Elysium takes place in the future, where the wealthy live in a man-made space station (called Elysium) and everyone else in a polluted Earth. It is supposed to explore issues such as class and immigration but it doesn't take a deep look in it (unlike, say, District 9). It ends up degenerating into film where the main character gets into Elysium and effectively breaks down the whole system. A key point in this film is that the wealthy has machines that can cure anything, yet the Earth does not even have one. Considering that there is one of these machines in every house in Elysium makes it odd that Earth doesn't even have anything remotely close to it. No matter how poor they might be, this doesn't feel right. The film takes it slow, even with all the gun fights happening. It doesn't bring in a tense atmosphere so there isn't a sense of urgency. The villains are effectively in that they make the viewer dislike them but the protagonists is another story, you don't feel as if you learn enough about them to care for them, and their sacrifices. While Elysium doesn't provide the food for thought it promises, it doesn't enough things right to be worthwhile.
