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[VIDEO REVIEW]Element of the exotic marks Milla's allure

Published: 05 Jan. 2003, 23:38

Milla Jovovich has an otherworldly beauty.

Born to a Russian actress and a Yugoslavian doctor, Jovovich moved from the Ukraine to California at the age of 5. By the time she was 11, her exotic looks were landing her modeling jobs.

Her acting career began with a small role in 1988 in Zalman King's "Two Moon Junction," followed by roles in Sherilyn Fenn's "Return to the Blue Lagoon" (1991) and Richard Link-later's "Dazed and Confused" (1993). She then took a break to record a pop music album, "The Divine Comedy."

She didn't really become a hot item until she returned to movies, to star in Luc Besson's 1996 "The Fifth Element."

Now she's back in another science fiction movie, "Resident Evil," which is based on a popular video game. Jovovich stars as Alice, who meets an elite military task force sent to battle the undead. She suffers from amnesia, but as she helps the team, her memories slowly return. The movie opens Thursday.

THE FIFTH ELEMENT (1996)

-- "Jae Oh Wonso" in Korean

Directed by Luc Besson.

Starring Bruce Willis and Jovovich.

Besson takes you on a futuristic journey with "The Fifth Element." The plot may not make the most sense and you sometimes have to put logic on hold, but the images are extraordinary.

The movie begins in 1914 Egypt, then cuts to New York City circa 2200. The special effects are eye-popping, with bright colors and strange costumes -- designed by Jean-Paul Gaultier. But living is tough, as cab driver Korben Dallas (Willis) will attest to.

And then Evil arrives, threatening to extinguish life. Only the fifth element (Jovovich) can stop the Evil. She is cloned from a single cell, but escapes the lab where she was created. She crashes through the roof of Corben's cab and befriends him, but brings him to the attention of her enemies. Then the future of the universe lies in their hands.

by Joe Yong-hee