Neill Blomkamp’s 2013 dystopian science-fiction film Elysium, starring Matt Damon, became available on Netflix on 1 August. The article argues that, although the film does not explore its themes as deeply as Blomkamp’s other work, Damon’s committed and vulnerable performance makes it an entertaining story about inequality and access to healthcare.

Set in 2154, the film depicts a polluted, overcrowded Earth where most people live in poverty while the wealthy occupy the orbital station Elysium, whose medical technology can cure any illness. Damon plays Max Da Costa, a former thief on parole who has five days to live after radiation exposure at work, driving him to seek treatment and ultimately challenge the system; Jodie Foster and Wagner Moura also star.