the fifth element

Wrestling with issues of life and death in genre films: ordinary and customary. Doing so from a religious and/or spiritual perspective: not so much. Peter Jackson's The Lovely Bones, which expands wide tomorrow, tackles Alice Sebold's novel and flings its spiritual concerns firmly into the realm of wide-eyed, teenage fantasy. The director successfully added drama to the fantasy world of J.R.R. Tolkien, but critical reaction to the heavy dose of other-worldly whimsy that he adds to the criminal / domestic drama of a young girl's murder has been mixed. (See, for example, the thoughtful review by Cinematical's Elisabeth Rappe.)

By its very nature, science fiction invites debate on the past, present, and future of mankind, thus treading boldly into arenas formerly reserved for sacred discussions. Religion in sci-fi movies becomes a hazier issue to define by today's terms. Is 2001: A Space Odyssey a religious picture? How about Planet of the Apes? Rather than split any more hairs, and without passing judgment on the merits of the religions involved, here's a list of the Top Ten Religious Sci-Fi Characters.

1. Ben Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guiness in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope)
As if his desert home and hooded robe weren't enough, old Ben spills off religious platitudes like water over a broken dam. He doesn't force his faith down anyone else's throat, but neither does he hesitate to speak about it in warm, personal terms. In repudiation of lapsed believer Darth Vader's contempt for his "devotion to that ancient religion," Obi-Wan displays genteel grace and self-sacrificing faith in a key climactic scene, providing admirable inspiration for everyone.

Bruce Willis unplugs from a cybernetic utopia to crack some skulls and kick some ass in Surrogates, director Jonathan Mostow's big-screen sci-fi comic book adaptation, opening everywhere today. Willis plays an FBI agent investigating a murder in a world where people live vicariously through well-preserved – and sometimes just plain creepy -- robot avatars. While on the case, he uncovers a conspiracy that, if you believe the trailer, threatens to cripple the entire world.

Of course, this isn't the first time ol' Bruno has been tapped to save the world in a big-budget sci-fi actioneer -- he does it all the time. To celebrate his return to our beloved genre, we present the Top 5 Sci-Fi Heroes Played By Bruce Willis. Yippee-ki-yay, motherfracker!

5. Harry Stamper, Armageddon
Sure, critics called Michael Bay's 1998 end-of-the-world action flick brainless, senseless and bloated (and those were the ones who liked it), but Willis instills some heart amid all the gloss and fireworks as a hard ass oil driller tasked with saving the planet from a giant meteor. Harry Stamper is no John McClane, but Willis manages to turn the character into a lovable and noble SOB who makes the ultimate sacrifice to save the world.