visual clues there's nothing obvious that really separates the discs from one another, at least not until you know what to look for. First off the new disc has a TrueHD logo on the back, the original obviously didn't. The security tape across the top of the disc case reads "FIFTH ELEMENT, THE RMSTD BD" on the new version, the catalog number on the spine of the re-master is 21520, the originals catalog number was 15018 and lastly the bottom border (front cover) area that contains the "Experience High Definition" slogan is set against a silver/foil background on the re-master versus a flat gray border on the original.
  
  
  

• poor transfer to blu-ray

  
  By A6HM9JOLGI4EX on 2006-06-26
  Poor transfer to blu-ray, quality is comparable to the dvd version. Don't waste your money on the blu-ray version.
  
  
• Great movie, terrible transfer
  By A1KOYOE8O2F1J4 on 2007-01-09
  A great sci-fi movie but this is a terrible transfer (there was apparently no attempt to clean up the master before the transfer to HD); my Superbit version of the movie upscaled by my Blu-Ray player looks much, much better.
  
  Sony will be releasing an new version with better picture quality sometime soon; they are also working on a program to trade in this poor version for some kind of credit/refund when you buy the new one.
  
  
• Why Not Add a 2nd Special Features Disc w/the Superbit?
  By A2Z9FXHC1L66EW on 2001-09-28
  I've been waiting a rather long time for Columbia/Tristar to release a Special Edition of The Fifth Element, but instead of doing so, they released this "Superbit Collection" version instead. Granted that the sound and picture quality are improved upon. But why not make it worth our while by including a 2nd disc that includes all the added special features we've come to love for our DVDs?(documentaries, featurettes, trailers, ec.) And would an audio commentary by Bruce Willis really have taken that much space up on the Superbit DVD? All I'm saying is that with the exception of the enhanced picture and sound quality, this edition is exactly like the old one, which also, by the way, included no extra features (not even a lousy trailer). When are studios going to stop catering to the rich, who will most likely be the majority that buy this DVD, and start shelling out the goods for the rest of us, who deserve so much better than this. I await that day.
  
  
• The Fifth Element (Blu-Ray version)
  By AKS745GCC8R79 on 2006-06-27
  "Now it's time to look at my first Blu-ray Discs. Naturally, my hand swerved towards The Fifth Element. The title was an amazing bit of reference work on standard DVD, and that Superbit version was awesome. Obvious choice, right? Should look amazing in HD. Yeah... it should. But it doesn't. In fact... I'm going to come out and say it looks bad,it is easily the worst looking high-definition title I've seen yet, and I've seen 30+ titles now. The image is muddy looking, lacking in crisp, clean detail. The colors don't quite pop off the screen like they should. This title should not have been released in Blu-ray format. Seriously, if you compare the upscaled Superbit standard-definition DVD to this, the Blu-ray Disc looks only marginally better. This should have been a reference title in high-def and it's not even in the ball park. My brow furrowed in troubled surprise at this point. Wow... and not the good kind.
  
  
  
  
• Beyond excellent!
  By A21M1SHXG8WAFS on 2007-07-31
  This is a review for the remastered Bly Ray disc.
  
  The difference between the Superbits standard DVD and this new Blu Ray disc are obvious. They are extreme. If you love this quirky Science Fiction film and have a Blu Ray player and the right equipment, just buy it! Be sure to order the remastered version since they had some resolution problems with the first Bly Ray release. The Supebit version is very nice, but this new Blu Ray version is an absolute revelation!
  
  It is SO sharp and the uncompressed sound is SO good, that it leaves the other version far behind. Every red hair on Milla is seen in extreme clarity. Her performance, as fine as it is, is actually enhanced in close up clarity. Chris Tucker just explodes on the screen in a performance which is part Prince and part I'm not sure just what. The colors are just great and again, the sound is beyond an improvement over both the Dolby Digital as well as the DTS mix on the older Superbit version.
  
  If you love this quirky science fiction film, as I do (one of the very best Science Fiction films ever made), then you will LOVE this version. You'll never look at your television in quite the same way again. There isn't a single speck on the transfer. It is just a remarkable job. It is just as perfect as we're likely to get today. It looks and sounds far better than even in the theatre when I first saw it.
  
  This should sell many of the new Sony 300 series machines. MANY! Just who, with the proper equipment wouldn't want to have THIS!? I also have a Toshiba HD-1 HD DVD player and as fine as it is, this new machine from Sony definitely has the edge. Everything seems to be moving in the direction of Blu Ray and I really don't care who ultimately wins the HD wars, so long as we get to watch dream stuff like this movie in our homes. Amazing beyond belief!
  
  
• recent sci-fi that doesn't take itself too seriously
  By on 1999-07-28
  Well, I've only read some of the reviews here and I feel I must say a few words. You guys ought to sit back and relax and enjoy this movie. In just the past decade the Sci-Fi movie genre has sunken quite low. Star Trek has played out, Star Wars should have stopped after Return, and nothing else is much worth mentioning.

  All loads of money spent for little return. Hoards of computer power no longer are impressive. This movie was also probably too expensive, but I was impressed by its almost complete lack of seriousness. Yes the characters are all unidimensional, the plot is incredibly simplistic, Milla is a model not an actress (but she did just fine), Chris Tucker ticked a lot of people off (I loved him - the character is used well to illustrate how silly our "culture" is becoming. Even 2 or 3 people saving the universe is covered on the most popular show on the air.), Bruce plays Bruce as always (so who the heck did John Wayne ever play besides himself?? Or Bogey??), and so on and so forth.

