Friday, August 28, 2009

Review: District 9

Most alien movies show those creepy creatures threatening to run all over our beaches and fast food chains, but District 9 reveals those invaders as trash scavengers and earth food devotees after decades of living with humans.

I'm tempted to say that District 9 is a cross between Slumdog Millionaire's shanty scenes and Starship Troopers, but a cross between City of God and Troopers is a better reference (Aliens dancing Jai Ho! during the end credits would've been a good treat, though).

All great science fiction deals with intense philosophical ideas and what-ifs, but District 9 is different because the theme resonates more with current social problems. It's very real in the sense that if you just substitute the aliens with humans, the 'area' becomes a slum in Brazil or Manila, and there lies the charm and the thinking—one doesn't need to be an alien to experience discrimination.

District 9 is based on director Neill Blomkamp's 2005 short film 'Alive in Joburg,' extending it to create a science fiction classic.

Not for the squeamish!

Four out of five stars.

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