The Gaza Strip Of Alien Flicks

Rating: 8/10 (12 September 2009)

This movie ticks all the right boxes - great direction, competent acting, realistic SFX with a story and plot that harks back to the good old days of cinema.
Perhaps the most interesting (and overseen) aspect of this film is the social commentary that permeates throughout. The 'aliens' are shown as the lowest of the low, with barely enough intelligence to breathe of their own accord, barbaric and happy to live in squalor, trading weapons and sex for drugs... which just happens to be cat food - go figure.
This stereotypical view mirrors many minorities in western culture - and the decision to base this film in South Africa is an inspired choice, given the troubles the country has seen since the sea-change it has endured in recent times.
The aliens appear cockroach-like, seemingly wandering aimlessly around District 9's wasteland, as if they are missing a vital piece in their social jigsaw puzzle. They are not without humour however, or a misguided intelligence that at times disproves the human view that they are merely pond-life (the derogatory term 'prawns' is the racial slant of choice).
The humans are anything but - the lower castes relishing in their new found status, demonstrating furiously at the fact that District 9 and its inhabitants are even allowed to exist, oblivious to the fact that they were, until the arrival of the aliens, tarred with the very same brush by those with a higher status - the social domino-effect is on full display here.
Its a brave man who takes on the issues highlighted here and applies it to a sci-fi movie - but Blomkamp has really pulled an ace out of nowhere with this. At the time of writing this review, District 9 is rated at #49 on the all-time list, but I'm not in total agreement with this. While it is a fantastic watch riddled with dark humour, moments of unease that make it difficult to watch and some great dialogue - District 9 doesn't, in my opinion, shine a candle to the likes of Blade Runner, Donnie Darko or The Matrix. However, it is worthy of a straight eight out of ten from me.
Don't let this review distract you from going out and watching this movie, however. It will appeal to all but the most cynical viewers of sci-fi and cinema as a whole - and is a fantastic addition to the genre. I must add that along with others, hope this remains as a piece of film that stands on its own merit, not needing to rely on a sequel to reiterate a story that is more than adequately told here.
Great stuff, extremely refreshing and gutsy. See it today!