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District 9

There are films that declare themselves profound examples of society and urge every person with eyes to feast on their glorious portrayal. And then there are those films that let their merit speak for themselves; they don't tell you what to think, or even what you're in store for, they simply construct a world on the screen and let you make the conclusions yourself. This latter category is what makes cinema so enrapturing, and what makes "District 9" one of the best science-fiction movies of the decade.



"District 9" sells itself not on plot or high-profile names, but rather on setting and premise. Without delving too deep into the facts laid out over blog and web pages, you can probably deduce that "District 9" is about an alien ship that appears on the skyline, and for some reason or another, earthly forces are keeping the ship anchored. Its inhabitants forced to reside in the isolated land below it, known only as District 9.

That being said, the landscape of "District 9" is so visually remarkable and piques such foreign curiosity that the storyline and action that proceed are both fully surprising and magnetizing.

The aliens, or "prawns," are disturbing, in action and appearance. The weaponry is innovative and uproariously awesome. The area known as District 9 is frightening and exciting. But the politics and the emotions that are interwoven throughout are palatable.

Director/writer Neil Bloomkamp takes a look at fears, reactions and prejudices that affect us in our everyday domestic lives, except he sets them in wild, alien terms that are both visually and intellectually fascinating.

"District 9" stands just as tall as other high-octane summer blockbusters. But the explosions and adrenaline-pumping scenes are only a bonus to the deeper questions and themes. Is there humanity in non-humans? Is human nature truly evil and violent? If alien life exists, do we want to interact with it, or draw bold lines between us and them? And what happens when that line gets blurred?

They're all challenging quandaries, but "District 9" merely asks them. It's up to the viewer to take away what they may.

Written by: Ted Simmons

Reviewers Rating: 8
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