District 9

[Qrazy]

Disappointing. I found everything about this film totally average. From the hollow allusions to Apartheid to the plot riddled with holes and cliches. Even the action pieces left something to be desired. A nice concept marred by shoddy execution. I'm hating on it more than I should, and that has something to do with my expectations, but so much of this film was utterly predictable, I'm stunned at the level of praise it's receiving.

I agree. Although I liked it more than you for the uniqueness of it's concept and much of it's execution. The script has some huge issues. The film's major problem is that it's riddled with facile characterizations (warlord, MNU officers, the father) and underdeveloped relationships (at least in terms of trying to sell certain moments)... for instance Christopher and Wickus (I won't leave you!) and even Wickus and his wife (although the actor playing Wickus fairly effectively sold this relationship, the basis of their love was not that well established). I also feel like it's another one of those action films that tries to have it's cake and eat it too. It tries to criticize the use of violence and show the horrific dehuman(alien)izing effects of violence some of the time and then at other times violence is played for laughs or kinetic energy and the significance of violent actions is devalued. Then there's the problem of plot contrivance and cliche and it's a huge one that could have easily been fixed. For instance the gun lying beside Wickus in the warlord shack, or accidentally walking into Christopher's shack or having the pieces to make a bomb at just the right moment, or a little alien kid that can operate all the technology at once in order to save Christopher and Wickus.

All of these things could have easily been fixed with a quick rewrite. Give Christopher a few more friends to work with (the alien underground movement) and the infiltration of MNU would seem a bit more believable as would later fights and the final escape. Also I know Wickus was supposed to be a bit stupid but have him walk into the warlords with a bit more of a plan (perhaps Christopher's plan) to get the weapons rather than have contrivance get him out of the situation. And finally a brief note on voodooism I do actually think the film is insensitive concerning this issue. I had to take a class with a huge section on Haitian Vodou and Vodou is nothing like the way it's represented in popular culture. For one thing Voodoo has nothing to do with cannibalism. This cannibalism could have been a plot point without the need to further besmirch the name of Voodoo.

All that being said the film has a lot of great action, wonderful effects, a strong lead, a great deal of humor, a unique setting and premise, and an interesting structure. I just wish the script had been fleshed out and polished a little more.

[Raiders]

Did the movie specifically say they were of the Vodun religion? Sure it's a bit of a caricature of the "evil of African religion," but when the man proclaims dead-faced that he needs to eat Wikus' arm, you really thought the film was being completely serious? Most everything here is a bit of an extreme to one level or the other.

Might as well say the film insensitively portrays large government-contracted companies as well.

[Qrazy]

Did the movie specifically say they were of the Vodun religion? Sure it's a bit of a caricature of the "evil of African religion," but when the man proclaims dead-faced that he needs to eat Wikus' arm, you really thought the film was being completely serious? Most everything here is a bit of an extreme to one level or the other.

Might as well say the film insensitively portrays large government-contracted companies as well.

I'm about 95 percent certain they said Voodoo at one point.

As to whether or not the film is overly serious, no it isn't, but it doesn't have to be serious to convey misinformation. The James Bond film (Live and Let Die I think) did the same thing and that's not exactly serious either. Although District 9 does make allusions to seriousness at times (commenting on apartheid), either way I would have just preferred the content be left as is without the term Voodoo being brought into it. It seems standard to us given the history of the term in popular culture but few if any religions like to be associated with hugely taboo acts such as Cannibalism.

[Mysterious Dude]

"Van Der Merwe" is usually the name of a character used in popular African ethnic jokes, often portrayed as an idiot while at the same time representing the country. So instead of "A South African walks into a bar..." you would start a joke with "So Van Der Merwe walks into a bar..."

I don't think it's a coincidence that Blomkamp used the name for his main character.

If I were South African, this would probably annoy me. It sounds like naming a character "Joe Sixpack" or something.

[number8]

If I were South African, this would probably annoy me. It sounds like naming a character "Joe Sixpack" or something.

That's the idea. Or "Mr. John Q."

[megladon8]

Yeah I definitely thought the movie had about the same level of seriousness as the "Halo" games.

But I don't understand why someone would say that it wasn't a comment on the apartheid. Seems like saying An Inconvenient Truth wasn't about global warming.

