District 9 movie review
District 9 movie credits:
Directed by: Neill Blomkamp
Written by: Neill Blomkamp
Cast:
Sharlto Copley (Wikus Van De Merwe)
Nathalie Boltt (Sarah Livingstone)
William Allen Young (Dirk Michaels)
Release date: 2009
Spoiler alert: some crucial elements of the movie are commented in the following review. Be warned!
My bloody rating:
District 9 movie review:
A good movie can be entertaining. A good movie can also be exciting and filled with action. A good movie can also send a strong political message without being too annoying or preachy.
But when a movie can mix these three elements with ease, now we should talk about an exceptional one! District 9 should really be considered a very entertaining and refreshing sci-f movie!
The plot is simple: An alien ship is trapped over Johannesburg, unable to go back in space. The aliens (also called prawns by humans) are fenced into a township to avoid violent incident with humans who are a little bit tired to pay and support for a race that isn't from earth.
Things get more complicated when an agent from the MNU is touching a product from alien origins.
It's clear from the start that this movie is a simple metaphor about racism in South Africa (and around the world in general).
But Neill Blomkamp does a great job mixing his political comment with a clever sci-fi storyline, resulting in a movie that is intelligent and entertaining.
The first 20 minutes or so are filmed in a documentary style, with the main character (Wikus Van De Merwe played by Sharlto Copley) continually talking to the camera.
It's an easy and effective way to introduce all characters and past events to the viewers. The prawns are depicted as primitive aliens only looking for cat food and a good fight.
The look of these prawns is very similar to the one of big cockroaches. You won't have any feelings for them at first, but you might feel sorry for these creatures as the movie is progressing.
Overall, the scenario is pretty good, keeping a good pace between action, comedy and drama. Some scenes are violent, but nothing really shocking for the horror fan!
Peter Jackson is behind this one (as a producer and mentor) and it really shows. This is the first full-length movie directed by Blomkamp and he's really talented.
The guy was born in Johannesburg himself, making him the perfect candidate to handle such a delicate theme with ease!
The cast is mostly filled with unknown actors, which is a good thing since you don't waste precious seconds wondering where you saw a particular actor.
Sharlto Copley (who is playing the main character, Wikus Van De Merwe) does a great job depicting a strict and stubborn MNU agent.
No doubt that he's carrying the whole movie on his shoulders since he must appear in 90% of the scenes of the movie! Can't wait to see more from this guy!
If you want to see a sci-fi movie with some depth and a good storyline, then District 9 is for you! Everyone can enjoy this one on a different level, making it the perfect movie to match all tastes!
District 9 movie review written by: Martin Berube
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