  I read several valid complaints and too many rousing endorsements of an "awesome" movie. Let's face it. This movie was just good plain fun. Whenever I run into it on HBO, I sit down and watch most or all of it again. I've lost track of how many times I've seen it, but I'm sure its way too many. Lighten up folks. Its just a movie. But, as George C. Scott said "God help me, I do love it so." I'm sure I'll see it again soon.

  Just a quick word about the soundtrack. Wonderful stuff. Never heard of Erik Serra but I do like this audio weirdness.
  
  

• Where's the justice?????
  By A3UZ42DB1H89X1 on 2005-01-12
  Fifth Element is a brilliant piece of cinematic work. The cast, the script, the direction, the gorgeous visuals, the great score... these elements come together to make TFE a truly great film. Too bad that the folks making this DVD didn't treat it that way. It appears that a company named "Mirage Productions" was responsible for the content on the DVD - appropriate, considering that anything perceived to be "Ultimate" here is just that - a mirage.
  
  First off, there are dozens of submenus - most of them unnecessary. For example, instead of presenting a featurette on the creation of the alien characters, there is an individual featurette for each "race". Each featurette ends with a full credit sequence, which, after about the third time (they appear at the end of every featurette on the disc) make one want to do some remote + screen target practice.
  
  In many areas of the disc, there are "screen tests" - silent location / character / lighting tests ranging from around 20 seconds to a minute or so - boring to all but the most diehard fans (of which this author is one). These tests each have their own menu selection, adding to the unnecessary menus. My advice to the Mirage folks: Memorize the following phrase - PLAY ALL. Jeez.
  
  On the bright side, there is a decent amount of footage on the initial design phase, and on the special effects, both visual and in character creation. On the dark side, the narration ranges from cheesy to outright sappy. (The "Diva" section is particularly garish, featuring an opening narration that raves about this being the first time the actress has ceded to an interview about the film. In her last interview segment, she reveals that this is the first time anyone has asked! Sigh.)
  
  Further criminal activity on this disc includes:
  
  NO material on Ian Holm, a fine british actor who brilliantly played a crucial role in the film. (The man was KNIGHTED, for crying out loud...)
  
  NO material on Gary Oldman, whose portrayal of Zorg is priceless. (Actually, Oldman DOES show up, however briefly - in a biography of an animatronic creature. Sad that a latex-covered robot gets more coverage than legendary actors. Sigh again.
  
  NO information on the score at all. Music plays a huge role in this film (particularly in poignant moments like the Leeloo "birth" scene), but it's not addressed at ALL.
  
  NO (and I mean NO) information on Luc Besson (Director) at ALL. Other than mention of him in interviews, there's no footage OF him, nor commentary BY him. This film was his dream project from age 16, and judging from what others have said about him, it's a crime that he's left out here.
  
  NO commentary track accompanies the film at all. In place of commentary, we're treated to a cheesy "Fact track", which uses a subtitle track to show trivia about the film. (Sometimes - didja know that camels don't store water in their humps? Double Sigh.)
  
  Bright spots: The Milla Jovovich interview provides some good background info on the film and her involvement in it. The aforementioned footage on the design phases and technical stuff is good, despite the tacky narration script and overreading.
  
  Dark spots: The Bruce Willis inteview barely touches on the film at all, and is very short.
  
  Darker spots: The Chris Tucker interview ranges from embarassing to flat-out why-the-heck-did-you-even-bother-to-put-this-on-the-disc moments.
  
  I had pre-ordered this DVD... as a fan of the film, I was anxious to see more information about the production. I needn't have bothered. The "Over 2 hours" of content label doesn't tell you that you'll spend 8 or so minutes watching multiple credit scrolls, or multiple silent screen tests.
  
  If the people at Mirage (or Columbia/Tristar, for that matter) want a good example of how to do it right, they should get ahold of the Hellboy 3-disc set. In the meantime, longtime Fifth Element fans deserve something better - so does this masterpiece of a film.
  
  If you don't own TFE, then you should. But I can't recommend the "Ultimate" (HA!) edition.
  
  
• The BEST picture and sound on ANY DVD!!!
  By AEMF8YUXYN6W5 on 2001-10-31
  FIfth Element is a raucous sci-fi journey that plays like a 2 hour MTV music video. Strap yourself in, and enjoy the ride.

  The plot...the personification of all that is EVIL in this world is on a crash course with earth. Corbin Dallas(Bruce Willis) is an unknowing hero sucked into the chaos that unravels in this non-stop action movie. He must unite the 4 elements(wind, earth, fire, water) with a mysterious 5th element before the EVIL destroys Earth.

  Other than Bruce Willis' straight man role, virtually every other performance is WAY over the top. Opitimized by Chris Tucker in his debut role as a Futuristic Radio DJ of the #1 Galatic Show. And in this case, Over-the-Top is good. For it marries perfectly with Luc Besson's directorial style. You feel like Bruce Willis' character being swept into a whirl-wind world that is glitz, glam, grunge, techno to the MAX.

  The most enjoyable parts of the movie are the Music Montages. There are several with which Luc Besson shows off his roots(directing music videos) in a brilliant array of MUSIC, ACTION and tremendously fast-paced cut scenes.

