District 9
When aliens come to earth and are unable to leave again, they are forced into a slum in Johannesburg, South Africa, in an area called District 9. Amazing visuals allow District 9 to capture the audience’s attention in an inescapable trap. The shallowness of the plot may be the only tool given to the audience to get out.
Aliens land on earth, malnourished, and their mothership in shambles. They are herded into a tin hut community while humans try to figure out what to do with them. After twenty years of tension between the aliens and the humans, the government gives full authority to MNU, a multi national corporation, to evict the aliens to a tent community two hundred kilometers away. They put a sniveling, weakling, corporate bureaucrat, Wikus Van De Merwe (Sharlto Copley), in charge of the move. Due to international law, MNU must notify the aliens of their eviction and Wikus is sent into the field to do the notifications. While out in the field, Wikus gets new insight into the needs and plight of the aliens, even though he struggles not to submit to his feelings.
The aliens in District 9 are computer generated into live action scenes. The team of alien animators do an extraordinary job of making the aliens seem as tangible and realistic as the human players on screen. The lighting of the prawns (a slang term for the aliens) in many of the scenes give texture so real, it is as if they could reach out and you could feel their exoskeleton roughly rub against your skin.
District 9 is shot in a mix of documentary and live action styles, blended seamlessly together. The documentary is about Wikus and how he is betrayed. This documentary gives perspective to the story of the aliens, and invests the audience in both sides of the story. At first it seems a bit piecemeal, but by the end, the reason for the mixed style offers the audience something to take away.
Even given the emotional investment by the viewers, the story is little more than a two hour long chase scene with explosions and firefights. There is an emotional component, but it reaches as deep into the audience as body lotion. Every time it seems there could be a question of morality, or a moment of emotive genius, it is blown up, shot or runs away. The take away at the end of the movie I mentioned earlier is as valuable as what you’d probably get as a wedding favor at a redneck wedding.
A thinking person would find District 9 wanting more and frustrated with the half-given plot. A person who just wants to watch things blow up, see things go boom and escape their lives for a couple of hours will have a great time at District 9.
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Comments
Yea!! Things go boom! Whooo!! :)
"There is an emotional component, but it reaches as deep into the audience as body lotion"
Yep, that about sums it up!
Rather than debate your points, especially since over all you had some very good things to say about the film...Lets just say that I disagree with your final thoughts. I considered this film ground breaking and an instant classic in its genre. Its a must see film for anyone who loves film or is interested or involved in film making...or frankly, just likes to be entertained...from the stylized direction, the lead acting (first timer Sharlto Copley did a fantastic job), the editing, the cinematography to the non-dumbing you down dialogue (that alone was a breath of fresh air) this film fires on all cylinders.
I’ll be seeing it for the third time this weekend. I took my 12 year old son the other day…he thought it was the most AWESOME MOVIE he had ever seen…and because of hanging with Dad…he even got all the subtext, there are many thematics going on here besides apartheid and xenophobia. Anyway, I'll be going with some of the other non-thinking working screenwriters, producers and directors that I saw it with the first time...our weeklong discussions have sounded more like love letters.
Plot thin..man, I’m glad I didn’t hang with you when I saw STAR WARS, INDEPENDENCE DAY or ALIENS.
Yes, I did notice the themes of the movie. Themes are not plot, they are elements of the plot. Themes are like raw ingredents in a meal and plot is the fire. District 9 served me up raw chicken with delicious looking vegis and thought I would eat it. I'd prefer not to get sick.
Alien and Independence Day had plots. There was a beginning a middle and an end. I thought they were fun.
I hated all the star treks until the last one because it was great.
SPOILER:
You can't have that ending AND have a complete plot. By the time you get to the end, you've invested in the characters and the filmmakers offer you nothing, no resolution, no interesting fact, nothing.
I was also letting people know that there were other themes going on, that weren't pointed out. And you should thank me, My comment triggered something that allowed you come up with another witty metaphor as to why you didn’t completely like the film. Or it was a thought you originally had for the review, but thought it as overkill…but fine to add in the comment section…either way…you’re welcome.
But to be clear, I read your review and I get that...I just disagree. In my opinion all three acts did exactly what they were supposed to do. And there was indeed a beginning a middle and an end. In my opinion you just didn’t get it, and you’re not alone. There was a minority of reviewers who had their reasons to not think this was a complete movie either. But they didn’t take a shot at their readers who might disagree…
And that comes to the problem I had with your review...your last paragraph, you back handedly called me a non-thinking person. You want to write a review...fine, but your name calling needed in my opinion to be held to the fire.
*******SPOILER**********
As a writer and a producer I applauded the ending. As a producer, it left open the possibilities of a franchise without letting the audience feel let down entertainment wise. It just left them wanting more...except for those in the minority like yourself. As a writer I loved how it didn't dumb the audience down throughout the film. It didn’t have the studio feel good, everything got wrapped up in a bow ending. It gave them room to think. Very similar to FAHRENHEIT 451...which was not lauded when it came out and is now considered a classic.
As a reviewer, it is not my concern if a sequel can be made. It may make sense from a producers stand point, but not from an audiences stand point.
I understood the us verses them and historical references to immigration. I just didn't care at the end. That's what bothered me.
Thanks for calling me clever. Nice to hear from someone who disagrees with my opinion.