I don’t blame you for not watching District 9 yet. You
probably heard it described as social commentary about apartheid thinly disguised as science fiction. While the movie is set in
Johannesburg, it’s not a heavy-handed lecture about race and
inequality. It’s some of the smartest, most compelling sci-fi put to
film this year. The special effects—especially a climactic battle
between a giant robot and a battalion of ruthless, alien-hating
soldiers—surpass even this year’s Star Trek for sheer
awesomeness. Don’t watch it for social justice; watch it because it
fucking kicks ass. (See Movie Times: thestranger.com/film.)

10 replies on “‘District 9’”

  2. “You probably heard it described as social commentary about apartheid thinly disguised as science fiction.”

    While it technically is, it’s well thought out, smart, funny, and not preachy.

  3. It was a witty mix of the hot-button plot points, editing styles and musical tropes from every decent action, sci-fi and xenophobia film over the last couple decades. Though not one decent role for a woman. All-male all the time onscreen, epitomized by the veiny muscle queen army baddies.

  6. i tried hard to get lost in the special effects, but the race commentary won out and i was depressed for two days.. shit was bleaker than ‘children of men ‘. but pretty damng excellent, this one and ‘moon’ rekindled my excitement for the genre.

  7. Hyper violent (guns guns guns) and conceptually violent (the flamethrower-to-the-nursery scene almost had me walking out), but really thought provoking, and not your average scifi plot at all. The Other is always foreign, disgusting, dirty — so let’s cast them as crustaceans. Brilliant!

  8. @6: Actually, Children of Men is what ruined District 9 for me. Its the same movie, but a lot uglier, darker, and more openly damning of what’s going on. District 9 -did- have some well-composed shots taken directly from old apartheid footage though, with the characters swapped out.

  10. ending apartheid sure worked out great

    SA = #1 murder and rape rate in the world in only about 10 short years

    death
    of
    johannesburg
    .
    blogspot
    .
    com

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