District 9 Review
Aug 13, 2009 by Vic HoltremanFind out why District 9 is destined to be an instant Sci-Fi classic.
Short Version: With its unique story, fantastic visual effects and real-world look, District 9 is sure to be a future Sci-Fi classic.
Screen Rant reviews District 9
District 9 is probably not what you’re expecting.
The trailers and clips that you may have seen so far don’t really tell you what the movie is about – and that’s a good thing.
20 years ago, an alien ship appeared over (of all places) the city of Johannesburg, South Africa. That’s a pretty matter of fact statement made within a couple of minutes of the start of District 9, which starts off in documentary fashion, complete with behind the scenes types of shots that wouldn’t appear in the final cut of a documentary film.
District 9 (and the documentary) revolves around the story of Wikus Van De Merwe (played extremely well by Sharlto Copley), a supervisor for mega-corporation MNU (Mutli-National United). When the aliens first arrived, an attempt was made to integrate them into the civilian population despite their radically alien, insect-like appearance. However there were issues between them and the humans including theft, murder and mayhem on a sometimes massive scale. Eventually things came to a head (evident by the numerous “no aliens” signs), segregation was imposed and they were moved into a huge refugee-type camp called – District 9.
While the film was produced by none other than Peter Jackson, director Neill Blomkamp was raised in South Africa until he was 18, and this film is a direct reflection of a similar camp/shantytown called “District 6″ which was used to segregate blacks until apartheid was finally lifted.
At the start of the film the discovery of the aliens is described along with the fact that over their 20 year stay (there was something wrong with their ship and they’ve been unable to leave) their number has grown from one million to 1.8 million. With the clashes with the local population the decision was made to move them all to a new camp over 100 miles away from Johannesburg, and this is one of the focal points of the film. Van De Merwe is put in charge of coordinating the giant migration (which must began with a legal eviction of the “prawns” as they’re derisively called) from their current homes.
MNU is tasked with this project – but another very significant part of the company is weapons manufacture. They want to figure out how to make the alien weapons work, but they are designed to be triggered only by alien DNA. Solving this problem would mean billions of dollars in profit for the company.
The story revolves almost exclusively around Van De Merwe, and it is hinted at very early on in the film that something happens which causes him to be eventually branded a traitor. We’re with him through the entire film and to say he goes through some tribulations and changes is putting it mildly. Watching him evolve as a character as the movie progresses is one of the best things about the film.
This film is a fitting movie for winding down the summer movie season – while it has its share of action and explosions, it also tells a compelling story and wraps it in social commentary (and don’t worry, it’s not remotely “preachy”). It has drama, action, violence, touching moments and even some comedy – but all these aspects seam together smoothly for the most part. Towards the end of the film there is something that will immediately call to mind the robots from Transformers, and considering what’s come before that does seem a little out of place and inserted just for the sake of a big action set-piece.
The documentary approach that opens the film starts out light and a bit funny, and it may throw you off a bit. As the film goes on eventually the obvious documentary approach falls by the wayside and we’re back in standard observer of what’s happening mode, with the sporadic news clip and interview inserted as a kind of narrative.
This movie is rife with tons of little details that all combine to add to the tapestry of the film – Van De Merwe’s clumsy geekyness at the start of the film, his wife reminiscing about him, the misinformation in news reports (that may take you back to Robocop just a little bit), the aliens’ obsession with cat food (of all things!), and it goes on and on.
District 9 is rated R and for good reason: There is a ton of gore and violence, and enough F-bombs that even if you tried you’d lose count. Now neither of those are a bad thing in the film – they both fit into the context perfectly (there’s almost a certain glee that comes with the amount and level of blood spatters that hit the camera lense throughout the film). I’m just letting you know that this is one where you might want to fork out the bucks for a babysitter.
I would dare say that the movie will take you in a direction you didn’t expect and that after you watch it, it may take a while for what you just saw to sink in. Is it perfect? No – there are a few things that I thought were a bit of a plot hole or stretched out time-wise that didn’t make perfect sense, and in the third act it seems to get a bit over-”actiony” just for the sake of it. But if you’re looking for a smart Sci-Fi movie to cleanse your palate of the fluffy Sci-Fi films that have been the hallmark of 2009, District 9 may be just the ticket.
Discuss your non-spoiler thoughts on the film below, or head to our District 9 spoilers page to talk about the film without worrying about ruining for people who haven’t seen it yet.
