 Thirty years ago, aliens made first contact with Earth. Humans waited for the hostile attack, or the giant advances in technology. Neither came. Instead, the aliens were refugees, the last survivors of their home world. The creatures were set up in a makeshift home in South Africa's District 9 as the world's nations argued over what to do with them. Now, patience over the alien situation has run out. Control over the aliens has been contracted out to Multi- National United (MNU), a private company uninterested in the aliens' welfare. The tension between the aliens and the humans comes to a head when an MNU field operative, Wikus van der Merwe, contracts a mysterious virus that begins changing his DNA. Wikus quickly becomes the most hunted man in the world, as well as the most valuable -- he is the key to unlocking the secrets of alien technology. Ostracized and friendless, there is only one place left for him to hide: District 9. From producer Peter Jackson (The Lord of the Rings Trilogy) and director Neill Blomkamp comes a startlingly original sciencefiction thriller that "soars on the imagination of its creators" (Peter Travers, Rolling Stone). With stunning special effects and gritty realism, the film plunges us into a world where the aliens have landed... only to be exiled to a slum on the fringes of Johannesburg. Now, one lone human discovers the mysterious secret of the extraterrestrial weapon technology. Hunted and hounded through the bizarre back alleys of an alien shantytown, he will discover what it means to be the ultimate outsider on your own planet. Storyline: In 1982, a massive star ship bearing a bedraggled alien population, nicknamed "The Prawns," appeared over Johannesburg, South Africa. Twenty-eight years later, the initial welcome by the human population has faded. The refugee camp where the aliens were located has deteriorated into a militarized ghetto called District 9, where they are confined and exploited in squalor. In 2010, the munitions corporation, Multi-National United, is contracted to forcibly evict the population with operative Wikus van der Merwe in charge. In this operation, Wikus is exposed to a strange alien chemical and must rely on the help of his only two new 'Prawn' friends. Written by Kenneth Chisholm (kchishol@rogers.com) Reviewer's Note: Reviewed by Martin Liebman on December 18, 2009 -- The entire world was watching him. --- Exciting but contemplative. Slick but grimy. Intense but purposeful. Fatiguing but captivating. District 9 is a film of two words, both literally and figuratively. In the literal sense, it features protagonists and antagonists from two planets struggling to co-exist on Earth. Figuratively, the film incorporates plenty of fast-paced action and glossy visuals inside a world that's wholly depressing and subconsciously reflective of the human condition and human history; District 9's juxtaposition of shiny special effects and slick filmmaking consistently clashes with the alien-inhabited slums of Johannesburg, South Africa, where tragedy unfolds upon tragedy and where everyone -- human and alien alike -- is on some level both hero and villain, culminating in several days of upheaval that promise to forever alter the course of human and alien events. For thirty years, a large alien spacecraft hovered over the city of Johannesburg, South Africa, presumably stranded when a command vessel plummeted to Earth, never to be found. Its first three months were met with speculation and panic, until it was decided to infiltrate the vessel, learn its true intentions, and just as importantly, discover the fate of whatever crew may be aboard. The huddled, sickly, and malnourished aliens were transported to Johannesburg below where they were placed in makeshift camps, but after years of unproductiveness and countless resources that only furthered the creatures' depravity in their slums, and in conjunction with gang infiltration, violence, and the plethora of weapons both human and alien within the slum's walls, the forced relocation of the 1.8 million aliens to a new complex some distance from the city was chosen as the most prudent course of action for both man and alien. In charge of the move was Wikus Van De Merwe (Sharlto Copley). The process proved difficult as uncooperative aliens and angry Nigerian gangs hindered the operation, but it took a turn for the worse when Wikus accidentally came in contact with an alien liquid that slowly altered his biological structure. Hunted by man for his ability to fire alien weapons rendered otherwise useless in human hands and sought after by the Nigerian gangs for his mutated DNA, Wikus became the central player in a series of events that promised to forever alter man's perception of the aliens and the aliens' place on Earth. District 9, the brainchild of the relatively unknown Writer/Director Neill Blomkamp and produced by famed filmmaker Peter Jackson (King Kong), is first and foremost a rugged Action/Sci-Fi extravaganza that entwines both pseudo-Documentary and traditional filmmaking approaches, but below the surface lies an unforgiving commentary on forced relocation, profiling, and prejudice. Of course, and in the tradition of classic Science Fiction motifs, the film presents a far-flung and desperate scenario that would challenge even the most honest and compassionate mankind has to offer; it was only after months of deliberation and an effort to do right by the horde of diseased and desperate aliens did man attempt to help the new arrivals, only to