In the year 2154, the earth is polluted, vastly overpopulated, and disease runs rampant through the dilapidated slums that the cities have become.

The wealthiest people have fled the planet and taken refuge on Elysium, a Stanford Torus high-tech space station, just beyond earth's atmosphere.

While those on Earth are policed by ruthless robots, Elysium's citizens are governed by President Patel.

This utopian setting includes access to private medical machines, called "Med-Bays," that offer instant cures for virtually any disease or ailment a person may experience.

A young boy named Max DeCosta and his young girlfriend, Frey Santiago, are living in the ruins of Los Angeles.

Frey can read and she reads Max stories about Elysium.

Max lives in an orphanage with a kindly nun. The nun says he is born to do something great.

Frey and Max are looking up at Elysium, which is visible from earth. Max intends to go there someday and promises to take Frey with him.

Frey takes a pen and marks on Max's hand. She inscribes a circle and the letters M + F.

Years later, when he's 36 years old, Max, sports numerous tattoos and wears an electronic ankle bracelet.

He is preparing to board a bus to travel to his job.

Two security robots approach him as he's standing in line.

They rip off his backpack, then hit him twice, breaking his wrist. He's a felon, a former car thief, and on parole, so he's frequently singled out for harassment.

Matt, identified as #6722, and Frey, now a nurse, accidentally meet at the clinic where he goes to have his a arm treated.

Matt asks her to have coffee with him, but she declines.

Finally, she agrees to meet him soon.