District 9 rekalled...

DISTRICT 9 is a "low budget" sci-fi film from relatively new director Neill Blomkamp which is based on a short film he created a few years ago. Much hyped and ballyhooed by internet pundits especially with the blessing of producer Peter Jackson, to many in the internet world he can do no wrong.

Starting in a documentary style the shaky cam is utilized but not to the detriment of the film. The special effects are fairly amazing, blending with the scenery and actors seamlessly, that is how CG should be used, as an accent, not a spectacle. The film does a great job jumping from the documentary style to film story with out any problems, when the actors speak to the camera it is natural and when the story is moving forth it feels the same and you connect with the characters in the same way.

There are so many things about this movie that I did like yet the film was a bit of a let down. I wasn't that high on it to begin with, I had my suspicions. Sadly there were a couple of things that bothered me throughout. First off, the main character or "hero" was not a good person in any way, he is a bureaucrat who gladly treats the aliens like garbage. One scene he gladly "aborts" some aliens and jokes and laughs about it, that is the one scene that stuck with me and felt un-redeemable for a "hero" character. At least not by his actions later in the film, maybe it was for most people who loved this film but it really seemed to bother me. There just wasn't any good people in the film, all humans are played as genocidal bigots which even I think is a little too bleak. And I don't think that highly of most people but I do think that there are diamonds in the rough. The other thing is the dated subject matter that the film is trying to explore, apartheid doesn't seem to be a part of the world anymore. Maybe if this film was made in the late 70's or early 80's maybe this would have been a more powerful story but the parallels were very strong to me and felt like the film was a little late to be getting the message out.

Plus it seemed like a meaner version of Alien Nation, they could have pushed it more I thought. For me the film just didn't go far enough or show enough of a character change in the main character to make me satisfied. That is my biggest problem with the movie, it was good but could have been better. Worth seeing though, just lower your expectations from greatness or best sci-fi film of the decade like I have heard.