A Poignant, Riveting Film Packed with Action

Rating: 10/10 (6 September 2009)

District 9 is by far one of the best films of the summer. It's not the best, but it's in my top three for the summer. As many reviews have already said, it's one of the best sci-fi films in years. Not only does it constantly have your heart racing for the whole movie, but it also provokes a lot of thinking and great discussion afterwards. Unlike many alien movies, it makes you think.
If you haven't already seen the short entitled "Alive in Joburg", which is also by Hollywood's new hottest director Neil Blomkamp, then you may not know what to expect. The complicated plot is about aliens that have landed in Johannesburg 28 years ago (it takes place in 2010) and have become a nuisance to the people who live there. They are forced to live in ghettos where there are constant riots from humans and frequent acts of crime. One day, a company decides that they will get rid of the aliens by evicting them from their homes. Wikus van der Merwes (Sharlto Copley) heads the operation and contracts an odd virus from one of their weapons. What happens next is unforgettable and unusual. By the way, it may sound like I'm saying a lot, but all this happens in the first 30 minutes. Yeah, it's complicated.
District 9 is not a film to see for fun. It actually is disturbing and leaves you feeling quite numb afterwards. That being said, it also is a social commentary on Apartheid and other genocides currently going on in Africa right now. The real power of this film lies in its ability to use the aliens as a metaphor for Apartheid. The film manages to make us hate the aliens without even seeing them for very long. It's amazing to see how quickly humans can become prejudiced.
Aside from this, there is a lot of action. I was not expecting this when I walked into the theater, however the action sequences are riveting. Also, the way the story is told is smart. It's told as though it's a documentary infusing interviews throughout the movie. As you may have noticed even from watching the trailer, the film's special effects are unbelievable. The aliens flawlessly fit in with the humans in awesome and somewhat ironic manner. To think this film only cost $30 million is mind blowing.
It's not very hard to figure out what all the buzz for District 9 was about. It's smart and at the same time very entertaining. This may not be everyone's cup of tea, but those who are fans of sci-fi will definitely be pleased. Knowing what to expect before you see ruins the impact a little so don't read to much online about it, but I would definitely advise people to see it.