--- title: "The Fifth Element: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-fifth-element/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/the-fifth-element" critics_score: 64 critics_reviews: 10 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # The Fifth Element (1997): what the critics said Critics' score 64 from 10 reviews: 6 positive, 1 mixed, 3 negative. ## The Telegraph Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 5 August 2017. The piece celebrates the film as a thrillingly overblown, pop-art masterwork and one of the craziest and most pleasurable sci-fi films, whose inventive style influenced later fantasy cinema; the critic has loved it since first viewing and sees it as pure blockbuster fun. [Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/has-ever-sci-fi-movie-crazier-fifth-element/) ## The Times Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 22 November 2003. The critic calls Besson’s film a riotously daft, fun sci-fi adventure that is light-years ahead in entertainment value compared to more serious entries like The Matrix, drawing on camp traditions like Flash Gordon with its flamboyant European style and strong supporting cast. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/the-fifth-element-pg-g0xc2r3d0zj) ## Empire — Adam Smith Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2000. The critic praises the film's groundbreaking visuals as unlike anything seen before, with a bright, comic-strip-inspired future that could redefine sci-fi imagery. They note some conceptual overload and uneven comedy in the third act but conclude that the stunning look makes up for minor story issues. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/fifth-element-review/) ## Little White Lies — Patrick Sproull Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 10 May 2017. The critic celebrates the film's enduring off-kilter charm and visual inventiveness twenty years on. They single out its unique world-building and comic tone as setting the template for playful, idiosyncratic big-budget sci-fi. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/in-praise-of/how-the-fifth-element-set-the-tone-for-modern-blockbusters) ## Los Angeles Times — Kevin Thomas Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 9 May 1997. The critic praises the film as a warmer, more fun, and campy sci-fi extravaganza with some of the most sophisticated and witty production and costume design imaginable. He singles out Bruce Willis as the true fifth element who holds everything together with smarts, style, humor, and humanity. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-05-09-ca-56892-story.html) ## Radio Times — Alan Jones Rating 4/5. The critic hails the film as a superb, socially conscious sci-fi adventure with slick satire, unusual visuals and futuristic thrills. They single out Gary Oldman's villain and the camp resort-planet sequence for particular praise. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-22s6v4/the-fifth-element/) ## Time Out — GA Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 21 July 2014. The review finds enjoyment in the lead performance, production design, costumes and effects. It criticises the messy narrative overloaded with eccentric characters and the film's hypocritical delight in violence. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-fifth-element) ## The New York Times — Janet Maslin Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 9 May 1997. The critic views the film as a gaudy, big-budget French effort to play the Hollywood cartoon blockbuster game that prioritizes hot design and hollow excitement over plot coherence. She notes that Bruce Willis provides some much-needed ballast but that the film is pitched at a teen audience and has already lost its way. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/1997/05/09/movies/world-saved-by-a-nude-babe-cool.html) ## Variety — Todd McCarthy Rating **. 7 May 1997. Festival review. The critic calls the film a largely misfired European attempt at an American-style sci-fi spectacular consisting of a hodgepodge of elements that do not coalesce. He singles out Bruce Willis as the only solid, recognizable presence amid the mishmash while criticizing the narrative, effects, and overall execution. [Read the review](https://variety.com/1997/film/reviews/the-fifth-element-1200449952/) ## The Hollywood Reporter Fi1m's normalised score 10/100 (inferred from the text). 9 May 1997. The review finds the film a dimwitted, chaotic sci-fi mess lacking a coherent story amid its noise, costumes, effects and production design. It criticizes the generic plot, soulless techno elements and dopey design choices while noting the cast is reduced to spouting bad dialogue or wearing funny hairstyles. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/the-fifth-element-thrs-1997-review-1109146/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/the-fifth-element.md