Omar leads a young boy into a temple where Professor Pacoli and Billy decipher hieroglyphs revealing an impending evil. Mondoshawan aliens arrive, take the Professor, and the Kommander retrieves the stones from a hidden chamber. After a confrontation, the Clerk escapes with the case containing the stones as the temple wall closes.

Omar enters a temple where Professor Pacoli and Billy Masterson decipher hieroglyphs revealing a prophecy about an impending evil. The Mondoshawan aliens arrive, take the Professor, and the Kommander retrieves the four stones. Billy accidentally wounds the Kommander and Priest, and the Clerk escapes with the case of stones. Omar hides with Billy's drawings.

A dark planet appears and grows. The President and General Staedert debate action; a missile attack only makes it stronger. Despite Priest Cornelius's warning, the ship attacks and is engulfed by a flame from the planet, which then goes dormant.

500 years later, a spaceship encounters a mysterious growing planet. Despite a priest's warning, the President orders an attack. The planet absorbs the missiles and engulfs the ship, demonstrating its power.

Korben Dallas starts his day while Cornelius warns the President about the impending danger. The President allows the Mondoshawan ship to enter, but it is attacked by unregistered warships and crash-lands. Korben deals with a mugger and drives his taxi, unaware of the events.

Korben wakes from a nightmare and prepares for his day. In parallel, Cornelius warns the President of an impending danger that must be stopped within 48 hours. Korben is mugged but disarms the thief, then enters his taxi and flies into the futuristic city as the President declares a state of alert.

Scientists reconstruct a human body from a surviving cell, creating Leeloo. She escapes from the lab, jumps off a building, and lands on Korben's taxi. She whispers 'Priest' and faints, bringing her to Korben.

Professor MacTilburgh and General Munro reconstruct a perfect woman from a surviving cell. She escapes the lab, runs across a high ledge, and dives onto Korben's flying cab. Korben refuses to hand her over to the cops, and she whispers 'Priest' before fainting.

Korben brings Leeloo to Cornelius's apartment. Cornelius recognizes the handle as the fifth element. Leeloo reveals the stones were stolen from the Mondoshawan. After some investigation, she discovers the stones were given to a trusted individual on planet Fhloston.

Korben brings Leeloo to Cornelius's apartment. Cornelius recognizes the metal handle as the Fifth Element and faints. Leeloo wakes, points a gun, then calms down. Korben learns her name and the phrase 'Akta Gamat'. He leaves to return home.

The Mangalores deliver an empty case to Zorg. Zorg demonstrates his ZF1 weapon and then confronts them. The Mangalores accidentally blow up his warehouse. Zorg then meets Cornelius, demanding the stones' location. Cornelius refuses, but saves Zorg's life. Zorg spares him and orders torture of others.

Leeloo learns about history and reveals the stones were stolen. She discovers via computer that the Guardians hid the stones with a trusted individual on planet Fhloston. Meanwhile, Zorg receives an empty case from the Mangalores and demonstrates a powerful weapon.

President Munro learns the stones are with the Diva Plavalaguna on Fhloston. He orders his best man, Korben, to retrieve them. Munro and Iceborg visit Korben, but he refuses. Leeloo and Cornelius arrive, and with police closing in, Korben grabs his tickets, agreeing to go.

Zorg confronts Cornelius about the stones. Cornelius refuses, citing moral opposition. Zorg chokes on a cherry, Cornelius saves him, and Zorg spares his life but orders the torture of others for the information.

Police surround Korben's building but arrest the wrong man. Right Arm impersonates Korben to take his place. Meanwhile, Korben shares an intimate moment with Leeloo, interrupted by Cornelius. Outside, Mangalores attack the police, and Aknot orders Akanit to obtain the stones from Fhloston.

President Munro learns the stones are with Plavalaguna and orders his best man—Korben—to retrieve them. Munro visits Korben, who initially refuses. Leeloo and Cornelius arrive, and Korben reluctantly grabs the tickets as police surround the building.

Police mistake a neighbor for Korben and arrest him, while Right Arm impersonates Korben. At home, Korben and Leeloo share an intimate moment interrupted by Cornelius. Outside, Mangalore warriors attack the police, and Aknot orders Akanit to obtain the stones on Fhloston.

Korben agrees to take the mission and meets Leeloo at the airport. They board the shuttle despite obstacles from Mangalores and Zorg's agent. On the shuttle, Korben tries to teach Leeloo about peace, but she becomes fixated on love. The shuttle takes off after Zorg's Right Arm is eliminated in an explosion. The journey ends with the shuttle vanishing into space.

The shuttle arrives at Fhloston Paradise. Leeloo is fascinated by the beauty, while Korben searches for her. They settle into the resort, encounter the Diva who promises Leeloo an object, and Korben inadvertently traps Leeloo with a bracelet. Meanwhile, Mangalores infiltrate and prepare to attack, and Zorg's ship approaches. The sequence ends as the opera begins and Leeloo escapes her trap.

The Mangalores trash the Diva's suite and find the case with the stones, but Leeloo fights them off and escapes through an air vent after Zorg arrives. Korben learns from the dying Diva that the stones are inside her, retrieves them by slapping her, fights off Mangalores, and escapes with the stones as a bomb timer begins ticking.

Korben fights through Mangalores in the concert hall, rescues Cornelius from Akanit, finds Leeloo bleeding, and discovers a bomb. After Leeloo escapes through an airshaft, Korben helps her, knocks out Zorg, and they flee in the ZFX200 just as the ship explodes. They survive and receive a call from General Mambo.

President Lindberg gives Korben two hours to find a solution, revealing that the Stones and Leeloo must be arranged to activate a protective beam. Cornelius admits he doesn't know the activation method. Korben discovers how to open the Stones using natural elements (wind, sigh, etc.) and activates earth, water, and fire. Leeloo attempts to activate the fifth Stone but collapses. Despite this, a Divine Light beam solidifies the Evil Planet, saving Earth from destruction.

President Lindberg visits the lab, eager to see Korben and Leeloo, but they are still reviving in the reactor. He is impatient and has other meetings. Professor Mactilburgh tells him they need five more minutes. The president receives a phone call from Korben's mother, who scolds him for ignoring her and Korben.