  The DVD is absolutely stunning. If you are into featurettes, cast/director commentary, dvd-rom, and other ancillary items...this DVD is not going to please your palette. The 4 menu items are: Play Movie, Audio Set Up, Subtitles, Scene Selection. Basically the barebones of DVD features. But do NOT be turned of by this. Because if you are an audio/video-phile looking for the BEST image quality and the BEST sound quality...this dish will feed your hunger. This DVD is one of the first 5 SUPERBIT encoded DVD's ever. Basically, the information on your DVD is bits of digital information. Your DVD player will get information from the DVD in bits/sec. Now double the bits/sec of a standard DVD, and the result is crystal clear image quality(the best I've ever seen on ANY DVD), and ear shattering sound(once again, the best I've ever heard on ANY DVD). Star Wars, Episode I is close, but this is the king of the hill right now. I couldn't imagine a better movie to show off the Super Bit technology.

  This DVD may lack the frills of a "Collector's Edition" DVD, but the great story, incredible directing, and superlative image and sound quality makes this DVD a must have. Especially if you have a 5.1 stereo and HD-TV that you want to show off. But do keep the Subwoofer down, you'll wake the ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD.
  
  

• "DIE HARD" IN THE 23RD CENTURY
  By A3R324C4OITNR7 on 2000-06-06
  Even though THE FIFTH ELEMENT came out in 1997, this hilarious sci-fi action flick is so much fun, I just had to say a word or two about it... right now.

  Unlike so many sci-fi productions that sacrifice plot and character development on the altar of special effects, THE FIFTH ELEMENT's strengths lie in its off-beat, tongue-in-cheek story and characters. Yes, there are cool effects to "wow" us, but it's the film's very distinct cyber-punk "look" and witty style that really makes it. Actually, one should check out a sampling of Luc Besson's earlier work-- the "Harry Canyon" segment in HEAVY METAL, the 1981 compliation of adult fantasy animation-- to get a sense of how his vision evolved.

  Speaking of characters, I like 'em all-- from the totally stylin' aliens, the Manageewa and Mangalors, to Bruce Willis' Die Hard-esque war hero-turned-Brooklyn cabbie, Korbin Dallas, and Milla Jovovich's other-worldly, yet delightfully innocent "Action Babe" heroine, Lillu. My personal favorite: Gary Oldman's Southern Gentleman-turned-megalomanic villian, Zorg.

  A lot of folks have panned Chris Tucker's performance as the screamin', flamin' media personality, Ruby Rhod. To be sure, a little Ruby certainly goes a long way. However, in the context of the story, the Ruby character does work.

  My only complaint: sometimes the dialouge seems a little disjointed. Still, like a Borscht-Belt stand-up comic's routine, it doesn't "stand still" long enough for you to really notice (Sid Ceaser, when queried about how he dealt with flubbing on live TV, smiled and said, "You just go faster....").

  In short, here's a flick that doesn't take itself seriously. Yet, it is a fine, well-made production, with the emphasis squarely centered on having a blast.

  So, just what is "the fifth element," referred to in the title? I'd have to say, "fun!"
  
  

• It is Super Crystal Green
  By A3OTFGGMLA2JX0 on 2006-04-20
  First off this is not a movie for everyone. It is filled with outrageous characters and over-the-top sets, clothes, and scenarios. This movie is an overload movie of color and action. Gary Oldman is once again the embodiment of the antagonist, but at least his villaney is filtered through a very quarky facade. Bruce willis does a great job with his steady, beaten bloody, and bruised hero who wasn't supposed to be. The 5th Element's storyline is the common, "ultimate evil is going to destroy the universe", enter hot' orange dred-locked super girl to save the day. Bruce Willis' job runs parallel to her task as they travel across the galaxy to find the weapon that can destroy the evil.
  
  Visuals A++, Comedy A+, Story C, Character Development B, Cris Tucker defining himself as something other than a stoner on Ice Cubes hip A+++++.
  
  If you have a quirked sense of humor and can follow the rule of 'suspension of disbelief' then this movie will rock your butt with funny and awesome. If not then leave it in the box and give it to someone who can.
  
  
• Very fun action/sci-fi/comedy
  By A3FEQXNCFC68KC on 2006-05-13
  This is a really fun, fun movie. It's not the beat all of science fiction as it was hyped when it was released, but it certainly is a good combination high adventure, situation comedy, cyberpunk, and Bruce Willis gun fighting action. Doesn't make sense? Don't worry. I'll explain.
  
  High adventure comes from the plot: save the earth from evil by finding some mystic items and a perfect human before the appointed zero hour. That much is obvious. Cyberpunk explains in a way the setting of the futuristic urban scenes, which are fantastically portrayed in this movie. All of the settings and technology were impressive as well as stylish. The special effects were well above average and in many scenes very impressive, but a situation comedy? You got it. I won't get into the details. I will say there are quite a few scenes that involve the kind of subplots you find in sitcoms. This is a good thing by the way. A lesser movie would mess this up. Director Luc Besson made all of these elements (no pun intended) fit seamlessly.
  
  Acting is great. Despite popular opinion of models not being very good actors the models that acted in this film did a good job of being campy in an entertaining way without hamming it up. I can go on an on about each of the reas actors and how they succeeded in pulling off whatever character, but I will digress to two ends of the spectrum. Chris Tucker as Ruby Rhod is priceless and worth the price of admission alone. One exception I would have to say is Tommy "Tiny" Lister as the President. Up until the final scenes his acting was pretty dry. I also have to criticize whoever decided to hype up the fact the movie has Luke Perry in it, who played Billy. Billy did nothing to carry the plot and only had a cameo role in the beginning. Ugh... Hollywood.
  
