Elysium is still some eight months away — this is, of course, in spite of the fact that we’ve been reading (and writing) about it for over a year — but, thanks to EW, there’s a little something all anticipated parties can gladly ingest this fourth of July. Not a first trailer, sadly, but a first official image that gives a better look at Matt Damon and… some kind of future gun that, judging from District 9, will do real damage. (It’s sort of impossible a gun called “Chem Rail” doesn’t shoot chemicals; it’s also sort of impossible that won’t look really cool.)

Though I’m still a bit undecided on Elysium as a whole, having been a little more reserved about Blomkamp‘s last than most others — I’ll give it another watch or something, I swear — there’s a fair shot this film allows him to really become his own voice and carve out a section of modern sci-fi filmmaking. Even if it doesn’t, we still get to find out what Chem Rail does.

See it below, along with a look at a banner for Comic-Con via CS:

Synopsis:

“In the year 2159 two classes of people exist: the very wealthy who live on a pristine man-made space station called Elysium, and the rest, who live on an overpopulated, ruined Earth. Secretary Rhodes (Jodie Foster), a hard line government official, will stop at nothing to enforce anti-immigration laws and preserve the luxurious lifestyle of the citizens of Elysium. That doesn’t stop the people of Earth from trying to get in, by any means they can. When unlucky Max (Matt Damon) is backed into a corner, he agrees to take on a daunting mission that if successful will not only save his life, but could bring equality to these polarized worlds.”

With a cast also led by Wagner Moura, Sharlto Copley, William Fichtner and Diego Luna, Elysium will open on March 1st, 2013.

What are your thoughts on this first shot, and the film as a whole?