The Fifth Element - 1997
A belt of countless asteroids hurl towards us at high velocity. In the far distance, a glowing galaxy fills our view. We pan to the curve of the Earth, a large ship approaches the planet. A 'shooting star' zips across as we pan down to the desert of Egypt.
Nile River Valley, 1914: Omar and his mule zigzag along the bottom of sun scorched dunes. The mule and the boy finally reach a camp. A few tents dwarfed by a huge temple door jutting out of the sand.
The camp is deserted except for some kids by the temple entrance holding large mirrors, reflecting light into the temple. Omar leaves his mule, seizes two goatskins, giving one to the kids, and slips inside the temple.
In the temple, Omar makes his way uneasily down a pillared corridor that opens into a vast room where an old scientist stands on a small wooden box in front of the wall across the room. Professor Massino Pacoli.
A young man is beside him, Billy Masterson, age 25, an American student. He has a large sketchpad in his hands.
Behind them is Aziz, age 10, whose job is to hold the last mirror which shines light into the expansive room. Pacoli's fingers trace across the wall which is covered with symbols and strange hieroglyphs as he deciphers.
The Professor points emphatically to the snake, the symbol of Evil, coming through the door between the three planets in eclipse. Billy's hand sketches the snake quickly. He is a natural artist.
The Professor's fingers touch the signs. He calculates that every five thousand years, in conjunction with a planetary arrangement, a 'Great Evil' appears whose purpose is to destroy life.
Aziz is falling asleep. The mirror falls, the light fails. The boy struggles to stay awake as the Professor hollers at him. The mirror comes up. Omar stands at the entrance to the chamber with the water bag, entranced by the sight.
A skeletal hand falls on his shoulder. Omar turns to an ancient Priest in a rough milled cannock. Startled but obedient, Omar gives the water bag to the Priest, who dismisses him.
As soon as he is gone, the Priest turns a worried eye to the Professor. He watches as the Professor's fingers fall on the one element that has a human shape, surrounded by all the others.
The Priest opens the water skin and begins to pour a vial of poison into the skin. The Priest approaches the Professor. He turns to the Priest who is pouring water from the skin into tin cups retrieved by Billy.
He hands a cup to the Professor. The Professor takes it, has it almost to his lips, but in his excitement the professor does not drink, much to the Priest's chagrin.
The Professor continues on about the discovery and how he's going to be famous. He points to the Five Elements. The Priest suggests they toast to his fame.
The Professor raises the cup to drink, but he realizes they can't drink a toast with water and instructs Billy to get the Grappa. The Priest watches, disconsolate, as the Professor tosses away his water. A muffled sound grows steadily louder.
Outside, a monstrous linear shadow gradually darkens the temple entrance. Billy is looking for the grappa in the Professor's bag when the muffled sound suddenly grabs his attention.
He leans toward the corridor and sees part of a spaceship appear. Billy is paralyzed. The Professor keeps reading over the inscription.
At that moment, the reflection from Aziz's mirror drops again. The light fails. Pacoli screams to Aziz for light. The Mondoshawan ship floods the room with light.
Billy presses himself against the wall, in the shadows, terrified, but sketching away like mad, as large shadowed figures lumber past him. The Professor turns around, and is stunned speechless to find himself face to face with two Mondoshawans. Others fill the hall behind them.
The Mondoshawan Guards stands face to face with the professor as he blurts out "Are you German?" The Mondoswhawan informs the Priest that they have to recover the elements. War will soon engulf their planet. They must keep them safe.
The Kommander goes over to the wall and seems to be looking for a lock. He finds it and slides in his metallic finger which is more intricate than a key to a safe. He turns his hand, activating a mechanism that opens the wall.
One of the Mondoshawans heads down the hallway revealed by the opening. He is followed by his men. All this is too much for Pacoli and he faints.
The Priest slips in behind them. The Kommander steps into a vast room. The ceiling is very high, pyramid-shaped.
In each corner of the room, four vessels contain four rectangular twelve-inch stones, the four Classical Elements. In the middle, an opaque sarcophagus rests on an altar, the eponymous Fifth Element.
The Kommander stops and instructs his fellow Mondoshawans to take them and put them in a safe place. His men carry out his order. The Kommander opens a case.
His men come and put the precious stones in it, one by one. A Mondoswhawan puts the fourth element in the case. The Kommander shuts the case and looks at the Priest and explains that in 300 years, they will return when Evil returns.
The Priest nods and lowers his eyes. The other Mondoshawans have removed the four elements and the sarcophagus.
Billy staggers forward, a machine pistol in his hand. The Priest tries to reason with him, but Billy thinks the Mondoshawans killed Pacoli.
Billy trips, the gun goes off. Billy fires wildly, unable to control the powerful kicking gun. The Mondoshawan is hit. Presumably, Billy is knocked unconscious from the fall.
The wall immediately begins to close. The Kommander reaches the wall just in time to get his arm through, leaving the key for the Priest to guard.
The Kommander instructs the Priest his mission is to pass on the knowledge of the Elements to the next priest as it was passed on to him. The wall closes, crushing his arm. The other Mondoshawans board the ship carrying the case.
The huge ship's main hatch closes as the Priest rushes out holding the key. He vowels to fullfill his mission and pass the knowledge until their return. The ship lifts off and speeds away.
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