Review of:District 9 (2009)
Director: Neill Blomkamp
Rating: R for bloody violence and pervasive language.
Starring: Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope, Nathalie Boltt, Sylvaine Strike, John Sumner
I wasn't too sure of this movie when I first saw the trailer for it, but when you attach the name Peter Jackson you give it the benefit of the doubt. I'm happy to say that I took the time out of my busy schedule to see this film and was instantly rewarded with one of the better films of 2009 so far. The story follows an alien race that has been stranded on earth, two million strong to be exact. When the aliens are found they aren't in the best of shape. We can only assume that something went wrong with their ship to the point that they were in jeopardy of dying.
Of course, in our great wisdom we decide that these aliens must be transferred down to the earth below for humanitarian reasons, but it is soon apparent that we are interested in their weaponry (can you say war in Iraq for oil?). Over a thirty year period the aliens situation has only worsened, and the people of Johannesburg want them off their South African land.
If the Director Neill Blomkamp just kept it to these elements, two million aliens and the world, it would have ended up like Independence Day. But to really draw in a viewer you have to personalize the encounter. He does this by letting us get close and personal to the human Wikus Merwe (Sharlto Copley) who is overseeing the resettlement of the alien population on earth. Wikus seems to be a pleasant sort of person who wouldn't knowingly harm anyone. When he finds a suspicious canister it is then that the story really begins. Without giving away any of the plot I would say his journey into understanding is what this movie is about.
On my recommendation I would tell you to go see this film. It is great to see a new director work his craft.