  The movie can get too trendy. The music, though nice, didn't really fit the setting. The very last scene is totally lame and if you ask me unlikely (sorry Korby...). And there is a scene or two that was just trying too hard to be hip. I can forgive all that because the comedy, action and drama do fit in to what ends up being a mirthful romp in high flying action.
  
  This blu-ray DVD is sure to be an awesome way to view this movie, but it appears Sony dropped the ball on the visual end. While you get some awesome audio many people say the visuals are no better than a standard DVD. Also all the cool stuff in the ultimate edition is gone. Getting this DVD is just like getting the first one they released. You get only the movie. Sony is supposed to release a remastered version of the blu-ray in July and offer an exchange program for those who bought this addition and weren't pleased (email Sony at consumer@sphecustomersupport.sony.com). If you are looking for the remastered Blu-Ray in stores make sure you see the letter R on the product sticker that's on top of the case (The Fifth Element R).
  
  If you want to experience a varied range of pleasant emotions without taking any one of them too seriously then you're going to love The Fifth Element. If you want high definition and special features then you better wait. I am betting this is going to be the case with most (if not all) new HD-DVD and Blu-Ray DVDs that first come out.
  
  
  
• BETTER than STAR WARS: Episode 1,4,5 or 6!
  By on 2000-04-26
  I loved this movie. Many people seem to compare it to Star Wars so I am and I think The Fifth Element is definitely BETTER than any of them. Maybe it's because I never grew up with Star Wars. The first time I saw SW, I was bored to hell, overly long and was only good at the time. Anyway, here is how I rate THE FIFTH ELEMENT: Cinematography: Wonderful. Music: Fantastic, you gotta love CHAPTER 27 on the DVD, (BUY Eric Serra's Soundtrack, so you can listen to the movie whenever you can't watch it) Art Direction: Brilliant, I've never so much color and detail put into everything. Costumes: Superb, LOVE that orange. Acting: Well, I love Milla, the stewardesses and you gotta love Chris Tucker. Plot: Pretty good, but done very well with the parallel editing to different people/scenes. Picture Quality: PERFECT(9.5/10). AUDIO Quality: PERFECT(10/10). Extras: ? PUT OUT a SPECIAL EDITION Luc! This doesn't even have a trailer on it! **And for all those who didn't like it, you probably are a major Star Wars fan who doesn't want any movie to be better than your lovey, dovey Star Wars.** All in all, this movie/DVD is wonderful, and you should definitely consider owning it.
  
  
• Pretty Good Looking BD DVD....
  By AACJQ1JF1T7PP on 2006-06-30
  The new Blu-Ray Disc of The Fifth Element is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic 1080P widescreen, and yes, even the player outputs native 1080P this time. Does it make a difference over 1080I from BD or even HD-DVD? No, not at all. It is nearly impossible even on my Qualia 004 to tell a difference between either, and honestly, I found that 1080I through my Lumagen HDQ outputting 1080P/60 looked far superior to either directly, as colors were more accurate and deeper, and the Lumagen does recreate 1080P with dot-by-dot pixel accuracy, so you lose nothing. A lot has been made of BD's MPEG-2 versus the MPEG-4 variants such as h.264 and VC1 on HD-DVD, but in reality, those questions have been answered as the mega high bit rate of the MPEG-2 transfer of BD is equal in quality, not better though, to that of HD-DVD. The Fifth Element looks simply breathtaking compared to any of its early incarnations. The only thing that noticeably looked better to me on HD-DVD was the FBI warning (UOP stuff), as it was MUCH crisper.
  
  The audio is AWESOME on Element. Plain and simple. The uncompressed PCM 5.1 track is one of the best I have heard so far, certainly on par if not better than even The Rundown HD-DVD. Constant accurate and wide surround fields mixed with clarity I have only heard on SACD really got my system, and my heart, pumping. Even the flaws in the original soundtrack are much more pronounced, which won't always be a good thing.
  
  
  
• Great movie!!!
  By on 2004-03-17
  This movie is great for all the reasons already mentioned. It's also great for the reasons others have said it's BAD!!

  First of all, Ruby Rod. You bet he's annoying. Who wants to see and hear a grown man in a dress screaming like a six year old girl on a roller coaster? He is supposed to be annoying. The viewer is supposed to want to wring his neck as bad as Corbin Dallas does. Also, an actor's hair is the most physically, instantly telling thing about him. Rod's hair is as stupid as Rod. Besson got his character right on the mark. I love to be annoyed by Ruby Rod.

  Second, The Fifth Element is like Heavy Metal? Absolutely! And that's not a bad thing. Harry Canyon and Corbin Dallas are cool but Dallas has a bit of a heart. Both movies have evil orbs and periodic protectors but there are, however, plenty of differences between the two movies--more than enough to make them very distinct.

  There are no holes in the plot. The ugly aliens turn on Zorg because he withheld their rifles. He withheld them because the aliens delivered the trunk but without the stones.

  Zorg fights for the evil planet because he envisions his corporation(s) cleaning up after the destruction created thereby making huge bucks.

