Directed by: Neill Blomkamp
Premise: An alien spacecraft lands in South Africa
and authorities contain the extraterrestrials by confining them to shantytown.
When a government agent (Sharlto Copley) attempts to evict the
extraterrestrials, he is exposed to their biotechnology and starts to become one
of them.
What Works: District 9 is a terrific science
fiction film. The story puts a new twist on the alien invasion genre; the
extraterrestrials just want to go home but humans keep them confined to a ghetto
out of greed and fear, refusing to embrace them into mainstream society but
unwilling to let them go. The apartheid politics of the film are unmistakable
and District 9 is less a new incarnation of loud escapist fare like Independence
Day and much more a descendent of thoughtful science fiction like The
Planet of the Apes and The
Twilight Zone. District
9 also does a great job with the story world. The film places the fantastic
creatures and technology inside of a very familiar setting, which aids the
political subtext of the film and sells the illusion. The picture takes this one
step further by filming in a gritty, handheld documentary style that makes District
9 look unlike any major science fiction film of recent years. The special
effects of District 9 are terrific; although computer generated
creations, the creatures look organic rather than digital and perfectly meld
into the setting. The performances of the creatures also stand out. These are
not just special effects but characters and they convey emotions as convincingly
as any of the human actors in the film. Although science fiction films are not
often showcases for great acting, District 9 takes a significant risk in
its lead character, played wonderfully by Sharlto Copley. The character is a
weak pencil pusher and although he grows throughout the film, the storytellers
are careful to keep him credible rather than turn him into a larger than life
action hero.
What Doesn’t: The ending of District 9 is
left open, possibly for a sequel. While the ending is appropriate for the tone
of the story, this film’s lack of closure nags at the viewer.
Bottom Line: District 9 is among the best science fiction films of the decade. This is a great story with a political edge and an exercise in filmmaking craft that is on par with any piece mainstream Oscar bait.