District 9 Review

When I wrote this blog, people kept hounding me on the exclusion of one film. "Where's District 9?" "Why didn't you put District 9 on your list?" "Hey yo, where's District 9, mutha fucka?!" Well fellow "mutha fuckas", when I wrote that list, I hadn't seen District 9. Boy, I wish I had.

District 9 is what us intellectuals like to call "smart science fiction"; it's the story of aliens (known as "prawns") that are stranded on Earth in Johannesburg, South Africa that are put in a small ghetto known as District 9 after their mothership malfunctions. When the government organization MNU attempts to move these aliens into the new District 10 facility, young agent Wikus van der Merwe (Sharlto Copley) is assigned to take hold of the project. Once he enters District 9 something goes wrong, leading to Wilkus to go on the run and work together with one of the prawns.

Director Neil Blomkamp (famous for his attempt to get a Halo movie off the ground) crafts one of the most original science fiction films ever made as he draws from his own childhood experiences (he was born in the film's setting) and his apparent love of the sci-fi genre. Producer Peter Jackson clearly has an eye for talent due to his decision to fund this piece of creative genius. The acting is particularly well done by relative unknowns, especially Sharlto Copley as our protagonist, who isn't quite a hero and yet not quite a selfish prick; somewhere in the middle. Other awesome performances include David James gives a nearly terrifying police/mercenary guard of District 9 with a sadistic edge and Eugene Khumbanyiwa as the leader of the Nigerian gang leader Obesandjo, whom cheats the prawns out of their high tech weapons in exchange for cat food (which is like crack in the prawn society).

On a more technical side, this film does exactly what effects were invented for and how they should always be used; to support the story. When you look at something like, oh say Giant Piece of Shit With Robots 2: The Search for More Shit, the effects in the film are there to disguise the fact that the film's story is super thin. Here, the effects are so realistic and well done that they help make the story convincing, yet manage to take a backseat to that incredible story. The prawn and the human interaction is so convincing that it seemed as if the actors were reacting to guys in suits.

Overall, you need to see this. If you think it's too intellectual, don't worry; there's enough sci-fi action and effects to appeal to any audience and if it makes you think a bit, it won't hurt you. Now, will I add this movie to that list from before? No; I'll keept the list as it is. However, come January 2010, get ready to see it on the Best of the Year overall list.

Rating:
5/5 (or in Spill terms, BETTER THAN SEX!!!!)