Dvd
District 9
Produced by Peter Jackson and directed by newcomer Neil Blomkamp, this sci-fi action-adventure follows alien refugees, stranded in South Africa, who become the subject of human intolerance.
Almost thirty years ago, aliens arrived in Johannesburg. Their ship had broken down and they became the world's refugees. Their pesky presence made them despised by humans – referred to as 'prawns' for their disgusting features – and their makeshift home quickly became a slum. And now, as tensions rise between species, dorkish government official Wikus van der Merwe accidently discovers a highly lucrative alien secret. He becomes the object of a vicious government manhunt and, with nowhere else to go, he hides in the only place left: District 9.
Starring Sharlto Copley, David James, Jason Cope, Mandla Gaduka, Vanessa Haywood, Kenneth Nkosi
Directed by Neill Blomkamp [feature debut]
Written by Neill Blomkamp, Terri Tatchell
Produced by Peter Jackson
Science Fiction, Action | 1hr 52mins | Rated (R16) | contains violence and offensive language | Origin: South Africa, New Zealand | Official Site »
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Flicks review
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4
First-time director Neil Blomkamp smashes onto the filmmaking scene with his sharply original debut movie, delivering a fast-paced thriller packed full of gags and guts in the manner of his mentor, producer Peter Jackson.
D9 is more than just a Close Encounters for the YouTube age. Unlike the single handy-cam approach in Cloverfield, this is an engrossing mash-up of corporate video, talking heads, security tapes and archival footage. Even as the film moves into more a conventional storytelling mode, the camerawork is suitably ‘unrehearsed’ enough to look like something we might see on the six o’clock news.
The relatively low-budget flick turns sci-fi conventions on their head. These aliens look repulsive, like the mutant offspring of a grasshopper and a crayfish, and they’re pretty useless against humans. The setting isn’t a glossy New York or London either; it’s a dusty slum on the outskirts of Johannesburg – a derelict shantytown of junk and jetsam – and the apartheid parallels are rife. Most surprising is the tone, which veers much further towards straight comedy than expected (much like Korean monster flick The Host). The lead character, Wikus Van De Merwe (played by Blomkamp’s high school friend Sharlto Copley), is a buffoon right to the end.
Try not to examine the story too closely – some of the finer details are a bit dubious. But this clever, fun, savvy filmmaking debut bears the mark of a fresh pair of eyes bringing originality into the world of the blockbuster.
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The people's reviews
37 reviews
Press Reviews
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Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)
Despite its creativity, the movie remains space opera and avoids the higher realms of science-fiction.
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Hollywood Reporter
A genuinely original science fiction film that grabs you immediately, not letting go until the final shot.
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Los Angeles Times
District 9 is very smart sci-fi, but that's just the beginning; it's also a scathing social satire hidden inside a terrific action thriller teeming with gross aliens and regrettable inter-species conflict. And it's a blast...
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New York Times
In the best B-movie tradition, the filmmakers embed their ideas in an ingenious, propulsive and suspenseful genre entertainment, one that respects your intelligence even as it makes your eyes pop (and, once in a while, your stomach turn).
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NZ Herald (Russell Baillie)
5
Just the best alien flick for eons.
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Rolling Stone (USA)
This baby has the stuff to end the movie summer on a note of dazzle and distinction.
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The Dominion Post (Graeme Tuckett)
5
It is a smart, satirical, raucous and glorious pile of a film. It hits the ground running, and barely pauses for breath until the credits roll.
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Variety (USA)
This grossly engrossing speculative fiction bears Jackson's blood-splattered fingerprints but also heralds first-time feature director Neill Blomkamp as a nimble talent to watch.
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