[Wryan]

But did the warlord ever eat human flesh or just alien/hybrid flesh? I'd have to rewatch to be sure, but I'm also not certain if the word "voodoo" was used or used, ahem, correctly ("They are practicing their Voodoo" vs. "That there crazy 'voodoo' stuff they practice" would be two different connotations, one that directly associates the practice with the culture and the other that ignorantly tosses it in willy nilly). I took it more as part and parcel of the "primitive" belief of eating something to consume its power. The something just happened to be reviled alien visitors treated like hogs or rats.

[DavidSeven]

I believe I saw this about a month ago.

The first half hour of this film is horrendous. The rest was definitely entertaining. Liked the twist on good/bad characters for how well it was executed and the ambition to mess with standard conventions. In terms of what the twisting does in terms of social commentary... meh -- too easy for those who bother to think about it, but still too obscure for those who don't bother. Doesn't really serve either group. Found the action, effects, and basic story to be pretty top notch though. Interesting debut, but this guy could definitely go either way from here on.

[megladon8]

What about the first hour was "horrendous"?

[number8]

Oh, yeah, the movie's sorta banned in Nigeria by the Nigerian government. They're asking for an apology.

Apparently, they named the Nigerian gangleader in this film after the Nigerian president.

[DavidSeven]

What about the first hour was "horrendous"?

Felt it was unfocused and kind of pointless. Think he could have spent half the time on set-up and the emergence of the protagonist would have still had the same impact. Conceptually, I also thought it was poorly realized because true documentaries simply have better editing and actual narratives. The first chunk of this film played more like raw footage and was about as engaging as such.

[Spun Lepton]

Oh, yeah, the movie's sorta banned in Nigeria by the Nigerian government. They're asking for an apology.

And for all of our bank account numbers.

[Ivan Drago]

Dammit, the more I think about this movie the more and more I like it. I'm kicking myself for not seeing it for a 2nd time in the theater. FOOK!

[lovejuice]

it's a mess, but an entertaining one. i much prefer the movie to remain a mockumentary as in the first half an hour than its transition to an actioner. kinda interesting how its messiness does help making the movie seems less cliche-ridden, which it actually is.

[Grouchy]

http://cronicaszombi.files.wordpress. com/2009/09/district-9.jpg

District 9
Neill Blomkamp, 2009

The ultimate purpose of science-fiction should always be to try to portray human, current problems and conditions through the use of fantasy, speculation or technology not yet invented. Blomkamp seems to understand this perfectly. His District 9 opens as a news show retrospective documentary on the last 20+ years, where the city of Johannesburgo has been populated with one million and a half aliens who live in an isolated ghetto, under (heh) inhuman conditions. Although the premise of would appear to only set this up for a pretty obvious commentary on racism and xenophobia, the movie covers a much wider ground, touching issues of culture, corruption and militarism which are fairly familiar to anyone who has ever lived on a third world country.

I believe this is a movie that grounds itself on a joke or a series of a jokes, so accusing it of plot contrivances or implausibilities for me would be a way of missing on the satire. If taken at face value, the world the movie presents us with has inner logic, and that's all I need for the satire to work on me. Why aren't there NASA scientists investigating the aliens? Why is there not a wish to follow up on where they came from, and instead they're simply treated as foreign undesirables? Simple. It's because that wouldn't work for the plot. At its best moments, I don't see why this isn't comparable to Verhoeven and his awesome sci-fi dark comedies like Starship Troopers and Total Recall.

But not everything is comedy, and in the main character of Wikus Van Der Merwe the script finds its heart. This is an anti-hero who starts out as a government official commissioned with the ridiculous task of getting alien signatures for eviction. When this doesn't seem to work, most radical alternatives are applied - death threats, torture and the burning of unborn babies. Later on, when his own humanity is threatened, Wikus stops being a caricature and becomes the ultimate likeable protagonist. He's confused, scared, chased and left to his own wits. First-time actor Shatlo Copley does a lot to get us on his side as well. He can be as hilarious as a talking head in a Monty Python skit one second, then genuinely affecting the next.

A lot of what's amazing about District 9 comes from the filmmaking techniques used. The element of surprise as the movie shifts from a comedy mockumentary to a narrative feature, for example. As others have said, the budget of this humbles most of Hollywood's recent output. Although the aliens aren't 100% photorealistic, they don't really need to be, and the locations used for filming are great. They genuine South African ghettos, and the look of decay and devastation is therefore very convincing, with the sci-fi elements ironically falling into place perfectly. The end result is reminiscent both of Peter Jackson's early films and of '80s science-fiction in general in its refusal to look neat and glossy. Ultimately, this is pop corn filmmaking at its best - a thinking man's action movie.

