So close to reality its startling

Rating: 9/10 (28 February 2012)

When I first saw this film I had no idea what to expect...but the last thing I thought I would see was what it actually was. Unlike most sci-fi movies, which focus on issues of technology and human identity, this film centers on issues of race and oppression, an interesting way to use the genre.
Overall the mise en scene of the movie was utterly convincing. The slums in which the Prawns live is so realistic it perfectly conveys the message being conveyed. As I later discovered this realism is due to the fact that these slums are real. I feel this uses mise en scene in a very powerful way, since it not only recreates the environment in which the film is set, but is the actual setting. This lends extra power to the film, since the viewer gets to see that the horrible conditions that inspired this film are real. In fact, this movie doesn't stray too far from reality at all. And the bleak and gritty tone shows this reality perfectly. Overall I would say it was an intense viewing experience that is perfectly suited to accomplish the goal for which it was created.