Every Summer has One

Rating: 8/10 (15 August 2009)

There are always a few movies, every summer, where one cannot help but be thoroughly pleased after exiting the theater. Last summer it was hands down The Dark Knight and this summer, after a lot of waiting around and disappointment (The Hangover excluded) we were finally given 'District 9'.
I did not know what to expect from this movie. I feel like the allure for me came from the allure of the director's fledgling career. He only has a few films under his belt and the majority of his work has been done in other aspects of film making. With such a clever idea he had a lot to live up to. Neill Blomkamp appears to have done much in the way of visual effects in his film career. And for this reason the film soars. His expertise becomes crystal clear in the opening sequence of the film. The creatures, or Prawns as they are called, meld seamlessly into the set. The CGI is evident but close to flawless.
The story itself is interesting for a number of reasons. I found myself coming back to the setting, Johannesburg South Africa, over and over again. This is in no way an American movie, and for it to be received so well by American audiences is great. There are a lot of political undertones and a plethora of sociological statements to be made in this film. It is gritty but beautiful. The creatures and their technologies are inventive but slightly familiar and this is never once a detrimental aspect that is the down fall for similar films.
My complaints are few. As any ignorant American, I found their accents to be a bit much at times. Also, there is a a bit too much in the way of shaky camera work. I do understand that this had to be done but it is still very hard to keep track of everything that is happening while the camera shakes violently. I felt the main character, Wikus, has a lot of morality issues hat could have been either explored more or toned down a bit. In addition, I wanted to more about the Prawns- why did they come here? Who sent them? etc.
Regardless of minuscule short comings all movie goers will find something in this film. There is a healthy serving of blood, gore and explosions and this mixes nicely with the allusions to historical events and provocative statements made about society and human nature. The film is also a study of relationships and the nature of trust. For lack of a better term: if you possess any kind of pulse you will find something in this movie. It will both excite and incite in you some kind of deep thought.