Matt Damon has found success with several science fiction films over the years, proving that he fits well within the genre, including the underrated Elysium. Interstellar and The Martian, in particular, are two science fiction films that Damon received immense critical acclaim for. However, Elysium was released just before the two aforementioned films and never found the same recognition. 2013's Elysium was written and directed by Neill Blomkamp and is one of Damon's most overlooked movies.
In the world of Elysium, humanity lives on an overpopulated Earth that is full of disease. Meanwhile, the super-rich reside in a luxury space station called Elysium, where they have everything they desire, including medical bays capable of healing any disease. Matt Damon's character, Max Da Costa, sets out to equalize the two classes. Elysium has a score of 64% on Rotten Tomatoes, but it is quite a strong sci-fi film and should be discussed more alongside Matt Damon's best movies.
Elysium Was Matt Damon’s Least Popular Space Movie From The 2010s
Matt Damon Has Memorable Roles In Interstellar And The Martian
Elysium's reviews may not be outstanding, but it was not a critical bomb by any means. However, Elysium does remain Damon's most overlooked science fiction film from the 2010s. Just one year after Elysium, Damon made a surprise appearance in Christopher Nolan's Interstellar. While Damon did not play the lead in Nolan's 2014 film, his character, Dr. Mann, was pivotal to the plot and created one of the major twists in Interstellar. Therefore, Damon's role in the movie was very memorable.
One year later, Damon returned to the science fiction genre once again to star in Ridley Scott's 2015 film The Martian. In The Martian, Damon played astronaut Mark Watney, who is stranded on Mars and must survive on his own as a team of scientists works to bring him home. Out of all three sci-fi films, The Martian has the best reviews, with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 91%, and even earned Damon an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.
Elysium Wasn’t As Good As Interstellar Or The Martian But Was Still Great
Elysium Proves That Matt Damon Excels In The Science Fiction Genre
While The Martian has very strong reviews, Interstellar's Rotten Tomatoes score is 73%. In comparison, Elysium's score isn't that much lower, which proves that it deserves more recognition as a solid Matt Damon sci-fi movie. Because science fiction films can be very complex, some of their concepts may not land with all audiences and critics, so they should not always be judged solely on their reviews and more on what they are trying to say. Despite slightly underwhelming review scores, Elysium is a very entertaining sci-fi movie in which Matt Damon excels.
Related
Matt Damon's The Martian Weight Loss & Astronaut Transformation Explained
Matt Damon seems to undergo physical & psychological transformations in Ridley Scott's sci-fi blockbuster The Martian, but most of it was movie magic.
Elysium features an intriguing story that allows you to root for Damon's character as he attempts to improve the lives of billions of people. Furthermore, it is well-directed and includes very impressive science-fiction visuals. Elysium may not have been a groundbreaking movie or an instant classic, but it still deserves to be talked about more as a strong Matt Damon sci-fi film, in addition to Interstellar and The Martian.
Neil Blomkamp's first film since District 9, Elysium, is a post-apocalyptic action film set in the year 2154, where the people of Earth live in desolation. Those fortunate enough to be wealthy live on Elysium, an orbiting space station that contains state-of-the-art medical facilities and all the comforts a human could want. Secretary Rhodes aims to protect this utopia from Earthly outsiders using strict anti-immigration policies. When protagonist Max sees his life take a turn for the worse, he has no choice but to embark on a mission to save his life that may bring equality to these polarized worlds.
Director Neill Blomkamp
Release Date August 9, 2013
Runtime 109 minutes
Budget $115 million
:quality(85):upscale()/2024/11/15/862/n/1922153/911b7d1c6737a4111b6008.57513343_.png)
English (US) ·