District 9

District 9 is a different breed of creature. Like the aliens showcased the film, District 9 is a movie that takes time getting used to. What kind of creature is it (action, comedy, drama), which is its real face (straightforward narrative or first person/faux-documentary)? In reality, it is a combination of all these, and the fact they are seamlessly stitched together makes the end product something fresh and new and exciting. So while the story itself is kind of thin, and typical storytelling techniques are used to tell it, the real power comes from the racial commentary the alien/human conflict generates. Some people love the aliens, while others hate them, wanting them segregated, even using racial slurs, like "prawns," to denigrate them. The first half of the film features a lot of these xenophobic relations, as the corporation, MNU, overseeing the aliens the last two decades decides to move them from Johannesburg to a facility some couple hundred kilometers away. But once our main "hero" becomes more deeply involved with the alien race, the action intensifies and some amazingly intense and raw footage is shown. The alien weapon technology is some of the coolest stuff you'll see on screen this year (decade?). It doesn't end where you expect it, but certainly where it should. District 9 is, for a lack of a better word, fun. And I mean ridiculously fun. Definitely one of the best of the summer. Blood, guts, and aliens. Is there anything better?

Genre - Sci-Fi (3.75)

Screenplay (3)
Acting (4)
Production (4)
Directing (4)