Neill Blomkamp came to our attention with the fascinating District 9, which didn't shy away from social and political themes. His new film, Elysium, which opens on August 8th is another piece of serious science fiction that clearly has something to say about poverty, inequality, and the squandering of our natural resources. These clips, which spotlight Matt Damon and Jodie Foster, help establish the world of Elysium, particularly how Earth has become (in Matt Damon's words) "a third world planet."
Blomkamp's usual attention to detail and blend of sci-fi futurism and ground-level realism are clearly on display, and the film looks thought-provoking and visually impressive. There's always the danger that "message movies" will receive some backlash from audiences looking for pure escapism, but there's a long tradition of sci-fi dealing with themes that might prove more difficult in "traditional" genres. Elysium hits theaters on August 9th.