Our Rating:
4.5 out of 5
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@ Stephen Tilson
Not every one has seen or is old enough to have seen blade runner when it first came so there’s really no need to take it back to at least that. Yes Ive seen Blade Runner, but for me I wouldn’t compare D9 to BR in terms of vision and freshness.
@SIN187UM,
YMMV. I hope D9 is as influential as Blade Runner because I would love to see more gritty, realistic SF movies with brilliant characterization, fantastic action sequences, and thought-provoking milieus and concepts. (Maybe Avatar will fit that bill, but from reading Cameron’s scriptment about ten years ago, I’m afraid it’ll just be too heavy-handed and preachy: DANCES WITH WOLVES in space.)
POSSIBLE SPOILER: It’s interesting that the aliens in D9 arrived in 1982, the same year that both Blade Runner and E.T. came out. I doubt there’s anything more than a coincidence there, but it’s just interesting.
Just got back from the theater – I don’t really have anything to add that hasn’t been said – that movie was FREAKING AWESOME!!!!
I very much enjoyed Star Trek, but this blew it away.
Good movie!
Groundbreaking? No,
Better than The Matrix? No.
It was different and in a good way. I can see how it only cost 30 mil. The whole documentary thing put you right in the drivers seat.
Cloverfield was completely different. You can’t compare the two. They used a hand held video camera the whole time.
This was more like an episode of Nova.
For those who hated Cloverfield don’t worry, it’s nothing like it.
4 stars at most. Too slow for too long.
@ JessSayin
Too slow and too long?
No offense,but do you have ADD.
The movie was perfectly paced and very interesting from start to finish.The slow parts weren’t boring and the action wasn’t over-stylized.
I agree,it wasn’t “groundbreaking”,but how many movies these days are?
Better than The Matrix?Not the first one,but blows the second two out of the water.
There is a legitimate comparison to Cloverfield,in the filming style and not too much else,but this movie kills Cloverfield,and I really liked Cloverfield.
Tim, I would hardly call myself un-educated. I don’t have a degree in cinematography if that is what you are referring to, but I am a college graduate. Sorry, but shakey camera work in Cloverfield completely ruined that movie. Call that un-educated or whatever, but it doesn’t make my opinion any less valid than yours. I’m glad you liked Cloverfield, but it had the potential to be SO much better.
Andy, I’m sure you don’t care but Cloverfield works better on dvd.
I had some probs when I watched Cloverfield in the theater but on the smaller screen the shaky cam wasn’t a prob at all.
Andy
No offense but you completely misunderstood Cloverfield. It was told from the perspective of an “average joe” holding a hand held camera. Why would it NOT Be shaky?
Sometimes some good old common sense goes a long way
Ok Andy…..no offense..un-educated comes in the same form as the hacks that did not see the film and added “tripe” such as Blair Witch when diescribing the film….not to insult you by any means, but you did miss the point. I have been a lighting designer /lighting designer and lighting director 30 plus years, and have worked for anyone and everyone you can imagine….. so we don’t need to compare resume’s….. again, a fresh take on an event and experience. Thus the hand-held situation and the realistic feel. No shake equals not real…..D-9 had the same feel. Fresh film-making and it delivered. I know it’s not “Observe and Report”. ( insert your own joke here.) Honestly. District 9. Think about it. Then you will understand it. Trust me on this one. WE WERE THERE! You cannot ask for any better Cinema experience. Bloody Brilliant Andy! And the brilliance of Cloverfield….look, two years later and we are still talking about it!
POSSIBLE SPOILERS (but not really) If I was rating this movie I would give it 6 out of 10 stars. I‘m probably gonna get flamed for this but for the most part I did not like the movie, yeah the cinemtagraphy was good and the whole documentry feel was ok but I’m more intrested in the characters themselves. I found it pretty hard to sympathize with Wikus, a Boer middle level corporate shlub that was hit with the racist stick to many times. The plethera of splats, slimings, and flying bodyparts started to get mind numdingly dull about a ¼ of the way into the movie. Yes I know the movies underlying message was about how bad racism is, it was quite evident as well as the message about corporate greed. As for the ending…. Finian’s Rainbow anyone?
While the movie was good, I really wasn’t that impressed. I would give it 3.5 out of 5. I actually fell asleep while watching it.
I feel the need to unpack my “D9 is better than The Matrix” comment a little, since it’s seemed to draw some fire from some other commenters.
I should have explained but I didn’t, so here goes.
