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Critic rating
Peter Jackson does sci-fi with shellfish
Alastair McKay 4 Sep 2009
Before he hit paydirt with the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Peter Jackson made bad science fiction films. District 9 has been marketed as Jackson’s return to his roots. And it is, in the sense that it is science fiction, and often quite bad. But perhaps Jackson’s involvement can be overplayed. He is merely the producer of this alien shoot-em-up.
The South African-born writer/director Neill Blomkamp previously worked on short films connected with the video game Halo, and was slated to direct a feature based on the game, which may explain why this film has the enervating quality of a wet Tuesday in the arcade. More interestingly, it is based on his short, Alive in Joburg, and the battle between corporate jobsworths and an alien species with an unfortunate resemblance to prawns draws parallels with apartheid. This is not, mind you, a subtle allegory.
At the beginning and the end — though not so consistently in the middle — the film is a spoof documentary, following the efforts of Wikus Van De Merwe (Sharlto Copley) of the MultiNational United corporation’s Department of Alien Affairs, as he attempts to serve eviction notices on the prawns/aliens who live in a Johannesburg shanty town, while their broken mother ship hovers helplessly above. (How the abandoned craft stays airborne isn’t explained. Presumably decapod spaceships employ very advanced technology.)
The prawns are to be moved to less comfortable refugee camp, 200km out of town. All goes well until Wikus unwittingly releases a canister of alien rocket fuel, which has the unfortunate effect of turning his hand into a giant prawn claw. This is bad news for him, but good news for MNU, which has been trying for years to operate alien weaponry. Human hands can’t operate alien guns. Giant prawn hands can.
Soon enough Wikus is being shot by all sides, as the evil corporate types try to harvest his organs, and the prawns remain unforgiving of his previous misdeeds. In a subplot which undermines the film’s anti-apartheid pretensions somewhat, he is also pursued by some angry Nigerians, who are black, as in blaxploitation, and seem to belong to an alien species derived from the DNA of Mr T.
It goes on for quite a long time. Many guns are fired, the walls of the township are splattered with seafood, and the annoying Citroën commercial with the robot car is evoked, as Wikus continues his transformation into a Prawn Terminator.
He’ll be back. Oil the wok.
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Reader views (25)
@Melanie I'm afraid you have it wrong. The saying is "One boer, one bullet". I have never heard "One black, one bullet".
- Craig, South Africa, Pretoria, 19/03/2010 16:48
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I have to agree with the reviewer. I can't believe how many good reviews this stupid movie got much less how it garnered a best picture nomination. I've seen a bunch of movies lately (good and bad) and this is the only one that left me saying "Wrong, Wrong, Wrong". This movie just kept missing in so many ways. Illogical actions by the main charactors, incongruance in the storyline, the overly simplified, spoon fed allegory, and plot-holes galore. No, no, no. This is not a great film. It'n not even good.
- Schumann, Savannah, USA, 15/03/2010 20:45
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i found district 9 to be easily one of the best films that came out last year the originality is amazing. the story is clever and cleverly sets it in jhb becuase of its background of racism. The acting by Shalto Copley was brilliant for a first performence. The special effects and actions sequences are hands down my favourite part of the movie and some of the scenes were worth the 13£ i paid for the dvd. overall the movie is brilliant and well deserves the oscar nomination it got 10/10 for me
- Alex Wood, england, 18/02/2010 23:48
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I cannot believe there are actually people on here questioning the validity of the black liquid in his face scene. Seriously guys. You sit down to watch a film about Aliens and spaceships and you talk about that? Why did you even bother watching it in the first place? I hate idiots like that, which is why all my friends and everyone I have spoken to about this film all loved it. Now go and watch some gay period drama and leave these amazing films to people who can appreciate them for what they are.
- Pete, Loughborough, 21/01/2010 14:45
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First of all does it really matter what genre this film falls into,if you are so transfixed on this then you are missing the issue entirely.It was to my mind a hugely enjoyable exploration of sociopolitical issues and superbly handled without ever coming across as moralistic. The film dealt with greed, power and money and its manifestations. Its clear nod to racism was powerfully dealt with and leaves you with more questions than answers. I cannot undertsand some of the comments made in particular Ed, i'm sorry the film wasn't up to your standards, but the part of the film that you mock just shows how wide of the mark you are. The point is that Wikus was so blasé about what he had found which is born out of his ignorance of the wisdom and abilities of the "prawns". This was a superb film and i hope a sequel is in the offering.
- Ben Rance, dublin, 12/01/2010 12:41
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Ground-breaking, excellent film! Your reviewer certainly had his blinkers on when he saw it , well when he saw the first 25 minutes of it. Shame on him for not being able to understand it and for thrashing out like a baby. Read comments by proper reviewers to get a valid assessment. Perhaps your reviewer just wanted to start arguments.
- Geoff Pitman, Manchester, Lancs., 12/01/2010 10:00
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What a poorly-written review - reads like some inverse PR guff with all plot and no thought. The reviewer couldn't be wider off the mark. This is one of the deepest, most innovative, exciting and emotionally satisfying sci-fi films ever made. It's also very believable.
- Rumps, London, 29/12/2009 18:17
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The thing is - movie that did all that human/alien/racism question raising was the movie that you didn't expect it from - Starship Troopers. ST looked like a bug hunt action movie and yet managed to portray all issues far better that District 9. In opossite, District 9 tries to do that, but ultimately become a bug/adrennaline action movie. Aliens signing documentss? One human and one alien joining together and kicking ass? U kiddding me? Still, lots of impresive stuff to see.
