Elysium

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Elysium

R

Released Aug 9, 2013

1h 49m

Sci-Fi

Action

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

64%

Tomatometer

262 Reviews

58%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

In 2154, the wealthy live in comfort and luxury aboard a space station, while the poor have a hardscrabble existence on the overpopulated and ruined Earth.

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Critics Consensus

After the heady sci-fi thrills of District 9, Elysium is a bit of a comedown for director Neill Blomkamp, but on its own terms, it delivers just often enough to satisfy.

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Kevin Maher

Times (UK)

[T]he visuals are breathtaking and there's a mid-movie shoot'em-up that's one of the best in the genre.

Rated: 4/5

Feb 6, 2021

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Jessie-Lane Metz

Bitch Media

Hollywood loves a white saviour.

Jan 20, 2021

Full Review

Wesley Morris

Grantland

Any thematic audacity is snuffed out by action sequences that you can now buy at Dollar General.

Jan 3, 2014

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JD Duran

InSession Film

This is Damon’s film from a performance perspective.

Rated: B

Aug 16, 2024

Full Review

Paul Klein

FILMHOUNDS Magazine

The film isn’t a failure, the evocation of the squalid livings of those on earth is an interesting one, and the gulf between health care and general life for those who are poor vs those who are wealthy is ample fodder for a science fiction film to draw on

Rated: 2.5/5

Jul 4, 2024

Full Review

Ray Pride

Newcity

A dystopian hero’s journey that could well have been adapted freely from Naomi Klein’s “The Shock Doctrine.” But like better science fiction, it’s an allegory that lines up parallels to the present moment, but doesn’t fuss so much over extended metaphor.

Rated: 6/10

Jul 2, 2024

Full Review

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tim s

Although Elysium may not quite match the excitement level of District 9, it remains an adequately entertaining film. The visuals are stunning, with a stark contrast between the dystopian conditions on Earth and the utopian atmosphere of Elysium. One of the standout elements is Sharlto Copley's unhinged performance, which adds a layer of unpredictability to the story. While it may not be as impactful as its predecessor, Elysium is still a visually impressive and engaging sci-fi thriller.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

04/23/25

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Kauã M

The visuals in the film are breathtaking, the entire setting and world created are very interesting and the script is well written, but on the other hand the direction fails in the shaky and frenetic action scenes but in the sense that you don't know what's happening, the slow motions work, but we can't say much about the rest.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

04/06/25

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Stephen L

Elysium stands as 2013's cinematic pinnacle. Neill Blomkamp crafts a seamless narrative, blending high stakes with profound themes. The film's CGI and depiction of futuristic technology are impeccable. Matt Damon delivers an outstanding performance, especially in scenes highlighting the dehumanizing effects of automation. Jodie Foster's portrayal of Secretary Delacourt is compelling, adding depth to the story. The integration of humanity and robotics is masterfully explored, culminating in a profoundly moving conclusion.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/24/25

Full Review

Paul S

This is one of the best dystopian-type sci-fi movies I have ever seen. Some of the dialogue between the characters could have been better, but it was not enough for me to dislike the film. I highly recommend it for sci-fi fans!

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/10/25

Full Review

Mate P

Elysium is a surprisingly decent movie with a predictable story, but great visual effects and cinematography. The writing is flawed. The dialogues sometimes feel unnatural and there are no outstanding ones. The characters are not layered, but still enjoyable. The story is predictable and cliched, but the plot never felt flat. The visuals were that surprised me. The cinematography was engaging. There were tons of shaky, hand held closeups and I loved them. There were only a few fight scenes where I was frustrated with the way they shot and edited it, because I couldn't see anything. The visual effects looked unexpectedly great. Elysium is the kind of movie I went in thinking it was bad, but it actually turned out to be a decent movie.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

12/13/24

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john S

Very underrated, Matt and Alice perform rally well and one of my favs about this post tecno apocalipse movie

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

12/06/24

Full Review

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Neill Blomkamp

Director

Matt Damon

Max

Jodie Foster

Delacourt

Sharlto Copley

Kruger

Alice Braga

Frey

Diego Luna

Julio

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Synopsis

In 2154, the wealthy live in comfort and luxury aboard a space station, while the poor have a hardscrabble existence on the overpopulated and ruined Earth.

Director: Neill Blomkamp
Producer: Bill Block, Neill Blomkamp, Simon Kinberg
Screenwriter: Neill Blomkamp
Distributor: Sony Pictures Entertainment
Production Co: QED International, Kinberg Genre, Alphacore
Rating: R (Strong Bloody Violence|Language Throughout)
Genre: Sci-Fi, Action, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 9, 2013, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 26, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $93.1M
Runtime: 1h 49m
Sound Mix: Datasat, SDDS, Dolby Atmos

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