A Great Sci-Fi Thriller That Touches Upon Real Human Issues

Rating: 9/10 (11 April 2020)

Pros:
1. The creature design is phenomenal. Everything from their physical look to their mannerisms and voices is just phenomenal. Moreover, the CGI used for them still holds up 11 years later.
2. The gore is hard-hitting, well-designed, and brutal to witness.
3. The film incorporates well-implemented commentary regarding the treatment of refugees, ethnic/ racial conflict, and the under-the-table government and private business dealings and abuses. The themes are never obnoxious and they provide wonderful structure to the plot.
4. The colour palette does a fantastic job at providing a bleak and oppressive atmosphere which suits the plight of the prawns.
5. Sharlto Copley (Wikus Van De Merwe) gives an amazing performance.
6. The action scenes are entertaining, enthralling, and extremely fast-paced.
7. The score does a great job at upping the tension and suspense.
8. Koobus Venter (David James) is on the receiving end of an extremely satisfactory and well-suiting death.
9. All of the sub-plots conclude neatly and greatly.
Cons:
1. The interviews at the beginning of the movie don't feel genuine as they're presented in a documentary-esque manner. They feel like just what they are - people acting and providing exposition.
2. The humans and the prawns both speak different languages to each other, yet they also understand each other. Why don't they just speak the same language then?