  Leeloo goes to the cruise ship to get the stones from the diva. Zorg goes to the ship because his henchmen screwed up the robbery so he has to do it himself. The bad aliens go there to get the stones to give them to Zorg at a new higher extorted price. Leeloo didn't know about the aliens or Zorg until after she was on the ship. This is high space opera folks! Worlds colliding! Dark plans twisting and turning! The fate of the universe is crashing down all around and the future lies with an outnumbered hero/protector and a gorgeous, delicate goddess on a far away planet!

  And why is Earth worth saving? The stones are in place, Leeloo is in place but the weapon is not working. Why? Because she doesn't have the heart anymore. Why should she care? Why should the Earth be saved? Answer: Love.

  I love it!
  
  

• This movie was underrated!
  By AIFCA8WQ9UEEU on 1998-07-10
  From now on, I'm going to stop reading what the so-called "movie critics" have to say. They're the reason I didn't see this movie in the theater, and now I really regret it. The impressive special effects came through even on my television set, but they were just icing. I'm not a big fan of Bruce Willis in "action-hero" mode, but his was a wonderful, 3-dimensional performance. He didn't spout smart-alecky quips while blowing away his enemies; he panicked, he got exasperated, he was funny and human! Milla Jovovich (spelling?) was fascinating as the bizarre and complex "supreme being." Gary Oldman, the priest and every supporting character did excellent work. The evocative music enhanced every scene. I especially enjoyed the quirky sense of humor and attention to detail throughout the movie. The beginning scene in Egypt dragged a bit, but once the plot moved forward into the future, I was completely captivated until the end. Maybe the critics only like movies that they can fit into neat categories: The Fifth Element defies easy labels and has a personality all its own. END
  
  
• A light hearted Sci Fi romp
  By A3IL7EZ8E9CDSF on 2001-09-19
  What is everyone's problem with the Fifth Element? I think it's a brilliant film and deserved more credit. Critics just don't like sci-fi. Bruce Willis is perfectly cast as the macho hero Korben Dallas, an ex-fighter pilot turned cab driver. The scenes when he drives his flying cab around a fututristic city are great. The beautiful Milla Jovovich plays Leloo, who is actually the Fifth Element, the supreme being sent to earth to protect us from evil. Gary Oldman plays an eccentric art dealer turned terorist which is done a bit over the top. The funniest character by far is Ruby Rhod, played by Chris Tucker. I don't know why everyone hates him, I thouhgt ghe was hilarious. The look and feel of the film is like a French painting with color everywhere and loads of interesting things to look at. Luc Besson has gone and made a fun movie, and he did it well. At least rent this one.
  
  
• Will Go Down as One of the Best Sci-Fi Films Ever
  By A2L9RSH5C5QSCX on 2000-10-28
  Every now and then a film comes along with surprising wit and humor for its genre. THE FIFTH ELEMENT shouldn't work, based on the fact that it is so aggressively imaginative compared to other sci-fi films. But it is one of the most delightful films I've seen in a while. Milla Jovovich is to die for, particularly in the enchanting costume in which she debuts in this movie -- as remarkable a piece of cloth engineering as I've ever seen on a young woman -- and Milla looks fabulous. Her character, the sweet and somewhat naive Lillu, is irresistible, and I fell for her faster than Bruce Willis' taxi driver did.

  The plot is powered by a save-the-planet search for a missing "fifth element," which Gary Oldman's villain wants to acquire as badly as anyone else in the movie. But the genius of this story is injecting a big dose of warmth and humanity into this effects extravaganza, giving the film such appealing characters and such high humor that there's never a dull moment. Even a minor character like the electric blue opera-singing alien wins us over so quick that we care when she is wounded shortly after she's been introduced.

  Some think the "Ru Paul-like" talk show host steals the movie, others think the squealing he-she is an irritant. Frankly, I find "her" much easier to take than, say, Joe Pesci's character in the Lethal Weapon sequels. I guess it's a matter of personal taste. In any case, this movie fulfills its promise beautifully and is surprisingly engaging and entertaining given its wild art direction and sci-fi environment. It is surely going into the history books with films like BLADE RUNNER among the best cinematic sci-fi achievements.
  
  

• Flawed, But Still Worth It
  By A2FN47TQMCQG51 on 2005-01-13
  Luc Besson's The Fifth Element is one of those films that so dazzles the eye that it prevents the rest of your brain from discovering how essentially convoluted it is. But for a big, special-effects film it delivers what it promises even if your eyes roll around from time to time.
  
  Bruce Willis is Corbin Dallas, former Mr. Military Uber-Man now New York cab driver who, of course, finds himself saving the world. Willis doesn't plumb any new territories with his portrayal (not quite as funny as John McClain, not as serious as Harry Stamper) but does a solid job reacting to the myriad of green screens that must have been on set. Willis is paired with Milla Jovovich as LeeLoo, the alien-bred supreme being who must destroy the ultimate evil...but we'll get to that in a sec. Jovovich turns in her best performance to date, somehow naturally delivering the gobbledygook language Besson created just for this film while seeing the world as a child and using some martial arts to kick ass all at the same time.
  
  But this is a film about style and it doesn't dissapoint. New York of the year 2300 is a dazzling cityscape miles high and bustling with the flying cars we all hope we see one day. Style invades every aspect of the film, from using supermodels as aliens to Jean-Paul Gaultier designing police uniforms. Besson and crew did a marvelous job of creating a feast for the eyes and that alone makes the film a must-see. From aliens and divas and spaceships to floating boat-hotels and a remote-controlled cockroach, the movie shines with its inginuity.
  
