The Fifth Element Celebrates Its 25th Anniversary in Theaters

It appears that we aren’t the only ones commemorating Luc Besson’s weird science fiction cult classic’s 25th anniversary. The Fifth Element, starring Bruce Willis, Milla Jovovich, Gary Oldman, and Chris Tucker in a truly career-defining performance, will return to cinemas for special screenings on Sunday, June 26 and Wednesday, June 29 thanks to Fathom Events.

Willis plays a 23rd-century flying cab driver who becomes involved in a quest to save the galaxy by protecting Leeloo (Jovovich) from an evil industrialist named Zorg (Gary Oldman, who plays a slightly more campy villain than in The Professional) and gathering the five mysterious elements required to prevent an intergalactic war.

I’ll let our own Germain Lussier discuss the film’s absolutely unique inventiveness, which he performed a retro review of a few weeks ago (on the film’s exact 25th anniversary, May 9, just saying), “Rewatching The Fifth Element for the first time in two decades, it was those radical swings that stuck with me. They felt so bold, so brave, but only partially successful.”

He continued, “Which, in a way, is The Fifth Element as a whole. Scenes set across multiple centuries, complete with intergalactic travel, cool guns, and flying car chases make it feel almost like a natural progression from films such as Total Recall, Stargate, or Independence Day on a story level. But on a visual level, it eclipses those movies exponentially.”

Added, “The film’s production design, costumes, and special effects are all beyond spectacular. Every choice Besson makes regarding the look of the film is 100 percent The Fifth Element. You are never going to look at Leeloo’s costume or Ruby’s hair and get it mixed up with another movie. It’s a singular, stunning vision.”

If you attend the movie, stay later to see an interview with Luc Besson and outtakes from the film. Mark your calendars for 3:00 p.m. on June 26 and 7:00 p.m. on June 29 (local times vary by region; theatre information may be found here).

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