The Fifth Element

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The Fifth Element

PG-13

1997

2h 7m

Sci-Fi

Adventure

Action

Fantasy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

71%

Tomatometer

69 Reviews

87%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

The Earth is about to be destroyed by a huge ball of fire racing toward the planet. Cornelius, an old monk, knows how to stop the burning sphere with the help of Korben Dallas, a taxi driver and former secret agent and a woman named Leeloo.

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Critics Consensus

Visually inventive and gleefully over the top, Luc Besson's The Fifth Element is a fantastic piece of pop sci-fi that never takes itself too seriously.

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Marc Lee

Daily Telegraph (UK)

Jul 16, 2026

Bruce Willis is a taxi driver indistinguishable from all the other shirt-less, blu-collar heroes he has ever played.

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Duane Byrge

The Hollywood Reporter

May 10, 2018

Narratively challenged, visually monotonous and aurally overpowering, The Fifth Element is a staggering accretion of all the wrong elements and some rather dopey ones as well.

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Gene Siskel

Chicago Tribune

May 10, 2017

3/4

The Fifth Element has enough eye-appeal for two good movies.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Jul 15, 2026

3/4

This gonzo sci-fi outing proves to be a messy amalgam -- a motion picture with the body of a mainstream blockbuster but the spirit of a trendy cult flick.

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Wesley Lovell

Cinema Sight

Jul 6, 2025

3.5/4

His prior successes were all the help he needed to redefine the genre and provide richly textured action sequences

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Thomas Lethbridge

Screen Rant

Nov 15, 2024

8/10

Released in 1997, it's remarkable how well Luc Besson's The Fifth Element still holds up, nearly three decades after its initial release.

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Steffan T

Sep 8, 2026

THE BEST MOVIE IN THE HISTORY OF CINEMA! Argue with the wall (sorry Citizen Kane, Vertigo, Casablanca, 2001: A Space Odyssey)! This movie has every facet a movie can have, and is literal perfection across the spectrum of cinematic categories. If it weren't so ludacris and over the top at times (camp and comedy), it would actually be taken seriously and considered one of the greats in film history.

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Matt

Aug 18, 2026

It's a classic with stunning visuals and timeless themes

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LizzieNYC

Aug 18, 2026

I love this movie. Always fun and funny. Love the microwave: Chicken… Goooot! Hahaha. So much fun.

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s0swar021

Aug 18, 2026

One of the best Sci-fi movies of the modern movie era

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Briana

Aug 2, 2026

so happy to be able to see it in theaters. its a great movie

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Mikey P

Jul 30, 2026

This has always been a favorite of mine and it was amazing getting to see it on a big screen for the first time.

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Luc Besson

Director

Bruce Willis

Korben Dallas

Gary Oldman

Jean-Baptiste Emmanuel Zorg

Ian Holm

Father Vito Cornelius

Milla Jovovich

Leeloo

Chris Tucker

Ruby Rhod

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Synopsis

The Earth is about to be destroyed by a huge ball of fire racing toward the planet. Cornelius, an old monk, knows how to stop the burning sphere with the help of Korben Dallas, a taxi driver and former secret agent and a woman named Leeloo.

Director: Luc Besson
Producer: Patrice Ledoux
Screenwriter: Robert Mark Kamen
Distributor: Columbia Pictures
Production Co: Gaumont
Rating: PG-13 (Intense Sci-Fi Violence|Brief Nudity|Some Sexuality)
Genre: Sci-Fi, Adventure, Action, Fantasy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 9, 1997, Wide
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Jul 26, 2026
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 16, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA): $63.7M
Runtime: 2h 7m
Sound Mix: Dolby SR, DTS, Dolby Stereo, Surround, SDDS, Dolby A, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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