History
Action thriller
The Fifth Element (1997): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot
The Fifth Element is a 1997 action thriller directed by Luc Besson, starring Bruce Willis, Gary Oldman and Milla Jovovich. It runs 2 hours 6 minutes and earned $263.9 million worldwide. It won 1 award from 3 nominations, one of them 1 Oscar nomination. Critics gave it 52 on Metacritic.
Loading streaming availability…
- Released
- Runtime
- 2h 6m (126 min)
- Director
- Luc Besson
- Original language
-
English - After the credits
- No No extra scene
The story
What Is The Fifth Element About?
The premise of The Fifth Element without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
In a futuristic New York City, a taxi driver named Dallas finds his ordinary life disrupted when he encounters Leeloo, a being who holds the key to saving humanity. She is the last of the five elements needed to stop a great evil from destroying Earth. Dallas becomes entangled in a desperate quest, teaming up with a quirky priest and a mysterious performer, as they race against time and confront formidable adversaries to prevent global annihilation.
The Fifth Element Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- alien
- futuristic city
- race against time
- taxi driver
- love
- weapon
- alien starship
- humanoid alien
- talk show host
- opera singer
- military veteran
- language barrier
+38 more Show fewer
- diva
- good versus evil
- cult film
- flamboyant man
- time bomb
- gun
- white cat
- ex special forces
- chase
- false identity
- celebrity
- tourist resort
- radio broadcast
- hovercar
- mission
- priest
- strong female lead
- strong female character
- human versus alien
- artificially created woman
- cruise liner starship
- female humanoid alien
- terrorist
- french science fiction
- spaceship
- pyramid
- anti hero
- car chase
- space opera
- implied cunnilingus
- bipedal alien
- kiss on the lips
- weapons fire
- 23rd century
- stone
- 1910s
- manic pixie dream girl
- cyborg redneck
Loading streaming availability…
Cast & crew
The Fifth Element Cast
Bruce Willis leads the cast, with Gary Oldman and Milla Jovovich. Directed by Luc Besson.
-
Director Luc Besson
From the director
More from Luc Besson
More films directed by Luc Besson, best-rated first: The Professional, La Femme Nikita, Lucy and Dracula.
Ratings
The Fifth Element Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave The Fifth Element 52 on Metacritic.
-
Metacritic 52 Metascore
User score 8.0
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 76% User score
See on TMDB
Plot
The Fifth Element Plot Summary
What happens in The Fifth Element from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
In the early days of World War I, an ancient Egyptian temple became a vital gathering point for Earth’s mystical guardians and the extraterrestrial envoys known as the Mondoshawans. These intergalactic diplomats carried the heavy responsibility of safeguarding against an ancient evil that threatened to return and wreak havoc on Earth every 5,000 years. They entrusted a secret order’s priestly representative with four sacred stones, each representing one of the classical elements, and a sarcophagus containing the powerful “Fifth Element”. The Mondoshawans vowed to return this relic before the malevolent force reawakened.
Full summary
The whole story of The Fifth Element, scene by scene
Box office
The Fifth Element Box Office
The Fifth Element grossed $263.9 million worldwide. $63.8 million came from the US and Canada and $200.1 million (76%) from the rest of the world.
Worldwide gross
$263.9M
- US & Canada
- $63.8M
- International
- $200.1M
US & Canada 24%
Rest of the world 76%
Awards
The Fifth Element Awards & Nominations
The Fifth Element won 1 award from 3 nominations, one of them 1 Oscar nomination. Its biggest night was the BAFTA 1998, with 1 win from 1 nomination.
1 win3 nominations3 ceremonies
-
BAFTA 1998 1 win · 1 nomination- Won Best Special Visual Effects
-
Saturn Awards 1998 1 nomination- Nominated Best Costumes
-
Oscars 1998 1 nomination- Nominated Sound Effects Editing
Videos
The Fifth Element Trailers & Videos
13 videos: 3 trailers, 1 teaser, 8 clips and 1 featurette.
- Trailer StudioCanal Trailer
- Trailer Anniversary Trailer
- Teaser 25th Anniversary Fathom Event
- Clip Clip
Quiz
How Well Do You Know The Fifth Element?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What is the primary threat that the characters are trying to prevent?
Details
The Fifth Element Also Known As
41 alternative titles, including “The Fifth Element: Remastered” and “El cinquè element”.
- Also known as
-
- The Fifth Element: Remastered
- El cinquè element
- The 5th Element
- Le 5ème élément
- Le cinquième élément
- 제5원소
- 제 5 원소
- 제 5원소
- 第五元素
- El quinto elemento
- Հինգերորդ էլեմենտը
- Das fünfte Element
+29 more Show fewer
- Il quinto elemento
- O 5º Elemento
- Пятый элемент
- Beşinci Güç
- Pátý element
- האלמנט החמישי
- Piąty element
- Az Ötödik elem
- Det femte element
- Det femte elementet
- Piaty element
- Το Πέμπτο Στοιχείο
- Петият елемент
- フィフス・エレメント
- Al cincilea element
- П’ятий елемент
- O Quinto Elemento
- รหัส 5 คนอึดทะลุโลก
- Пети елемент
- Penktasis elementas
- Peti element
- Viies element
- The Fifth Element - puuttuva tekijä
- La kvina elemento
- Пяты элемент
- Piektais elements
- Nhân Tố Thứ 5, მეხუთე ელემენტი
- عنصر پنجم
- Петтиот елемент
Seen The Fifth Element?
More like this
Movies Like The Fifth Element
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including 5th Passenger, Dimension 5 and Alphaville.
From the blog
Articles About The Fifth Element
3 articles about The Fifth Element. The latest: “The Influence of Art Movements on Film Aesthetics”.
-
-
CultureThe Influence of Film on Fashion Trends
Explore the dynamic influence of cinema on fashion trends, from iconic Hollywood glamour to contemporary style statements, and how films shape the world of fashion. 7 min read -
GenresExploring the Genre of Science Fiction: More Than Just Aliens
Explore the depth and diversity of the Science Fiction genre, from its reflection on societal issues to its visionary predictions and stunning cinematic artistry, in our detailed blog post. 11 min read
FAQ
The Fifth Element FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, awards and post-credit scenes of The Fifth Element, each answered in a sentence.
How long is The Fifth Element?
The Fifth Element runs 2 hours 6 minutes (126 minutes).
When was The Fifth Element released?
The Fifth Element was released on May 9, 1997.
Who directed The Fifth Element?
The Fifth Element was directed by Luc Besson.
More films by Luc Besson Who is in the cast of The Fifth Element?
The Fifth Element stars Bruce Willis, Gary Oldman and Milla Jovovich.
How much did The Fifth Element make at the box office?
The Fifth Element grossed $263.9 million worldwide ($63.8 million domestic, $200.1 million international).
How is The Fifth Element rated?
The Fifth Element has 52 on Metacritic and 76% on TMDB.
What awards did The Fifth Element win?
The Fifth Element won 1 award from 3 nominations, including Best Special Visual Effects at the BAFTA 1998.
Does The Fifth Element have a post-credit scene?
No. The Fifth Element has no extra scene during or after the credits.
Coming soon to your phone
The Plot Explained Movie Summary App
From blockbusters to hidden gems: plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Save your favorites and never miss a twist again.
Be the first to know when it launches. Your email stays private, always. Learn more about the app