P.S.: As we left the theater with my girlfriend I talked her into sneaking on another movie for free. It endeed up being The Time Traveler's Wife. Eh, neat concept, I guess, although poorly executed, and both lead actors came accross as sleepwalkers. A forgettable, undistinct movie if I ever saw one. Still, nothing beats sneaking into the cinema. Brought back nice memories of my teens.

[Spun Lepton]

The ultimate purpose of science-fiction should always be to try to portray human, current problems and conditions through the use of fantasy, speculation or technology not yet invented.

I don't know if I'd be so quick to box in what sci-fi should or should not be. But, the rest of your review is good stuff.

[Grouchy]

I don't know if I'd be so quick to box in what sci-fi should or should not be. But, the rest of your review is good stuff.
For me that's something that's essential to every good story that deals with the fantastic. If the human angle isn't there, it's hollow spectacle like Transformers or Stephen Sommers movies.

[Adam]

Is Jim Cameron's Aliens good sci-fi, Grouch?

[Grouchy]

Is Jim Cameron's Aliens good sci-fi, Grouch?
Yes. But it has a strong human element. It's a movie about the rivalry between two mothers from different - and deadly - species.

[[ETM]]

Seen it and loved it. Most of the things I'd want to say about it have been said, except - I love the designs for the whole thing, especially the gear, weapons and mecha. I couldn't put my finger on what it all reminded me off, but then I remembered: Evangelion. It seems natural that WETA would use some of the designs from the live action EVA project from a few years back.

[Bosco B Thug]

I didn't really like this. Like, much at all. I'm kind of shocked.

The best thing about it is the concept in general, which it fulfills very well in a general sense: allegorical sci-fi, the improbable and pointedly exaggerated set against a grittily detailed reality... and it really does present a fantastically real environment. The 2nd best thing about it is what some have mentioned: it's moral sympathies aren't totally schematized - every sector of the destitute society is in some way corrupted (communicated most efficiently through how suddenly recognizable as human-like is the slum-taken aliens' feral behavior), but it's because there's people at the top who make it that there's people at the bottom.

The problem is it presents this, but the film isn't ever really saying this. And so, after that was established, I read through the thread and I'm leaning with all the negative thoughts on here.

[Raiders]

he problem is it presents this, but the film isn't ever really saying this.

No offense, but I hate this kind of statement. What does it even mean?

[Bosco B Thug]

No offense, but I hate this kind of statement. What does it even mean? No, yeah, it's a pretty pithy statement, parallel structure and all. It's meant to compound all my criticisms into one statement, which is never a good idea.

I just thought there was only one thing that elevated this film: a backdrop that lends itself to some fascinating real-world details, aesthetic, and of course the conceptual social parallels. Other than that, I thought Blomkamp's directing was pretty mediocre and the screenplay shallow. The one thing I really liked was the characterization of the alien protagonist. The main character was annoying - I know he was supposed to be, but he's so often just a joke and he suffered from the same "practically-a-caricature-but-no!-sympathize!," "have its cake and eat it it too" syndrome Michael Scott in the American The Office suffers from. The film was like watching a video game. There was zero narrative or dramatic pacing or structure to keep a hold on, except the fact that a conventional action film arc is orchestrated with a completely alien-looking stand-in.

I admire the ideas, it just didn't live up to them.

[Dukefrukem]

OK this movie was awesome. I don't know what 8 is complaining about the aliens looking like they were from an SNES video game....

[KK2.0]

Me neither, the CGI work in this was excellent imo.

EDIT: Knowing that Van de Merwe is a joke name actually made the whole movie better to me.

[megladon8]

The DVD release has been moved forward to December 22nd (from the 29th) in a bid to add it to Christmas shoppers' lists, no doubt.

[Dukefrukem]

The DVD release has been moved forward to December 22nd (from the 29th) in a bid to add it to Christmas shoppers' lists, no doubt.

It also comes with a God of War III demo....the blu-ray that is

[megladon8]

That's kind of a random inclusion.

[megladon8]

Oscar buzz? (http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/reuters/091127/entertainment/centertainment_us_district9)

[Ezee E]

Oscar buzz? (http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/reuters/091127/entertainment/centertainment_us_district9)
Nah. Special effects for sure though. Maybe one or two other tech categories.

[KK2.0]

Isn't the Oscars looking to be more mainstream friendly? if so, i can see it happening. No chances of winning though.