  With all the style stuffing every corner, you may wonder about plot and perhaps its best that you don't. Like the Heavy Metal magazines that inspired it, art is tatamount to story...but I'll give it a go: Every 5,000 years Ultimate Evil returns to attempt to destroy all life in the universe. It looks like a big, firely meatball in space. To combat this, some alien race built a temple (now ancient Egypt, making the third or fourth sci-fi use of ancient Egypt) to hold the only weapon to defeat it: the Fifth Element. What is the ultimate evil? Where does it come from? Why does it need Gary Oldman to do its bidding? These are questions best left unconsidered for too long, else you reach some wierd conclusions (if the Evil comes back every 5,000 years, and the universe is 11.5 billion years old...does that mean its been defeated 230,000 times?). Again, best not to dwell.
  
  Chris Tucker comes along for the ride as radio talk-show host Ruby Rod and delivers the most memorable performance in the film despite wearing skin-tight bathrobes. Ian Holm provides some stability as the monk Cornelius and the aforementioned Gary Oldman is the villanous Zorg. Oldman, eerily effective using his southern-american dialect, isn't on the screen enough for my taste but again proves that no one does the bad guy so well. Those fashionistas among you who remember who the best supermodels were in 1997 will also no doubt see your favorites popping up all over the place. Apparently, there are no women in the year 2300 who wear more than a size 2.
  
  The Ultimate-Edition DVD replaces the no-thrills disk first issued and the later Superbit release. In fact, the movie on disk 1 is the superbit edition. The video is flawless with no edging or halos as would be expected. The digital effects hold up remarkably well, I'd put them alongside anything produced today which is saying a lot for a film eight years old. I don't have a widescreen TV, but this makes me wish I did. I do have a surround-sound system and this movie nearly shook the speakers off the shelf. The 5.1 DTS is awesomely aggressive in its use of all speakers and I swear my subwoofer began rocking around like an old washing machine during some of the action scenes. Disk 1 also has a fact track that runs under the picture with some pretty cool factoids. No commentaries (in fact, no Besson at all anywhere...I still don't know what he looks like), but that leaves more bitspace for audio and video.
  
  Disk 2 is a bit of a letdown with featurettes on style, digital work, the cast and aliens. But each featurette is quite short (none more than 15 minutes) and all have the same voice-over by Mr. Professional Voice Annoucner Guy who got on my nerves by the third one. The Star Element features interviews with Willis, Jovovich and Tucker (again not in depth) and a look at the extras who populated the various alien costumes. But given the amount of work that went into this film, you'd think that there would be more conceptular art to paruse or behind-the-scenes stuff, but, alas, there is not. This is probably due to the fact that Besson is nowhere to be found and considering that everything we see popped out of his head, that is dissapointing.
  
  Nevertheless, given the terrific video and audio presentation and just enough extras to let you in on some of the secrets of making the movie, this is a great DVD to pick up.
  
  
• The annoying radio host takes away a whole star.
  By A2EOCDPEG6K1WQ on 1999-12-16
  Yep, this would've been a five-star movie except for that radio host dude towards the end. He was funny for about one minute, then I began to wish terribly that he would go away. But don't let that stop you from getting this movie! All other aspects of it are absolutely first-rate! Milla Jovovich is not only stunningly beautiful, but plays her part awesomely well too. As does Bruce Willis. But with Bruce, that's to be expected. You think he'd be boring, playing the same type attitude in every movie of his, but I never tire of his characters. Gary Oldman is his eccentric self here, and it works well. Visually, the film is well done. It is necessarily heavy on special effects, but they are all magnificent and don't get in the way of the story. A very nice and colorful rendition of a futuristic city; and a highly imaginative floating cruise ship with a to-die-for view toward the end. The radio dude (Chris Tucker I think?) is kind of funny, but belongs in a different movie. His part takes more attention than it's worth, but the rest of the movie and actors more than make up for it. Script-wise, it is a good well-rounded sci-fi script. Better than most that are out there, and original. Probably is in my list of top 20 movies of all time. But I have to say that somehow, there are a hundred movies in my top 20 list!
  
  
• FINALLY! A DVD of "Fifth Element" with extras!!!!
  By A3YBZUEL8FU23 on 2005-02-02
  Was severely disappointed when "The Fifth Element" was first released on DVD -- no extras! Nothing! Zilch, zap, zippo! Nothing but the movie. And it is a GREAT movie...so great that its fans really deserve all of those "behind the scenes" extras that make DVDs so much better than video tapes. Thank goodness for the new Ultimate Edition release! The added extras are very informative and a lot of fun to watch. I especially enjoy the "fact track" trivia that can be viewed along with the movie. Some of the trivia is kind of inane, but there are some interesting tidbits to be learned there!
  
  Most people fall into two camps concerning "The Fifth Element." They either love it or hate it. I love it...I think it's one of the most original, quirky, fun sci-fi movies ever to hit the silver screen. I'm glad that it has finally landed on DVD with the extras it should have had in the first place!
  
  
• This is not a movie for dummies
  By A2SCKD6YUB64H6 on 2005-02-10
  After having read all the negative reviews to this movie (1-2 stars), it became clear to me that the most frequent complaints (e.g. the "loudness" of some characters, the "vagueness" of the plot) could result from a clash of cultures.
  
  North Americans don't laugh at the same things Europeans do.
  
