Socio-Political
analysis of the movie Elysium
The words of the Nun, “Our world is a metaphor,
child. A great and wondrous metaphor that deftly critiques the social
inequality of the early 21st century by magnifying it eleventy-two million
times” could be the best summary for the movie Elysium. Elysium is a
2013 American dystopian science fiction action thriller film. Neill Blomkamp wrote, directed, and
co-produced the movie which speaks volume about socio-political life between
the rich and the poor. The planet earth is known to be a planet which is dirty,
where crime, disease, and poverty are prevalent.
The notion of ‘Elysium’ which is also known as ‘the
Elysian Fields’ is said to have been derived from Latin word ‘Elysium’ and from Ancient Greek word ‘Elysion’ (pedion) which means ‘abode of
the blessed’ or that which basically concerns with the concept of afterlife
or the final resting places of the souls
of the heroic and the virtuous. The movie is set in 2154 and tells the story of
Max (Matt Damon) who lived amidst the shamble planet with many poor and
suffering people while the very wealthy people lived on a pristine man-made
space habitat called Elysium.
Elysium
in a very dramatic and metaphorical way explores political and sociological themes
such as immigration, overpopulation, health care, exploitation, the justice
system, and class issues. The rich and powerful people like President Patel
(Faran Tahir), Defense Secretary Delacourtn (Jodie Foster) Agent C.M. Kruger (Sharlto Copley) use their
power to build power neglect the suffering people on the planet. Political
leaders were concern only with their power, prestige and position and were least
bothered about the poor people who were in their territory. Leaders want to have
more and more wealth, power and honour.
Life in the planet was a misery. People’s rights are
violated and people have no say to speak out because robots would be there to
hunt them down at any moment. People long to migrate to the Elysium so that they have access to
clean air, better medical facilities and a well protected environment but there
is no inner peace and joy because they are being controlled by few people.
Elysium
unveils the reality that rich people are concern only with wealth, power, position
and honour. Poor, sick, underprivileged people on the other hand have a
compassionate, caring and loving heart towards other fellow human being. Frey
Santiago (Alice Braga) represents a woman who acts as a Good Samaritan even
when her daughter was so sick. Spider (Wagner Moura) and his gang were rowdies
and are not very influential people but tried their best to bring a society
where all are taken care well. Elysium
was a very inspiring and thrilling movie.
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