One of the people he encounters is DJ Ruby Rhod, played by a hilariously hyperactive Chris Tucker. Once he has his mission, though, Korben has to loosen up and find a way to coexist with everyone else. He’s essentially handed a damsel in distress, ready for rescue by and protection from a strong military type. This is a world that has to briefly bend to let Korben in before he eventually redefines his own persona. The film’s is an overtly queer future where inclusivity seems to be the norm, where gender-fluid and bisexual characters abound. He learns to work with others and embrace his more sensitive side, even as he’s cracking wise and kicking ass.īesson drew from French sci-fi comics like Valérian and Laureline-which he also adapts for the screen in next month’s Valerian-to craft a future where everything is exaggerated, but with celebratory undertones and an overall sense that the future’s politics are progressive. By shedding some of his typical, lone-wolf masculine traits while holding onto his undeniable strengths, Korben manages to become the man he needs to be. The film doesn’t try to reconcile these, but rather lets Korben find his own path. There’s a contradiction at the heart of The Fifth Element, with Korben’s manly heroism at odds with his social ineptitude. Leeloo is, it turns out, is a supreme being, sent to Earth to protect humanity from an ancient force that threatens the planet every 5,000 years. When the mysterious Leeloo literally lands into Korben’s life, he automatically takes on the role of protector. The 23rd century doesn’t quite have room for him: He lives alone following a failed marriage, has trouble holding onto his job (and his driver’s license), can’t quit smoking and doesn’t have any friends outside of his old platoon. He’s an alpha-male, tailor-made for the ’80s or ’90s, but, after finishing his time in the military, he’s adrift. This is also the first hint we get that this is a self-reflexive role for Willis, breaking down his tough-guy star persona and digging deep into what exactly makes him such a reliable “guy-movie” centerpiece.įor all his typical manly heroism, Korben is a misfit in the film’s flamboyant future. Right away, we’re cued to the limits of Korben’s worldview, mostly restricted to macho action. She speaks an ancient language, so the two can’t communicate – until she says the word “boom,” that is. Cab driver Korben Dallas (Bruce Willis) has his daily routine interrupted when Leeloo (an early starring role for Milla Jovovich) crashes through his roof. In an early scene from Luc Besson’s The Fifth Element, there’s a subtle but very telling exchange between the film’s two protagonists.
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