District 9 (2009)
District 9 (2009) 7/10
District 9 could have been a great film, but instead settles for merely being a good film. Its premise is intriguing and a refreshing twist on sci fi conventions. See, aliens are broadly categories into nice (ET) or monstrous (Alien trilogy, War of the Worlds etc). In District 9, Aliens are an insectoid race which while possessing strength and agility is generally dumb. Sort of like Zombies. This is itself an unusual take on sci fi to present them as largely stupid, mindless beings which can barely fend for themselves. Of course, this is explained by the aliens being worker aliens with the hive mind being somehow destroyed leaving the remnants to fend for themselves.
The exposition which sets out these details in the first act is masterfully done and the film weaves social commentary in a pseudo documentary fashion that deliberately parallels apartheid and the various concentration camps and gulags that we have created. But the film takes a dramatic shift in tone in its second act, turning its focus exclusively on one character and the film becomes a sort of The Fly meets The Fugitive. This shift is unfortunate, because the film becomes predictable and the film abandons the compelling social commentary it built in the first act. The film is somewhat redeemed in its action packed final act which while predictable at least provides brainless popcorn entertainment. Still one cannot help but lament that if the film continued and went along the compelling premise it constructed in the first act, District 9 could well have become a great film. Nevertheless it is still a far better summertime choice than GI Joe or Transformers 2.
Oh you have already seen it
…I have been trying to get a copy but not getting…
Comment by Anshul — September 8, 2009 @ 9:49 pm