District 9

District 9 is one of the best movies I've seen this year and one of the best sci-fi movies I've seen EVER. Bold? Maybe. But I stand by it. The creative vision in this movie is simply remarkable. It's a superbly realized film that captures the audience at the onset and carries them through a distressing but prodigious narrative.

Story/Writing

The writing and the story here are two different entities but fuse together to create a movie that is truly compelling at every turn. The story, when stripped of fantastical context, isn't anything that has never been done before. I won't ruin it, but suffice it to say, the idea of apartheid and derelict persecution isn't novel to cinema. Nor is the idea of the evil mega-corporation, that will do whatever it takes for profit. That's not to say these themes don't create an engaging environment, far from it, it's just not these aspects that jumps out. What does stand out is how the writing absorbs these ideas and creates an inspiring and incredibly woven tale. At the beginning of the film, the protagonist, along with some other characters, are being interviewed, documentary style. The pacing is slow but meaningful here and sets up the ambiance that the rest of the movie will rely on. As District 9 progresses, the developments lead to some startling and interesting revelations. What matters most here is that the characters are driving the story. Wikus Van De Merwe is an extremely human character put through such extraordinary circumstances, that he is forced to evolve, both emotionally and physically. On top of that, the audience is led to sympathize with the alien captives, for many reasons, and this attachment creates a strong sense of urgency in the narrative. The motivations for each character are potent and convincing. By the end of the film, the violence has been turned all the way up and the intensity is palpable. Yet, at no point, does this transition seem awkward or clumsy. The pacing is smooth and logical, so the viewer doesn't get the feeling of being distanced at any point. The story is marvelous from start to finish.

Acting/Cast

In District 9, Neil doesn't use a single A-list actor. At no point does this hinder the movie. As a matter of fact, I think it greatly enhanced it. The main character, Wikus Van De Merwe, is played by Sharlto Copley, and the performance is simply mesmerizing. That's right. Mesmerizing. He is sincerely so believable. In every shot, in every scene, he is exactly what the film demands of him. Innocent, terrified, angry, despondent and fierce. If you can imagine it, he successfully, and very effectively, conveys all of these emotions throughout the film. On top of that, Neil did a wonderful job with the character transformation, in all arenas. The rest of the cast plays rather small parts in comparison but all are expertly performed and equally as believable. Not since Gollum in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, has a CG character (or characters) evoked so much emotion. I genuinely felt both sorrow and pity, even anger at times, towards the aliens (Prawns). The two main aliens, one of which is comically (IMO) named Christopher Johnson are a testament to this. Their story and the relationship they have are tangible and the audience is forced to sympathize.

Cinematography/Camera/Sound

Top-fucking-notch. A word of warning though: a lot of the film has the 'shaky camera' style shooting to it and this could result in some motion sickness. The shots and angles here are excellent. The CG and graphics are stunning, especially when considering the budget being worked with. The ever present mothership in the sky, it's towering and formidable presence are richly felt and masterfully integrated. The effects are a sci-fi fan's wet dream. Neil has clearly played his share of video games and seen his share of sci-fi films. The alien weaponry is... well... awesome. From the unique sounds, to the colors and ultimate effect of the projectiles, to the ridiculously cool robots involved, the action is stellar and absolutely original. Now allow me to quickly digress. The technology interfaces the aliens use? BADASS. Think Minority Report on steroids. The luminance and interaction are really cool to watch and it's obvious that some time was put into their development. Even cooler still, is watching as Wikus adapts. Again, I won't ruin it, but I'll say this: motherfuckers a'splode. A lot.

In summary, go see this movie. Like right now. Get off your ass and do it. This is one of those movies that will likely garner a variety of reactions, for a lot of reasons. There's a lot of hype (like this ridiculous review, for example) and it's an intense and uncomfortable film at times. Others simply won't like the foreign feel of the film. Fine, whatever. Those assholes can go watch G.I. Joe. But give it a chance. Allow it to be what it's supposed to be. This movie isn't redefining science fiction, but it is most certainly shoving it in the right direction.

Overall Score (out of 10): 9.4