District 9 is suprise hit of the Summer

"District 9"
Starring: Sharlto Copley
Grade: A-

Not only is District 9 a last ditch shot of adrenaline for a disappointing popcorn season; but its also a smart and layered thinking film that provides plenty of thrills and insight. The story must be told how this small baby came to be. Director Peter Jackson was looking to produce a Halo movie based on the popular video game, it was very close to happening, until studio disagreements got in the way off what could have been a cash cow. Instead, Jackson along with a man who never made a feature film,created the idea for District 9, which was based off a short film similar in story to District 9.

Director Neill Blomkamp, is the man behind the biggest surprise of the summer, and maybe the year. He has crafted a smart sci-fi movie, that doesn't leave action junkies out in the cold. The film starts with a faux-documentary along with interviews telling of an alien spaceship that stalled out in the sky over Johannesburg, South Africa two decades ago. When the government finally cut into the craft, they found hundreds of malnourished aliens. The aliens were soon transported out of the craft and segregated into District 9, a holding place for alien refugees.

The creatures, called "Prawns" by humans, are looked down upon by the whole population they live among. They've learned to adapt by trading with local gangs who take advantage of them. This must be hard to picture, but the world that Blomkamp creates is as close to real as it gets.

The first 45 minutes are something to rave about, as the film slowly but intensely fills the viewer in on the affects of this situation on the aliens and the humans. We also meet a government worker named Wikus. Wikus played by untrained actor Sharlto Copley, is a revelation. Wikus is an office drone who works for MNU (Multi-National United) an organization that manufactures weapons, and has taken an interest in the aliens advanced technology. This organization has put Sharlto in charge of evicting the aliens from District 9, where they will then be segregated into another, much harsher zone.

The film presents a twist soon there after that I will not go into, only to say that the audience views Wikus in a diffrent light throughout the rest of the film. His character is rich in the fact that he clearly has a metamorphosis as a character. The film asks important questions, but in an un-manipulative way. For those thinking this is only an action film, guess again.

With a budget of only $30 million, District 9 is a marvel to behold in every way. It doesn't break ground as far as the sci-fi genre goes, but it pulls no punches, believes in itself, and isn't afraid to have fun, even in the last 45 minutes, where some critics thought the film got away from itself. Not this one, the last shot is a heartbreaking as it is hopeful