The Fifth Element Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.5

The Fifth Element Blu-ray Movie Review

The third release and first foray into "mastered in 4k' for 'The Fifth Element.'

Sony has re-released 'The Fifth Element' to Blu-ray with a 'Mastered in 4K' (presented in 1080p) transfer that offers an improvement over the 'remastered' 2007 release that was, itself, an improvement over a much-maligned 2006 Blu-ray debut. Audio has seen a boost to Dolby Atmos, and this disc adds plenty of vintage features missing from the previous, and practically barebones, releases. Note that the film is also available in a pricier 'Supreme Cinema Series' release; Sony was unable to provide a review copy of that version, which comes with fancier digibook-style packaging.

Leeloo leap.

The Fifth Element Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Third time's the charm? This marks The Fifth Element's third release on Blu-ray in about nine years, following up on a subpar release from the format's earliest days and a remaster released about a year later in 2007. This "Mastered in 4K" transfer is presented at 1080p and is noticeably warmer and fuller than its predecessor. Skin tones are the obvious beneficiaries, lifting the actors from looking like the walking dead to very much alive. Colors are healthier and more vibrant, with significantly improved saturation over what was, even in the remastered release, a fairly gray, dreary look. There's significantly more pop here, critical in a movie with a color palette as varied as this one, from the Diva's baby blue skin to Leeloo's bright orange hair. Details are a little sharper. Facial hair is more refined, pores and pits deeper, clothing lines a touch more precise and intricate. There are some truly astounding textures to be seen. The film's opening sequence is arguably its most impressive. Rough stone textures and smooth surfaces featuring deliberate engravings and pitted areas are incredibly tactile. The Mondoshawan armor looks stunning. The Blu-ray easily reveals the surface's finest little textures that gives them a striking level of depth and detail never before evident on home video. The image is sharp and sometimes aggressively so, but not unnaturally. Grain is beautifully presented. It's fine and consistent, yielding one of the most attractive film-like textures the high definition format has seen. Black levels are superb, presenting as deep and true without crushing out details. This is a terrific transfer from Sony; one can only wonder how great the movie will look when it's eventually released in full 4K on UHD.

Note that screenshots 1-15 have been selected to approximately match those seen in the "remastered" Blu-ray review. Additional screenshots from this release have been added for perusal.

The Fifth Element Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Fifth Element makes the jump from LPCM 5.1 (both releases) and Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (remastered only) to a Dolby Atmos presentation, which also features a "core" Dolby TrueHD 7.1 track for those yet to equip their theaters with Dolby's latest object-based setup. This review pertains only to the latter 7.1 presentation. It's a fabulous listen, continuing on in the tradition that's seen the film a stalwart in home demos and showroom setups, presenting every facet with incredible attention to detail that brings the film's future landscape to incredible sonic life. Music plays with striking instrumental clarity and effortless immersion. Details are as clear and refined across the back as they are up front, and the low end support structure is potent but never overbearing. Explosions and other deep, penetrating sounds will test the limits of every theater's subwoofer(s). The low end is tight and detailed, never rattly or presented in excess. Low end heft and detail together is never easy to achieve, but Sony has done it here. Gunfire is crisp and aggressive, spilling into the stage with startling efficiency and zip that will leave listeners checking for holes in the walls and, maybe, themselves. City traffic zooms around the stage with a precision befitting such a busy future landscape. Various high-rise flying car chases are so detailed and naturally placed around the stage that it's a wonder a gusty wind doesn't sweep through the listening area. Light environmental ambience, like the background din at the garbage infested airport where Dallas and Leeloo start their journey to Fhloston Paradise, springs to life with little bits of sound that immerse the listener in the location. There's a startling amount of little detail scattered throughout the film that are never offset, but rather complimented, by the more aggressive action and score. Dialogue enjoys precise center placement and a naturally wider dispersement when the situation demands, generally involving Chris Tucker's character at Fhloston Paradise. Even longtime fans will probably find some new little details here and enjoy all the big moments in a track so good it's like hearing it for the first time.

The Fifth Element Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The Fifth Element's previous Blu-ray releases have featured a dearth of supplemental content, limited to a trivia track. Sony remedies that problem with this latest release, presenting a number of older, standard definition featurettes in support of the movie. The studio has also included a UV digital copy voucher with purchase.

