original science fiction flick

Rating: 7/10 (19 October 2009)

This science-fiction film takes us away from the usual European, or North American standards, showing settings and roots of the events in a different reality. "District 9" is the feature debut of Neill Blomkamp, who co-scripted with Terri Tatchell and was produced by Peter Jackson, the New Zealander who came into the spotlight with The Lord of the Rings. All these ideas and emotional come out of a fast-moving story that flashes up on the screen, just when the lead Wikus is along the journey of transformation. There is a strong poignancy in his situation and in that of the prawn scientist working to re-activate the mother ship and get away from. The film has an impressive surface due to the fine work of Kiwi Philip Ivey and is peculiar due to the absence of any familiar face. This documentary (mockumentary actually) prevents us from guessing who will live or die and ends on a touching sequence evoking Ridley Scott's Blade Runner. It's a good film, worth the ticket for sure.