- Bane, Belgrade, Serbia, 06/10/2009 00:24
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I agree with the review. I find the film unwatchable and I left the theatre an hour before the end of the film. The filming and editing are so fast and unstable that my eyes started to hurt after ten minutes. The story is so stupid that not a single scene was without at least one stupendeously illogical element. It is humourless, charmless, and way to stupid to convey any satirical message. A complete aimless mess.
- Emil, trondheim, norway, 25/09/2009 09:49
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This reviewer clearly didn't bother to watch the whole film, "prawns remain unforgiving of his previous misdeeds" - which bit was that Alistair?
By no means a perfect film but a few duff performances and lazy stereotypes don't spoil what is a dazzling and inventive social commentary, with a tour de force central performance from Sharlto Copley. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
- Mike, Northampton, 18/09/2009 10:08
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I have to say I wasn't that keen until half an hour into the film at which point it started to pick up. I think the point of Wikus is valid, he's not likeable until the latter half of the film, I don't think any of the humans are supposed to be likeable, we're pretty much the Nazi's of the piece. Yes, it's been done before in films like Enemy Mine but it's still a good (not great) sci-fi flick, not bad for £30 million.
- Bob, Cheam, 18/09/2009 09:08
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"This movie sucked."
And yet, Ed, you bailed after 25 minutes? Please don't review a film you haven't seen.
D9 was brilliant - didn't resort to cliche, was well acted and brilliantly shot. It was never clear from the outset what was going to happen and it's another step in making sci-fi acceptable in the mainstream. What an amazing debut for Blomkamp!
- Alexmagd, Liverpool, 18/09/2009 09:08
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I thoroughly enjoyed this little jewel. There is a few glaring holes in the movie but the acting is flawless and the blunt references to a new South Africa reflecting a broader international reality, but with the very same past problems, is striking.
- Tbear, Frankfurt, Germany, 18/09/2009 09:08
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Just seen this movie. Oh thank you thank you thank you dear reviewer for clearly expressing what has been brooding in my mind for the past 2 hours. Sorry, this movie DOES NOT deserve to be called a "science fiction" movie.
It's very clear (and more than one commenter has explicitily admitted this) that people loving this movie have no idea on what sci-fi is (no offense intended). Oh please. Scifi is something else. This is a brainless action movie with a brash, elementary allegory.
I can understand the enthusiasm of our South African friends for what is, after all a good yet oversimplified account on their socio-political problem. However scifi lovers please spare your money for something better!!
- Giuseppe, Edinburgh, UK, 18/09/2009 09:08
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I understand that I am among the minority, but I agree with the reviewer's score, just not the reason behind it. I found it extremely hard to enjoy the movie when I despised Wikus' character. The story felt (unceremoniously) fragmented and Wikus' actions and attitude were highly incongruent throughout the film. I was horribly let down by this movie. Perhaps my expectations due to the hype given to me by friends and family was a bit too high.
- Cain, Pennsylvania, 18/09/2009 09:08
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I agree. " Cloverfield + Alien + Black Hawk Down = Unoriginal
I'm sure I'd LOVE this movie if I were a 12 year old. We bailed after 25 min.
" Hmmm.....an alien lab....container with liquid....I think I'll open this up with
my mouth open...Oh my God,.. I'm turning into an alien" gee, didn't see that coming !?! This movie sucked.
- Ed, Mysic,CT, 18/09/2009 09:08
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very original... almost perfect characterisation from newly emerging actors such as sharlto... although some were a massive letdown, such as the shiny headed responce team captain.
- Jkl, Sheffield/England, 18/09/2009 09:08
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I'm afraid this critic has got it all wrong - District 9 is by far the best sci-fi flick in years! I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this movie and I only wish other sci-fi movies were made with this much realism, grit and excitement. Sorry Alastair, I think you should find a new day job.
- Martin, Worthing, England, 18/09/2009 09:08
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Absolutely loved this film and I don't usually like films about aliens or anything sci-fi. I'm South African, hence I went to see it and was amazed at how much I enjoyed it. It had me on the edge of my seat. My favourite laugh out loud line was "one prawn, one bullet" which harked back to the apartheid era saying of "one black, one bullet". Sheer brilliance!
- Melanie, milton keynes, bucks, 18/09/2009 09:08
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I'm left wondering whether the reviewer watched the same District 9 that myself and everybody else has watched. I found it so original, entertaining and gritty. What a pleasure to have all the bangs and whistles without an insult to the intelligence. Refreshing.
- Guy Smith, London, 18/09/2009 09:08
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This is a mad max of scifi - shows how it should be done without the dumb holliwood stars:)
- Sean Dempsey, hayes london., 18/09/2009 09:08
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I thought this movie was excellent. Great to see a completely different take on what happens when aliens turn up on Earth. Obviously, the director has been greatly influenced by apartheid in South Africa, and it is great to see a different take on racism and discrimination.
As for the reviewers comment on the "annoying Citroen ad" - Neil Blomkamp made that commercial, and it's put to much better use here.
- Allen Grove, Bolton, UK, 18/09/2009 09:08
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Tsotse and now District 9. I think south Africa has finally made it into Hollywood. A great sci-fi movie which highlighted the recent xenophobic attacks that took place in our country. Well done. And what a brilliant performance from Sharlto Copley. Yay!!!!!!
- Tallyann, johannesburg south africa, 18/09/2009 09:08
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The sci-fi genre has been crying out for a shot in the arm and Neil Blomkamp has provided. Exciting and engaging on every level, it's hard to believe that this film cost 30m dollars. An awesome film.
- Wayne Brown, Ulverston, England, 18/09/2009 09:08
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Not flawless by any means, but damn good, nevertheless!
- Richard Weston Smith, Santa Barbara, USA, 18/09/2009 09:08
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