District 9 was directed by Neill Blomkamp and was released in 2009.

This science fiction thriller set in Johannesburg, follows Wikus Van De Merwe (Sharlto Copley), a bureaucrat within the South African government who is chosen to head the relocation of a huge alien population.

And that’s just the basic plot summary! This film does a lot of things in its under two hour run time but manages never to feel bloated. It is split into two major parts which I will call the indie film and blockbuster sections (And you will see why). The Indie film section is a subtle and understated examination of humanity and a metaphor for man’s intolerance and rejection of the thematic ‘other’: the foreign invader. It has a very low budget feel is mostly framed as a documentary which unravels the narrative in a very believable and engaging way. The well executed opening of the film helps to place us within the world of District 9, which is important because, if handled incorrectly, a lot of the film’s comments about humanity could be lost in the spectacle of a sci-fi action epic. Blomkamp manages to make us believe that this could happen in reality and allows us to see a very real and human world in the film. It switches from this documentary style back into a more conventional cinematic style so effortlessly, you barely notice that is has happened.

The blockbuster section of the film however,is a sci-fi action thriller in which a man must race against the clock to save himself and decide the fate of all aliens living on Earth. It is peppered with action set pieces, explosions and a face off with the antagonists of the film. This change of pace contrasts very nicely with the first half of the film and gives a new level of engagement when building up to the finale.

For the most part this change in pace moves the film in a positive direction but there are some issues that crop up. Due to the very attentive and careful filmmaking in the first half of the film, small things in the action sections stick out quite a bit (such as Wikus somehow knowing how to fly an alien spaceship or drive an alien mech). Issues as tiny as these would not really matter in any other by the numbers action film, but when compared to the attention paid to small details in the indie film section, they seem like glaring errors.

The entire films is fantastically shot and is a real showcase for Blomkamp’s skill as a director. The ariel shots in particular, add a feeling of scope to the area in which the aliens are housed and the set always feels very alive. The CGI in integrated very well for the most part, the only exception being when the prawns are filmed on their own which sometimes left the effect looking somewhat dated. I really enjoyed the design choices in the film as well. The ships design takes the science fiction sheen away from all alien related objects and what we are left with is a very realistic looking ship, with dirt, dust and broken pieces. This grounded design also carries over to the prawns themselves, who look very gritty, and are shown acting just as desperately as the humans around them.

The acting in the film is great for the most part, with Copley heading the film fantastically. Wikus is a weak and deplorable man (At least at the beginning of the film), but because of Copley, you just can’t help but love him – think South African David Brent. He just melts into the role and really steals each scene he is in.

An addition I would have liked to see in the film, would be a further development of Wikus’ arc from an average Joe to an action hero and a further development of the friendship that Wikus shares with a Prawn named Christopher. I felt that somewhere in the blockbuster section Wikus randomly stopped being scared and (Justifiably) selfish and he and Christopher became friends who would never leave each other behind. It didn’t take anything away from the film, but I feel like it could have added another layer to the narrative if we got to see more of these arcs. I also would of liked to see a more developed antagonist. This didn’t really matter during the indie film section but the show-down at the end of the film between Wikus and Colonel Venter just felt a little bit weightless.

But now I am just nitpicking. This is a fantastic film and still deserves a place on my top 10. I would rate this film 8/10 and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for an enjoyable and unique film experience.