  And North American don't appreciate subtleties either: they refuse to use their wits and "zoom-out" to see the big picture, no matter how obvious it may be; instead, they crave for Star Wars-like dialogs, by means of which everything is spelled-out to them ("Luke..." -- pause for unsuccessful dramatic effect, during what is probably the only 2 seconds without any shower of soldering sparks or any electronic video-game sound, er, special effects, in the whole movie -- "I am your father...")
  
  In European-style movies like The Fifth Element, viewers aren't treated like dummies who have to be told which way is up, instead they are shown a complete, working, verisimilar scenario of a society -- where every bit of info counts.
  
  For example, we are shown -- even if by such hints as background music, names of characters, diversity of accents, architectural design style -- that in the future the dominant culture is no longer Western. It doesn't take us viewers a long time to realize that names such as John are no longer in fashion, as isn't Rock & Roll, or Sunday picnics at the park.
  
  Unlike North Americans and their unhealthy obsession with their own navels, Europeans stand midway between Eastern and Western cultures, and therefore see this "fusion future society" as a likely possibility.
  
  So, I would dare saying that "show vs tell" is not the main reason North Americans don't like this movie: it is perhaps the loss of dominance of American culture that they find subconsciously the most repelling. That, and of course the ridiculing of the Western mass-media/entertainment industry, by the Ruby Rod character...
  
  Me, I find it difficult to accept that the very same reviewers who dislike this movie (a typical "mythical hero" storyline, with the inevitable stereotyped characters and the unavoidable "good vs evil" plot) still praise Star Wars...
  
  As a kid, I used to liked Star Wars movies, but now I find them boring to watch a second time, even the new ones -- no, especially the new ones!
  
  On the other hand, I find The Fifth Element intelligently satirical and refreshing, by any standards -- and it only gets better each time I see it.
  
  But even if you don't like the movie itself, listen to the soundtrack, by Eric Serra. He has made the soundtracks for all of Luc Besson's movies, up to and including The Fifth Element.
  
  
  
• Quirky, Fun, Great DVD master
  By A2YQVH5XGGWBHP on 2000-01-11
  This could have been a 5-star movie except for the Chris Tucker character (Ruby Rhod). He comes close to making the movie unwatchable and, at the very least, is certainly embarrassing.

  The plot is [maybe overly] simple but the screenwriting, direction, and acting raise the story to highly entertaining levels. Most of the peripheral roles are acted with an outstanding feel for the flavor of the film and I have to believe that this is a result of Besson's ability to express his vision to the cast. For such a goof-ball film, most of the acting (and it's counterpart, scriptwriting) is very good.

  I would compare this film to The Matrix except the dissimilarities are at least equal to the similarities. Similarities: Futuristic Sci-Fi with good cinematography and sound and a great transfer to DVD. Dissimilarities: 5th El has a sense of humor and doesn't take itself so gosh-darn seriously; way better script-writing; way better acting; plot way easier to follow (Matrix spends over 50% of the dialog explaning the silly plot to the audience); way better internal consistency; way less pretentious; and so on.

  Favorite scenes: After Zorf demos the ZF1 to the Mangalore thugs, they play around with some of them, basically causing general screw-ups and mischief.

  The Diva's performance!

  Any scene WITHOUT Chris Tucker!
  
  

• He's on a mission to save the world.
  By AK6UVFSU07NXH on 2000-05-08
  I didn't really know what to expect when I first saw "The Fifth Element". And during the film I was aware of having a great time but also of frequently being over awed by the effects and general cinematography. This film is what Pop Art should be, fun, glossy and hard edged. As it turned out I went to see it again after a week's delay, simply because I wanted to recapture the feeling.
  
  Luc Besson directed this wonderful piece of eye candy but a lot of the credit should also go to the set designer and the special effects crew. These people definitely pushed the envelope for science fiction films. The casting was also inspired. Milla Jovovich as Leeloo was an outstanding choice. She may not have much acting experience but it didn't show. Bruce Willis playing Korben Dallas was up to his usual cheeky tricks. And I want to strongly pull against the tide of public opinion and give a big salute to Chris Tucker for his portrayal of the manic broadcast personality, Ruby Rhod. I was giggling at his wonderful antics for days afterwards.
  
  While the plot has more holes than my underwear, I could not care less. I'm not the sort of person who sits through films complaining about the impossibility of events or avidly spotting discontinuities. Isn't it better to suspend your inner skeptic and enjoy the show? Besides if logic were applied ruthlessly to this film there wouldn't be much left, which would be a crying shame.
  
  The story is a relatively simple one, involving a threat to life kind by an ultimate evil which is opposed by the slim hope engendered by an alien weapon. This weapon unfortunately requires five elements to function. So we have dramatic tension developing between the henchmen of Evil, headed by Zorg, a moral vacuum masquerading as a business man. He is played in a truly bizarre fashion by Gary Oldmam. On the side of good, life, beauty and love we have Cornelius, a mildly ineffectual priest, an ex-fighter jock come cab driver called Korben Dallas and a comic side kick in the form of Rudy Rhod, a man of many ensembles. The line between the weapon's elements and the good guys is blurred by Leeloo, a perfectly stunning red head who seems to play a major part in both roles.
  
  Most of the film is spent running around in fabulous locations, sometimes dark and brooding and at other times as sumptuous as a 17th century French palace. We are treated to fist fights, aliens, gun battles, concert hall arias, spaceship explosions and an unending stream of witty comebacks. It's enough to set the blood racing and will keep you on the edge of your seat for so long your cheeks will fall asleep. Mark this film prediction down, "The Fifth Element will become a cult classic".
  
