A simple description of District 9’s plot is the one given in IMDB: “An extraterrestrial race forced to live in slum-like conditions on Earth suddenly find a kindred spirit in a government agent that is exposed to their biotechnology.” That’s as far as I’m going with the plot. Don’t want to spoil it for you. I went in having only seen the TV ads and was glad I hadn’t known more.
Produced by LOTR director, Peter Jackson, and directed and co-written by South African, Neill Blomkamp, on every level, this film is exceptional. Set and shot in Johannesburg, the lead actor, Sharlto Copley, gives an astonishing performance that ranges from bureaucratic nerd at the beginning to action hero at the end without a trace of that typical, Hollywood, stereotypical, hero crap. What makes his portrayal of his character, Wikus, so real is that he is a deeply flawed person who only wants to live (despite what’s happened to him) and return to a normal life, while finally awakening to the lies his government (which, technically, includes him) have been spreading to control the aliens, and worse.
The first 20 minutes or so is presented as a documentary about how the aliens came to Earth 20 years ago and what’s happened since. It is, in many ways, a commentary on how humans treat each other, although you never feel beaten over the head by it. What you do feel is revulsion at the sight of the aliens, yet end up feeling pity for them once you get to know them. Sort of.
Shot for a paltry, by Hollywood blockbuster standards, $30 million, the fully CG aliens are astoundingly ‘real’ looking, even in full sunlight which is harder to do. Lots of explosions and all the normal action stuff, but they actually serve the story as do the supporting characters. What makes even the bad guys more than two dimensional is you understand why they are doing what they’re doing given the circumstances, even if you disagree with them, which you may not.
This is ‘real’ science fiction. Period. No deus ex machina. No contrived twist ending, although you have no idea where the story is heading. Just an interesting, thoughtful story, lots of action, first-class animation on a non-CGI budget, and fine acting by it’s star. Uncle Dave says, see it!
apartheid here we come, what horse shit.
Will they sue if we call them aliens? A better description might be: Undocumented Life Forms.
Why did they come to earth in the first place?
How does the spaceship float in the air for over 30 years?
I really would like to see this movie. But I won’t.
Ignoring the gouging for the popcorn and soda, and the ten dollar ticket. (TEN DOLLARS???), the entire experience sucks.
For my $10 I am treated to asses that talk on cell phones, jerks that kick your chair, morons that blather, giggle, ask “what was that?” and otherwise talk aloud during the performance,and other annoying people.
As it is, I will wait for the DVD.
Twenty years ago, people were polite to one another in theaters, and it was fun to go to a movie. Now, half of the people under 35 are complete jerks, and they are the ones driving theaters out of business.
But it IS possible that I had more fun because I was with a cute date all of the time, and later I was with my cute wife. That MAY have something to do with it. But I doubt it.
#4 Faxon
I agree – I’ll wait for DVD.
But can’t wait to pick it up from Redbox…
#4 – Go to a matinee showing, it’s cheaper and not as many people go to matinees. And for gods sake, don’t buy any of the frikken soda’s or popcorn. Jeevus…some people..whine…whine…whine..
Best Scifi film in years?
Have you seen Moon(2009) ?
Better than Cherry 2000? Well, that will be a treat.
Easy to google, and fun to read, the best and worst lists of films/books regarding SciFi, or is it SyFy now?
Are the best SciFi’s:
1. The Wild West in Space (Star Wars)
2. Contemplations of what it is to be Human (Blade Runner)
3. Mystery (2001)
4. etc.
I like nekid wymen especially if they are vampires. Oh!==and bright lights. Hard to beat that telepathic vampire nekid babe that wipes out London.
Thanks for the heads up Dave.
#7: Good point. I haven’t. Was going to, but didn’t get a chance. I hear it’s very good. Have to wait for the DVD.
As for cost, being old enough to qualify for the senior discount has advantages. And at a theater that has all digital projection.
As I’ve stated before, my all-time favorite film of any genre is 2001. Saw it for the first time in 1968 on a huge, Cinerama screen. Seen it many times since, plus own it on DVD and laserdisc, of all things.
After that, for science fiction, in no particular order, Blade Runner, Alien, T2, Matrix, Road Warrior, A Boy and his Dog, Colossus: The Forbin Project, Clockwork Orange, Brazil, Twelve Monkeys, Space Truckers, Cube, Dark City, Pi, and that’s just since the 70’s. Don’t get me started on the 50’s!
Scifi? Don’t you mean SyFy?
#10
Sooooo 2001, better with lsd or without?
I was glad to see Colossus: The Forbin Project on your list, that’s a favorite of mine too.
I also like Forbidden Planet, The Day the Earth Stood Still, The Thing from Another World and This Island Earth. All iconic scifi classics.