When I say D9 is better than The Matrix — a statement I stand by — I’m not referring to The Matrix’s visuals, its action sequences, or its influence on a decade of ensuing movies. The Matrix is certainly a high-water mark and I still love it.
But all of The Matrix’s astonishing visuals, FX, and action sequences were in service of a mish-mash of muddled metaphysics and the particular interests of the Wachowski Brothers. It was a hodgepodge of solipsism, mysticism, and fetishism that never went anywhere or espoused any particular view of reality other than the self-defeating “Don’t trust your eyes,” and while it was undoubtedly brilliant, it was (IMO) hollow at the core.
D9, by focusing on less on the metaphysics of reality and instead simply holding up a mirror to humanity’s paranoia, racism, and xenophobia, is more satisfying on a thematic level. And for that reason, I think it’s better than The Matrix. Perhaps not as exciting in the “blow you through the back wall of the theater” sense, but more powerful.
YMMV.
I have to say this is one of the worst movies I’ve ever seen. Political tripe with a Science fiction spin. Boring, stupid pretense, horible camera angles/shake/movement (a la Blair Witch project) makes it difficult to watch without feeling physically ill. Actually got up and left about 3/4 through. An absolute waste of $12.50 and two hours of my life… Save your money and rent it on Video if you must.
@ Stephen
I see what your saying. I still think the Matrix was a better “MOVIE” by a little. It really did revolutionize movies. “Bullet Time” has since then been done to death.
D9 though hits closer to home and plays more on your emotions. Every time I see the trailer on TV and they have the aliens saying “We mean you no harm…we just want to go home”, it gives me chills.
It’s so scary because I could see this happening in real life. Combine that with the amazing cinematography, acting, dialogue, etc. and you feel completely immersed in the “situation”. It was a great great experience.
@Brad
Some of you guys didn’t like the movie, it’s totally cool. But to say it’s “one of the worst movies I’ve ever seen” is as ignorant as it gets. And it’s really irresponsible for you to say to others NOT TO SEE it. Who are you to say that to others? You got physically ill? Get a physical because if you really did get PHYSICALLY ill from that you are just weak.
I want to examine your post more but it’s pointless.
Ppl, GO SEE IT AND JUDGE FOR YOURSELVES
Nothing brilliant about cloverfield, it just sucked. people will talk about things regardless of brilliance or not.
saw it loved it nothing new to add but you are all a bunch of f-ing Prawns!!!
@ Lord Garth
and you are what we feed on. Quiete la boca.
HA HA
I thought they looked much more like Mantis’s than Shellfish
YOU PRAWNS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@Longshanks,
Not ADD. I’m just not as easy to impress as you are. And I tend to read what people are ACTUALLY saying.
I agree with you that the movie was perfectly paced and very interesting from start to finish. The slow parts were NOT boring and the action was NOT over-stylized.
I said it was too slow and too boring….for me.
As for Cloverfield, I never said anything good or bad about it. Just that it was different for the sake of those who had a problem seeing D9 because of the assumed similarities mentioned previously.
(And again I agree with you that D9 blew Cloverfield away)
And I don’t recall mentioning the unmentionable Matrix sequels..
Basically, I thought the movie kicked ass. It just didn’t blow my skirt up the way John Carpenter’s ‘The Thing’ did.
Now THAT movie was the very freaking definition of ‘ground breaking’
Breaking News from EW,,,
Neil Blomkamp is ready for District 10, and wants Sharlto Copley to join him,,,
Yeah!!!!
Sorry I don’t have the link I’m sure SR will be all over this soon…
Dont care what anyone says, imo this movie was epic
loved it
That movie SUCKED. It had a predictable plot line & the action was minimal. They made no real attempt at building the relationship between the main character and his prawn. STUPID.
I would rather sit home and watch my fish tank. It would be more exciting.
20 years ago a spaceship hovered over Africa and it didn’t get any better than that.
^ Fail
District 9 already at 47mil and climbing ,,,
^
That must be one hell of a fish tank Tweeb. Are your fish researching human DNA so that they can adapt they’re miniature castle into a fortress, and in return make billions on fish tank miniature fortresses?
Any of them mutating ?
Now that I would pay to see, but prob wouldn’t buy the dvd…
^ you fail.
I’m glad you liked it. It’s what Americans will look like when the liberals start doling out ‘health care’.
like THAT hasnt been seen before. Seriously. There are tons of EXCELLENT ideas out there just waiting to be made. I honestly want my $16.50 back.
Tweeb, this is Screen Rant,,,
No refunds.