  
• In the vein of Star Wars
  By A3FQZCYG80ANO0 on 1999-12-14
  The Fifth Element is a thrilling masterpiece that anyone who loves the science fiction genre should see. The visuals of this flic are stunning. Beutiful sets, interesting costumes and original aliens all help to advance the story. The editing is fantastic. The way the movie jumps from one scene to another shows great attention to flow as well as adds to the subtle humour that this film exudes. Mila Jovovich and Gary Oldman are terrific, totally engulfing themselves in their characters. Chris Tucker is well cast as the comic relief. Bruce Willis, as in the Die Hard trilogy, is wonderful as a hero who is more than capable, but really doesn't wish to be the hero. The sound and picture quality is fantastic. The 5.1 Dolby sound greatly enhances the cinematic experience of this film. There seems to always be something happening out of the viewable area that you can hear from the rear speakers. A must see.
  
  
• One of the worst movies ever made.
  By AMH7YEIDDUIK4 on 2004-12-02
  Nothing positive can be said about this movie. Senseless plot, terrible acting, ridiculous story. I can't believe I wasted 2 hours of my life watching this. This has to be one of the most cheesy, shallow, banal, pathetic pieces of trash to hit the big screen. Anyone who likes Bruce Willis will be baffled as to why he chose to associate himself with this fairy tale wallowing in gender confusion.
  
  There is clearly only one reason why this movie was made: it's a showcase for costume designers and hairstylists to display their "fabulous" flamboyant creations.
  
  This movie is only going to be enjoyed by people who like to THINK they have an appreciation for "artistic flair," "creativity," and "imagination." Truthfully, even Battlefield Earth was by far a better movie. To this day I cringe every time I hear this movie's name.
  
  
• Science Fiction spoofed, but done better than most anyway.
  By A20IIR0422G3A5 on 2006-10-29
  `The Fifth Element', directed by Luc Besson and starring hero Bruce Willis and my favorite heavy, Gary Oldman is something of an enigma to me, because in spite of its high powered stars, excellent story, and strong direction, I took practically no notice of it when it first came out in the theatre. My hypothesis is that part of this excellent movie's problem is that it is a cross of at least three genres, Science Fiction, Fantasy, and satire. The best illustrations of the last genre is Mel Brooks' `Young Frankenstein' and that great cult hit `Rocky Horror Picture Show'. Both are so well realized that they almost work as true horror movies, if it weren't for the fact that they were even better spoofs and comedies.
  
  `The Fifth Element', on the surface, looks a bit like that great Science Fiction movie, `Blade Runner', especially since it is such a good pairing of hero (Harrison Ford) and heavy (Rutger Hauer), just like our Willis and Oldman duo here. But, `Element' just goes too far over the top in the `what if' department that you simply can't take it seriously. It is almost more like the realization of `The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy', except that it never wallows in the absurd the way `Hitchhiker' does. And, it takes its story just serious enough to bring it back into serious Fantasy rather than staying in absurdist humor.
  
  Another contrast which comes to mind is the fact that this movie has some strong similarities to that greatest of fantasies, `Lord of the Rings', in that both involve a quest by an unwilling hero against seemingly impossible odds. But then, you come back to the humor, and you loose a lot of the epic aura that made `Lord of the Rings' so great.
  
  If there were nothing else good in this movie, the flick would still be worthwhile for the performance of Milla Jovovich as the title character. This seems like a perfect match of role with actor, just as Brad Pitt's performance in another Willis vehicle, `The Twelve Monkeys' was a great match of actor and role, leading to a strongly deserved Oscar nomination. Other performances are also strong. Oldman, as usual, is the epitome of the droll, yet ultimately menacing heavy. Ian Holm (also in `Lord of the Rings', to make the parallel just a bit more interesting) is a perfect parody of a Gandalf like character, but with little backbone and no magic to speak of. Another interesting piece of casting is Brion James (Rutger Hauer's sidekick in `Blade Runner') as a deadpan general commissioned with the job of getting retired soldier Willis to save the world. And, Chris Tucker is just flat out over the top goofy, fitting his role to a tee, squared.
  
  I have never been especially impressed with Bruce Willis' acting in movies past, but he always seems to fit his roles like a glove. In this role, someone like Schwarzenegger could not be cynical enough, Harrison Ford would probably be too serious, Tom Cruise would probably be too earnest, and Clint Eastwood is too old (and making too much money as a director).
  
  Except for the fact that the story is far too original, it has all the feel of a graphic novel serialized in `Heavy Metal'. Both the goofy story and the bazaar art direction (check out the police uniforms and compare them to the typical Mobius drawings in `Heavy Metal').
  
  One sure sign that the story is being played for melodrama and laughs is the scant 2 seconds by which our heroes save the Earth, by a kiss, of course. This business is straight out of `Goldfinger', another film that plays suspense for its melodrama and humor.
  
  Two sure signs that this is a worthwhile movie is that it is fun to rewatch at least once a year and it is fun to write about.
  
  Recommended for fans of humor, fantasy, and science fiction, in that order.
  
  
  

• Hellboy (Director's Cut) [Blu-ray]
• Stargate (Ultimate Edition)
• Blade Runner (Five-Disc Complete Collector's Edition) [Blu-ray]
• Terminator 2 - Judgment Day (Extreme DVD)
• Underworld (Unrated) [Blu-ray]