It's been a long time for a great Sci-fi movie to come around; this is IT

Rating: 10/10 (14 August 2009)

Just saw D-9. When I arrived at the theatre, each door had a large warning poster in official-sounding language reminding me that this is "A Human-only Theatre. No Non-Humans Allowed!!" with an ominous crustacean-like graphic below. Nice way to set the scene. The movie, set in South Africa, shows us mostly desolate, dry inhospitable locations and has an immediate gritty feel. The last great sci-fi movie I got excited about was James Cameron's "Aliens" which had the advanced weaponry of the US Colonial Marines going up against some very hostile life forms and the very first "Starship Troopers". Weapons fans will be delighted as both human and alien forces are armed with very interesting and exotic firearms. I won't say much to spoil any surprises, but the aliens themselves are very, very well done. There is NO way that this movie could have been made before today's CGI effects because to have so many aliens running around in rubber suits would never sell. Set in the near future, we see the human soldiers still carry with them the attitudes of cruelty and take joy in destruction. They lack any kind of mercy or empathy with the aliens. Peter Jackson has really outdone himself with this movie. Just like "Frodo & Company" had to set out on what seemed like an impossible quest, so does our hero in this movie. His very survival depends upon him completing seemingly Herculean tasks, making for a very interesting set of obstacles. The movie is noisy and explosions and battlefield sounds are frequent. My wife almost couldn't handle the first 30 minutes because of the shaky-camera technique (ala Cloverfield, to name one film) was bothering her head. After the first half-hour or so, the film moves from being a set of choppy flashbacks and documentary-style shots to more of a regular movie with much smoother camera movements. Hang in there because its worth it to see this film to completion. Great effects, great music and so believable. Of course, the film sets itself to be open to a sequel, which I wholeheartedly say YES to, hoping the studio sees it my way too. Fans of Sci Fi rejoice--we finally have one to crow about.