see the alien camps decay into chaos that threatened to tear apart the fabric of an already-struggling city but also pit man against man and man against alien in the effort to provide for the stranded creatures' basic needs. Despite its unsettling tone and none-too-subtle message, District 9's thematic undercurrents prove effective even in the context of plenty of hard-hitting action, extreme graphic violence, and the film's attention-grabbing visual style and relentless approach to the material. The allegory is never lost to action or special effects, even when the movie drastically shifts tones from act to act, going from engaging yet depressing to a more standard run-and-gun but no less effective and certainly entertaining third act. Effectiveness of any allegorical sub-contexts aside, however, District 9's basic structure is one built around tragedy. Personal tragedy, city tragedy, worldly tragedy, and, indeed, even intergalactic tragedy defines every frame of District 9, and Director Neill Blomkamp has effectively woven a picture that, therefore and in conjunction with several other elements, elicits a broad spectrum of emotions. The film's structurally-appealing and rapid-fire first act delivers a barrage of information with such a realistic tone so as to be practically overpowering, the film's Documentary approach and interwoven false news clips effectively throw decades worth of backstory -- backstory that's comprised of what would undoubtedly prove be the most monumental newsmaker in man's history were it real -- as if it were all unfolding freshly and for the first time. Of course, the film also leans on its allegorical overtones to draw out feelings of anger and regret and, at the same time, an understanding of the hows and whys of the conditions, the relocations, and the general human public's outcry towards the "Prawn" infestation. Lastly, District 9 delivers plenty of spine-tingling suspense alongside hardcore and gruesome action. Bullets fly, bodies explode, and the combat sequences are superbly choreographed and intense; even though the general outcome is rarely in question, Blomkamp maintains a strong level of tension throughout. Each element lends to District 9 a distinct feel, and all told the film offers a nonstop roller coaster ride of emotions and visuals that make it one of the year's -- and perhaps the decade's -- most unique motion pictures. Finally, District 9 is a technical achievement in filmmaking. Its special effects are generally seamless but sometimes a bit clumsy and not quite up to par with something like Star Trek, but then again, the film is charged with a far more daunting task of placing complexly-rendered organic beings in the midst of the filth and grime of a South African slum, and on a budget an estimated one-fifth the size of Director J.J. Abrams' summer mega-hit. As alluded to earlier, District 9's now not uncommon but nevertheless here incredibly effective Documentary approach only adds to the gritty visuals and unforgiving tone of the problems and conditions that define the film. Additionally, District 9's cast is devoid of household name actors, but each primary -- both human and digitally-rendered alien -- provide solid performances from top to bottom. In the film's lead role, Johannesburg native Sharlto Copley plays his pencil-pusher-turned-anti-hero character splendidly; gradually transforming from hunter to hunted and undergoing massive physical, emotional, and psychological changes, Copley exhibits a good range and professionalism in his craft, and in his first outing proving a solid leading man, his performance boding well for his big-screen future, set to continue in 2010's sure-to-be summer blockbuster The A-Team. While Producer Peter Jackson's name has been attached with everything -- and its promotional materials in particular -- revolving around District 9, Writer/Director Neill Blomkamp's film stands solidly on its own two feet. It's not an example of a pet project with only a name behind it to get it noticed, but instead a one-of-a-kind, intricately structured, breathtaking, attention-grabbing roller coaster ride of most every emotion, including awe, excitement, and despair. Few films grab the attention so vigorously and never let go quite like District 9, and through its many layers -- allegory and hard-hitting action in particular -- the film gels wonderfully from beginning to end, every angle falling into place for one of the summer's most exceptional films and one of the decade's most unique Science Fiction experiences. Sony's Blu-ray release of this impressive film is up to the task. Boasting startlingly clear visuals, a faultless lossless soundtrack, and plenty of bonus materials, District 9 is yet another feather in Sony's cap, a perfect example of why the studio may very well be Blu-ray's best and most consistent. District 9 comes highly recommended. Cast Notes: Sharlto Copley (Wikus Van De Merwe), Jason Cope (Grey Bradnam - UKNR Chief Correspondent), Nathalie Boltt (Sarah Livingstone - Sociologist), Sylvaine Strike (Dr Katrina McKenzie), Elizabeth Mkandawie (Interviewee), John Sumner (Les Feldman - MIL Engineer), William Allen Young (Dirk Michaels), Greg Melvill-Smith (Interviewer), Nick Blake (Francois Moraneu - CIV Engineer Team), Morena Busa Sesatsa (Interviewee), Themba Nkosi (Interviewee), Mzwandile Nqoba (Interviewee), Barry Strydom (Interviewee), Jed Brophy (James Hope - Police Officer), Louis Minnaar (Piet Smit).
 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