• The Visual Element (480i, 18:25): A look at the film's stylistic inspirations and the work of famed Comic Book artists Jean Claude Mezieres and Jean Giraud in designing the film.
• The Visual Element Extras (480i): Camera tests in various locations from throughout the film. Included are Pyramid Test (0:41), Cornelius' Apartment Test (0:30), Zorg's Office Test (0:28), Airport Tests (2:19), Fhloston Lobby Test (1:20), Fhloston Corridor Test (0:17), and Fhloston Bedroom Test (0:34).
• The Star Element: Bruce Willis (480i, 4:18): Willis sits down to discuss his acting, the director, and the film's future style.
• The Star Element: Mila Jovovich (480i, 12:47): Jovovich remembers two different auditions, screen tests, learning an alien language, character traits and appearance, crafting her action scenes, working with Bruce Willis, and more.
• The Star Element: Mila Jovovich Extras (480i): Jovovich graces the camera for a few test runs. Included are Screen Test 1 (5:54), Screen Test 2 (1:10), Screen Test 3 (1:58), and Screen Test 4 (2:59).
• The Star Element: Chris Tucker (480i, 4:17): Tucker discusses his character, costumes, how he shaped his character, working with the cast, and more.
• The Alien Element: Mondoshawans (480i, 8:13): A closer look at building and integrating these aliens into the film.
• The Alien Element: Mondoshawans Extras (480i): One of the movie's unique aliens appears in a number of camera tests. Included are Screen Test 1 (1:00), Screen Test 2 (0:35), Screen Test 3 (0:35), Battle Outtake 1 (0:20), and Battle Outtake 2 (0:51).
• The Alien Element: Mangalores (480i, 9:47): A look at the specific actor shape necessary to play these creatures, alien design, the complex process of animating the masks on-set, and more.
• The Alien Element: Mangalores Extras (480i): One of the movie's unique aliens appears in two camera tests. Included are Head Test (0:47) and Battle Outtake (1:23).
• The Alien Element: Picasso (480i, 4:16): A short look at Zorg's animatronic pet.
• The Alien Element: Strikers (480i, 3:04): A look at building some creatures that didn't make the final cut.
• The Alien Element: Strikers Extras (480i): The aliens appear in front of the camera for a few test runs. Included are Striker Test 1 (0:23), Striker Test 2 (0:25), Striker Test 3 (0:24), and Striker Test 4 (0:18).
• The Fashion Element (480i, 7:46): A brief exploration of the film's wild wardrobe with Jean Paul Gaultier.
• The Fashion Element Extras (480i): Bruce Willis and Mila Jovovich model costumes for the camera. Included are Korben Dallas Test (0:59), Leeloo Test 1 (1:13), Leeloo Test 2 (2:09), and Leeloo Test 3 (0:53).
• The Diva (480i, 16:15): An intimate look at the film's signature alien.
• The Diva Extras (480i): The film's blue, operatic alien appears for a battery of camera tests. Included are Make-Up Test (4:34), Opera House Outtake (1:35), Studio Outtake 1 (1:27), and Studio Outtake 2 (0:26).
• The Digital Element (480i, 9:48): A quick run through some of the film's key effects moments and a look at the large-scale future New York miniature.
• Imagining The Fifth Element (480i, 5:14): More on the making of the film's complex effects.
• The Elements of Style (480i, 5:13): More on Jean Paul Gaultier.
• Fact Track: Random facts appear in basic text form throughout the movie.

The Fifth Element Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Fifth Element seems like an obvious candidate for re-release when UHD Blu-ray discs hit in 2016. The studio recently confirmed its first batch of titles. This isn't one of them, but it would come as a shock to this reviewer if it didn't make it way to that new format, and fast. But even at a "measly" 1080p, The Fifth Element looks gorgeous. The movie shines like never before, yielding one of the most attractive filmic veneers yet seen on the Blu-ray format. Audio is terrific, too, and while all of the supplements are of the vintage variety, they're still a nice addition (here's hoping the eventual UHD release will see some new retrospective pieces). Fans of the film with no plans on upgrading to UHD next year will find this to be a bargain and, more than likely, a regular in the movie watching rotation given both the film's quality and the Blu-ray's amazing technical attributes. Anyone planning on making the jump to UHD is advised to wait it out.