District 9

Synopsis: Extraterrestrials become refugees in South Africa.

Release Date: August 14, 2009     MPAA Rating: PG-13

Genre(s): Science Fiction, Adventure

Film Review

You should already be at the theatre watching this movie.

All other effects aside, the Aliens are remarkable. If a flaw exists you will never find it for you will be to busy staring with wonderment at how lifelike and real the Aliens appear. They may as well be human.

Simplicity says so much. District 9 is merely a name for a slum, a shantytown. Strewn with garbage, dilapidated shacks poorly constructed of metal siding and wood, and no signs of organization or control it is chaos. This place immediately brings to mind a settlement for the uncivilized and unwanted. It directly reflects how the Aliens are viewed by Humans without having to ever say a word. The deep respect for life has been disregarded and cast aside in District 9 and all one has to do to know this is to look at the screen.

The best part about the action scenes comes in the form of some really awesome weaponry. Sure, you get the shoot outs, chases, explosions, and so on. You also get to see bodies incinerated upon contact, surges from a gun that blows people feet in the air, and a rideable robot machine that can take out anything and everything in its way. The action is aplenty with an alien twist.

When you think of Aliens in films characterization is not something you expect. This movie has changed that. The main Alien character, Christopher, is one of the most developed and thought provoking characters in the entire movie. He possesses great intelligence, loyalty, desire, and a loving bond with his son that touches you deeply. It does not hurt that his son is absolutely adorable, funny, and brilliant too. For all the ways Chrisstopher could have been portrayed as a simple Alien lifeform the Writer’s and Director made the decision to give him real life. Only exemplifying that judgement cannot be made until you actually know someone or something.

In order to set-up the story a movie-within-a-movie approach is utilized with the main character. He is at all times directly addressing the audience, knowing that all of his actions are being filmed for documentation purposes by his company, and goes so far at times to direct the cameraman as to what can or will be included in the final cut of the video. Through this method the story becomes more real for the viewer and the stakes raised dramatically. No longer is the story to be seen as pure science fiction, an authenticity is given to it through the lens of the internal camera. When things begin to change for him a shift occurs but this is always reoccurring throughout leading us to believe we are witnessing a documentation of events directly as those in the film experienced them.

Cast and Crew

• Director(s): Neill Blomkamp
• Producer(s): Neill BlomkampTerri TatchellSharlto Copley (Wikus)
• Screenwriter(s): David James (Koobus)Jason Cope (Christopher Johnson)Mandla Gaduka (Fundiswa)
• Story: Vanessa Haywood (Tania)
• Cast:  Julian ClarkeTrent OpalochPhilip Ivey
• Editor(s):
• Cinematographer: Clinton ShorterWeta Workshop
• Production Designer(s):
• Costume Designer: 
• Casting Director(s): Image Engine Design
• Music Score: 
• Music Performed By: 
• Country Of Origin: New Zealand