The mysterious fifth element when combined with four others creates the ultimate weapon against universal evil. The story begins in 1914 when benign aliens visit an ancient Egyptian temple to steal four stones containing information about this mysterious element. The visitors promise to return to Earth in the future to save it from evil. Three centuries pass and Earth is threatened by a thunderous Cosmic Evil. Unfortunately, the Evil killed the Good aliens who promised to save the planet. Fortunately, Earthlings have a piece of one of the alien saviors. Utilizing DNA restructuring, scientists grow the piece into a perfect new alien which takes the form of a curvaceous, seductive no-holds barred redheaded acrobat who escapes from the lab with the police in hot pursuit. Desperately she dives into a cab reluctantly driven by luckless former special force officer (Bruce Willis) who suddenly finds himself faced with the task of saving the universe by finding the missing stones and vanquishing the evil forces. Featuring dazzling special effects and classy production values coupled with a healthy splash of outlandish high fashion the emphasis of Besson's film is not so much plot as it is over-the top spectacle.