Elysium

January 23, 2015 - Matt Damon allows himself to be transformed into a cyborg so that he can try to give his fellow 22nd Century Earthlings a better life. Jodie Foster and her hired hitmen try to stop him in this sci-fi thriller from 2013.

The year is 2154 and the planet Earth is in a shambles. That's why anyone with money and power lives far above it, on a pristine space station called Elysium. The grass there is green, the houses are large, and anyone who's ill need only lie in a special bed called a Med Bay for a few moments to be diagnosed and cured. With perks like that, it's no wonder that the citizens of Elysium have set up strong defenses in an effort to keep out any riff raff from Earth.

That riff-raff includes Max (Matt Damon), a parolee who works at a factory where robots are made. It also includes Spider, who does his best to help the infirm get to Elysium for a shot at a cure. An unfortunate incident at the factory leaves Max with only days to live, so he turns to Spider for help. Spider is willing, but first Max must meet certain conditions – conditions that could end up costing him his life.

Overall review: ** The movie, I think, tries to present a theme of haves vs. have nots, but it gets too caught up in action sequences to make any meaningful statements. Best to sit back and enjoy the action without thinking too much about what's actually going on.