A movie about seafood-like aliens, crazy Afrikaners and Nigerian voodoo, District 9 goes beyond rote storytelling and introduces us to a world where aliens have come to earth, not to invade, but to squat and wear odd things on their heads.
Director Neil Blomkamp opts for a documentary style opening, using video footage and public interviews to reveal the backstory of the plot, while slowly showing the audience how the humans become desensitized to the derogatory and inhumane treatment of the aliens.
In a plot reminiscent of the South African apartheid era, District 9 presents a shocking comparison of the racial segregation and xenophobia that occurred in our own history with the story of Wikus Van De Merwe (Sharlto Copley) and Christopher Johnson (Jason Cope) as they both try to do what they think is best for their respective people. (Good luck trying to figure out which one is the alien by name alone.)
Awash with gritty imagery, superb storytelling and very believable special effects, District 9 shows us the merits of humanity, friendship, self sacrifice, and the potential use of cat food as currency.
Pros: Well paced plot; excellent special effects; great actors.
Cons: Subtitles are needed for the Afrikaners, cuz f*** me if I can understand a word that they're saying.
Consensus: 8.5/10 cans of Purina pet chow. Good enough to warrant buying the DVD for your collection, or at least pirating a DVD rip and storing it on your HDD.
-Niron Khan
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