Science Fiction Classic

Rating: Null/10 (16 August 2009)

I was in my 3rd deployment to Iraq when I saw the trailer on IMDb for District 9. From the trailer I knew the basic story and being a fan of Peter Jackson this instantly went to the top of my must see list. I was fortunate to come home on leave from Iraq during the time the film opened and went to see film opening weekend. After one viewing I want to see it again, this is one of the best films of the year. The movie tells the story of a gargantuan alien spacecraft that stalls in the sky over Johannesburg South Africa. When no contact is made by the aliens it is we humans who become the invaders and the movie turns the usual science fiction conventions on it's ear by showing us as the monsters. In a nice bit of irony the aliens were more human than the real humans. The best science fiction holds a mirror up to our world and this was a refreshing change from the usual. Just from the trailer I could tell that the movie was an allegory for apartheid and to his credit director Neil Blomkamp doesn't hit us over the head with it. The film's 30 million budget shows that what intelligence and creativity can do. The production values are all top notch with the special effects being among the best I have ever seen. The titular slum far surpasses anything in Slumdog Millionaire and further adds to the realism. The 3rd act of the movie is the weakest being a shoot em up but it is so well done that the strengths outweigh the weaknesses.The performance by Sharlton Copley is brilliant. He is a revelation and this a star making performance. This is intelligent absorbing science fiction of the highest order a true classic of the genre not to be missed.