I could go on and on….
I quite liked They Live!
The fight scene with Rowdy Roddy Piper has to be seen to be belived.
I was always amazed as a kid that even the aliens in the Japanese sci fi movies spoke English
Guess it was just like a day at the gym for them
no d/l link yet?
oops.. wrong window.
#10–Uncle Dave==excellent list. I’ve seen Brazil and did not like it. Don’t really remember why so I’ve been waiting to catch it again.
Review from IMDB certainly is positive.
So many good films, and even good tv. I think I’d rather watch 3 seasons of Dexter, Rome, Sopranos, Yes, Minister etc than a mere 2 hours of even the best film? But, thats a purposefully different issue.
Brings Alien Nation to mind.
For Tyrant,
Found via Digg:
Too Close To Call: 10 Ways District 9 Is An Alien Nation Knockoff
@#14
Carpenter always was and still is largely underrated. As one that never had a big (or even decent) budget, he did way above the rest. Also his love of B movies makes him instant cult figure. Favourites: The Thing, They Live, Christine (outstanding soundtrack…), and the obvious ones…in fact half of his films are well worth a look.
Bobbo:
Gotta love Terry Gilliam’s “1984 bigger than 1984” film. The scope of the film is just Gigantic. And very “British”.
Im sorry..
Im into a few genres..
I would LOVe to see the continuation of nightbreed.
2001 should be on the list as well as 2010, and the NEXT ones should be made into movies also..the books are to much to read. 2061 and 3001, and get ON with rendezvous with rama(and do it RIGHT)..
#21 you do realize that most of his movies are remakes and ‘based upons’ right?
#20: That didn’t occur to me when I watched it, but he has got a point. But this is a far, far better film.
#23
And what’s wrong with that? A lot of Hollywood hits were remakes of European films, dumbed down and de-artsy-fartsy-sized (I don’t like the Hollywood approach, but sometimes we here in Europe take the 7th art way too seriously…)
some sprang to mind:
City of Angels, Breathless, Vanilla Sky…
Check out more here:
moviefreak.com/features/remakes.htm
Ignoring the gouging for the popcorn and soda, and the ten dollar ticket. (TEN DOLLARS???)
$10? That’s insane. Why would anyone pay that? The local theater chain has a “five buck club” where films that are a couple weeks old are only $5. I rarely go to any other movies. I usually go to the matinee too. I saw The Hangover the other day and I was the only person in the theater. Pretty sweet for a Wednesday afternoon.
Here’s the short film that District 9 is based on:
It doesn’t give away any plot points. It basically can serve as a 6 minute trailer for the film. I might actually have to go see this one before it is $5.
District 9 sucked…I’ve never wanted to walk out of movie until this one started. Boring chatter for the first 25 minutes of movie. Maybe, 15 minutes of action in total movie. Even some of the computer graphics looked cheesy. I was able to get through the movie with beer, fried pickles and popcorn. Too many subtitles…really no plot…just a stupid movie!
Incredible movie, very touching, etc. If it happens, I believe this is how it would go down.
Uncle Dave…wow to see 2001 in the theatre, that would have been mind blowing.(how old were you then?) I’ve got it in several formats too, including a laser disc. The Blue Danube docking scene is one pure poetry!
I always wondered how they made 2001 look so good that no SF movie looked better until Star Wars.
Sorry, no way this is an Alien Nation ripoff, just a similar concept.
But go to see it anyway. Peter Jackson is worth the $$! He’s putting out real quality these days.
#30: I was 15. On either the 10th or 15th anniversary, it was rereleased to theaters and played at a theater in town that had a massive screen and the special sound system that had been installed a few years earlier for the film, Earthquake, which produced extremely low bass that would simulate the feel of a quake by shaking you physically. Imagine what Also Sprach Zarathustra was like on that sound system.
The theater also did what I later found out was what Kubrick had wanted. As the 10-15 minute overture plays before the film starts, the house lights are slowly dimmed until they go out just as the bass note hits, the gargantuan curtain opens (remember when movie theaters had curtains?) and the movie begins.
I can describe it, but you can’t imagine what it was like.
As for the look, there were two, basic answers. First, it was shot on 70mm film. Vastly more detail than standard 35mm. Also, it was one of the last Cinerama films ever made. Second, for, say, the ship exterior when a pod exited the ship, they used very long exposures for each frame which gave it extreme detail and depth. Many other pioneering techniques were also used.
If you can get a copy, check out Jerome Agel’s book, The Making of Kubrick’s 2001.
#25 The original Spanish film ‘Open Your Eyes’ (remade as Vanilla Sky) is simply awesome. More psycho drama than Sci-Fi I guess but pretty damn good.