That's kind of a random inclusion.

probably just targeting the demographic, the ideal tie in would be Clash of Titans but i'm afraid the game is out much sooner than that.

[Adam]

I'd rather see Sharlto Copley get a nom over Morgan Freeman or some such shit

[Sxottlan]

They're definitely going for it!

http://www.awardsdaily.com/FYC/2009/images/december5/district9.jpg

[Scar]

Watched it today, (after playing the God of War III demo), and rather enjoyed it. Special effects looked pretty damn effective to me, and I'm rather agitated at the marketing for the Bluray/DVD release giving away a lot of info in the commercials.

The weapons were neat, too.

[Dukefrukem]

Watched it today, (after playing the God of War III demo), and rather enjoyed it. Special effects looked pretty damn effective to me, and I'm rather agitated at the marketing for the Bluray/DVD release giving away a lot of info in the commercials.

The weapons were neat, too.

I got the Blu-Ray today too. Can't wait to check it out.

[number8]

Commentary is interesting. Blomkamp recorded it before the movie was even released and he's saying the movie is not at all about apartheid, seemingly throwing that out before the criticisms roll in.

[megladon8]

I don't understand how the movie could not be about the apartheid.

[number8]

I don't understand how the movie could not be about the apartheid.

Because it would be ass-backwards. The South African apartheid was the partition of blacks by white colonialists. If it was an apartheid allegory, it should be the aliens segregating the humans, not the other way around.

Bomkamp said he meant the film to be an allegory for refugees, which makes a whole lot more sense. There are a lot of North Africans in Joburg who fled because of the war seeking refuge and found themselves treated as less than human. Many of them eventually become criminals/threats. It fits better.

[Adam]

The immigration/refugee angle also gives the film more present-day weight

[Spinal]

Haven't read the thread, so I don't know what the general feeling is, but I thought the shift from pseudo-documentary to conventional action film (in which we see things a documentary crew would not) back to pseudo-documentary was handled very awkwardly. In theory, you could get away with this I suppose, but I felt like they established a set of conventions and then proceeded to abandon them once they needed to move the plot along. Also felt like the tone was disappointingly silly in places: fishy insect person wearing a bra, inter-species prostitution, etc. And the lead actor's performance was never convincing enough for me to fully commit to going on the ride. The film is probably best enjoyed as a schlocky action film rather than as an allegory (not much insight to be had) or as a tense thriller (not enough directorial skill on display).

[Adam]

I feel like the documentary bits were just the easiest way to provide context early on and they drop it once we hit the actual meat of the movie - Copley's character's whole transformation. And I totally disagree with you on his performance. The film is kind of a tonal mess, but he kept me completely grounded in it, at least until it all devolves into a straight, crackerjack action film. For me, those last twenty minutes or so are where it gets really disappointing; with the mech suit and all those exploding bodies and whatnot. Too much like a videogame and a complete disservice to the character

[Qrazy]

I feel like the documentary bits were just the easiest way to provide context early on and they drop it once we hit the actual meat of the movie - Copley's character's whole transformation. And I totally disagree with you on his performance. The film is a bit of a tonal mess, but he kept me completely grounded in it, at least until it all devolves into a straight, crackerjack action film. For me, those last twenty minutes or so are where it gets really disappointing; with the mech suit and all those exploding bodies and whatnot. Too much like a videogame and a complete disservice to the character

Yeah although I felt it went beyond the last 20 minutes. The film features way too many contrivances and action movie cliches. If they had stuck to their earlier naturalistic approach and crafted a story to suit that I think it would have worked better for me. But I liked his performance also.

[megladon8]

I think I liked this even more on the second viewing.

And man, the CGI is very impressive here. I'd say it's even on par with that of Avatar. My dad had a hard time believing me when I told him all the aliens were CGI - he was sure they had to have been actors in make-up or something.

While I agree with everyone who has issued complaints about it falling into cliché action movie land in the last bit, I think the overall effect of the action was really incredible. Everything from the siege on MNU to the final chase with Wikus protecting Christopher Johnson was tense, tense, tense.

I think the most aggravating part of the film for me was - as it's talked about in The Incredibles - the monologuing. It happens several times throughout the film - people telling their captors what there plans are, when they could have spent that time just killing them (since that's what they're planning to do anyways).

But I have to say that in the end these are very minor grievances when compared to the overall experience the movie provides. I thought it was fantastic.

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