Movie Review: District 9

I have been following the hype surrounding District 9 for quite a while now. From the release of the new District 9 poster to the exemplary viral marketing campaign, I was a fan before there was even a decent trailer out there. Generally, this leads to high expectations and a poor movie going experience. It may be hard to believe, but Mr. Blomkamp managed to pleasantly surprise me, giving to movie watchers everywhere a revealing look at human nature, and managing to throw some pretty wicked looking aliens into the mix.

Those of you familiar with the history of South Africa will instantly want to view the movie through the optic of apartheid. The jovial atmosphere and light tone of the first ten minutes of the movie underscore a brutal reality of oppression and racism. Well, I guess that in this case it would be xenophobia. The friendly and slightly silly mannerisms of the protagonist lull the audience into accepting the terrible treatment of the aliens as somehow OK. While the first ten minutes of the movie serve to dehumanize the aliens, the rest of the movie slowly reverses the process, bringing with it a certain cathartic release. To say that Mr. Blomkamp was able to make me feel ashamed of being human might be a slight exaggeration, but only slight.

To be sure, the science fiction fan in you will appreciate all the geeky wonderfulness of District 9. From the aliens to the pulse blasters and the awesome mechanized battle-suit, you will not be disappointed. The gritty realism of the movie serves as a perfect backdrop for both social commentary and futuristic gismos. What the movie lacks in big budget pyrotechnics and gratuitous violence it easily makes up for by being, well, awesome. The subtle blend of documentary style footage and traditional blockbuster shots gives the whole experience an undeniable realism that leaves one with a lasting and meaningful impression.

I loved District 9 and wasn't bored for a minute, but I am still having some difficulty shaking that guilty feeling... I think it might come from the fact the the aliens are referred to as "prawns", a derogatory racial slur, but we are never given another name to call them by.

Movie: New Poster for District 9

     The Neill Blomkamp science fiction movie, District 9, is due for release in the middle of August, and promises so for far to be highly entertaining. A new poster was just printed for the movie, along with a documentary like teaser which gives a great glimpse of the aliens. 

     From what we can tell so far the movie appears to have a strong political message that seems to parallel South Africa's struggle with apartheid. While I don't mind a bit of politics thrown in with my science fiction, I sincerely hope that Mr. Blomkamp won't push the envelope too far. Then again, watching both the trailer and the teaser I can see how both can be melded into an appreciable viewing experience. Having a somewhat similar feel to Cloverfeild, I can only hope that the ending won't leave us hanging like a wet towel on a sunny day. Make that a very wet towel.

     You can watch the decoded trailer for District 9 (the version I posted before blurred out the aliens face and didn't translate what he was saying) or check out the teaser "Alive in Joburg", which in my opinion  gives you a much cooler view of the aliens. All in all, this promises to be a great flick and I will definitely be at the first showing I can get my hands on, regardless of what the reviews say.

Movie: District 9, by Neill Blomkamp

     Many of you have, I am sure, already stumbled upon District 9 through your online forays, or maybe even walked by a viral add somewhere. I don't generally intend to post about movies, but with Neill Blomkamp directing and Peter Jackson producing, this flick promises to be special.
     Aside from its viral add campaign and a nifty interactive website, little is known about District 9 other than what has been gleamed from the trailer. Cockroach like humanoids land in South Africa and are quarantined in a slum, known as district nine. From the snippets already posted on the Web, we can assume that the film will be centered around a human who has somehow come in contact with and been altered by the alien tech. Scheduled for release in August, I'll undoutebly be one of the many waiting in line for the midnight showing.
     Many Halo fans see this as a test run for the Halo movie franchise (check out the three Halo teasers - the last is by far the best). While I was never a huge fan of the video games and assorted spin-offs, I can easily see them morphing into some of the best science fiction movies out there.
     Make sure to check out the trailer for District 9 from the official site, and if you have the time, go ahead and browse the interactive section. Also recently an extended scene from the movie was shown to a couple critics, enjoy!