A landmark in sci fi cinema

Rating: 10/10 (19 August 2009)

Everyone here is posting about how sensational "District 9" is and they are all correct. I won't go on about the plot or the political themes in the movie.
But, some observations: As the movie begins, you share the Joburgers disgust with the Prawns, who are shown urinating in public, digging through garbage and acting obnoxious. They look like walking lobsters. One is shown absurdly wearing a pink bra. Then something happens and the audience reverses course. And I can tell you the moment it happens. It's in the lab when they are testing with Wikus' hand/claw on the alien weapon. They bring in a hapless alien with an X painted on his back and put him up against a wall. You can see that the poor creature is terrified. You think, oh no, they aren't gonna do what I think they're gonna do. They are. Wikus refuses to cooperate and is screaming, but the lab docs force him. I submit that this is the most important moment in the movie because the aliens are put in a whole new light and the audience now takes their side.
Meanwhile, audience disgust shifts to the MNU mercs, who drive around in armored vehicles blowing up aliens. They snarl all their dialogue.
As the movie progresses from here, we get to know the main alien, who is not called Mongo or Zorg, but Christopher Johnson. Note: His first name contains the word Christ and his last name is pure Anglo-Saxon. He has a small son who's kinda cute. Also, he walks and stands like a man, not like other aliens who tend to sway. And he's a scientist out to rescue his species. We are so on this guy's side.
Wikus' character arc is this movie is amazing. He goes from preening twit in the beginning to a rampaging warrior at the end. Tremendous performance. I want to see more of this actor.
The CGI on display here sets a new standard.
Parts of D9 will remind you of lots of other movies, but mark my words, in the future it will be other movies that remind you of D9.
Add to this an ending that will bring a lump to your throat and you have one for the history books.
And there'd better be a sequel because there's plenty of unfinished business.