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I'm shocked there hasn't been a thread for this yet. Has anyone seen it?
I saw it today and really liked it, but am going to hold off on details and thoughts until a few more chime in.
If you haven't seen it yet, I recommend that you do. It is a HUGE movie in every way imaginable. Wonderful reviews all across the board, and a big opening weeknd of $37 Million in NA. Replay value is also monstrously large, as there's just so much going on in just about every "shot" and scene.
Highly recommended!!!
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dresseme
Posted: August 16th, 2009, 8:57pm
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Glad to see you liked this, Jeff!!
It was such a great film on so many levels, and it seamlessly jumped between genres/style of filmmaking.
Also, I was surprised a Hollywood studio had anything to do with this film being released. It was by far the most unique thing that's been released in some time.
I agree, Matt. The way it started out, I wasn't sure where we were going or what the genre was going to be. The fact that there is zero star power here is also quite amazing.
I look forward to hearing more feedback on it. I've got alot to say about it, but am going to hold out for as long as I can.
I was thinking about starting a thread on this after I saw it Friday night. Very interesting film. Was thinking i was in for another Cloverfield, but they interchanged from documentary style filming and standard filming beautifully.
SPOILERS!!!!!!!
I thought him trying to get in touch with his wife became a little long-winded and boring. I also didn't get how a biological agent that infected him could power their whole spaceship. And the biggest plot hole to me, why the fuck were they looking for it through the garbage in a dump. Took 20 yrs to find enough??? What could they have found in a dump that they didn't put there themselves???
Aside from that, great action sequences, and impressively brutal. It leaves you knowing he will come back. But come back to do what???
I didn't get it in the beginning. Wtf are these stupid alieans doing with so much technology. Then to find out they were all mostly grunts was a fresh take. Just one leader.
Loved the flick, very un-Hollywood. Would like to see it do well.
And the biggest plot hole to me, why the fuck were they looking for it through the garbage in a dump. Took 20 yrs to find enough??? What could they have found in a dump that they didn't put there themselves???
They were looking for parts of their own technology that was discarded by other aliens. Christopher had hidden the drop ship that had fallen off (seen in previous shots). He was making it his secret mission, with the help of the other alien, to get up to the ship and get help.
And as far as it taking 20 years, I believe a lot of that had to do with processing the fluid; hence why they had a set-up that looked like a meth-lab. Also, they seemed to be doing it drop by drop.
He was a very unlikable character until the end. I especially didn't like him after he tryed to take Christophers ship to fix himself and almost dooming any chance they had. And that was after he had talked to his wife... twice.
As far as this stuff being dicarded by other aliens, when was this explained??
As far as this stuff being dicarded by other aliens, when was this explained??
I think it was something you were supposed to take for granted. That they were either finding stuff that was discarded by other aliens or things that fell off of the ship; most likely the former.
Like I said before, they were trying to keep their operation secret, so going around asking for stuff might raise suspicions, especially with MNU.
Fair enough, I just had to nit-pick a little. Either way it wasn't what made or broke the movie. There will always be tiny details in question with sci-fi. Still, unbelievable flick overall. I have to believe Peter Jackson must have really pushed this one on the studios to get it made.
Saw this movie, I loved the whole idea of the aliens landing on earth accidently and all, but when watching it, the acting, the directions and all the visual effects put together it seemed too sci-fi/geek boy-ish to me and that completely turned me off. Mostly because it was too videogame like and that's pretty annoying, to me anyways, when picking a movie to watch.
Still it's a great movie, I've been waiting a while to watch it and it deserves to be seen. So go out and buy a ticket.
Those who believe that they are the best, the most popular, the go to guy, those are usually the ones who need the most help.
Beautiful, BEAUTIFUL movie. The year's best so far.
I think this is the first time I've experienced just about every emotion at the theater. Sadness, fear, anger, happiness, resentment, anxiety... you name it, District 9 knew how to pull it out of you. I was drained by the time it was over.
I think the thing that surprised me most about the movie is the editing, and it's only because I never even paid attention to it until the film was already over. I didn't even notice the transition from the documentary footage to the actual film because this is one of the first times that I've been absolutely absorbed by everything else going on. The sound, the visuals, and the story captivated me in a way no movie has all year because it all came together seamlessly.
I hope this gets nominated for Best Picture next year. With ten nominations this time around, there's no reason it shouldn't.
I really, really enjoyed it. I think it's my favorite movie of the year so far. It was about time someone came up with an original Sci-Fi. This was excellent.
The special effects were downright groundbreaking too. Those aliens looked like they were actually there. They didn't even look like CGI or any other effect I've seen before.
10/10 -- I loved, loved this movie. Such a detachment from the lackluster mainstream films of today.
I thought it was very unique, moving, and just awesome. One of the best Sci-Fi films I've ever seen and if not the best, one of the best films of the year. I LOVE how they shot it like documentary style. It gives a realistic feeling. I actually liked the main character but really hated him with what he did to Christopher and all that. It's one you can't pass up. Best of the summer so far.
9/10
Isle 10- A series I'm currently writing with my friend Adam and it will go into production soon. Think The Office meets 10 Items or Less.
In all aspects. I can't recall ANY film have so many ideas, so much heart, and so much going on. Afterwards I had to just watch it again. I'm gonna get up early tomorrow and then I'll watch it again. I think you get the idea. 'nuff said.
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I've yet to have the pleasure. I heard about Neill Blomkamp a while ago through the excellent Scriptshadow. I'd never read so much praise directed at one individual on that site. Any praise there is rare.
I've spent most of the evening watching the trailers. It's been amazing. How can you make trailers that good. Answer: Write a good script then get some talent to film it.
An incredible film. No doubt, the BEST film of the summer. Superb acting, great special effects, unique story, and lots of blood-splosions.
Interesting tidbit. I read on IMDB that originally Peter Jackson told Blomkamp that he could direct the Halo movie. When that movie fell through, Jackson gave $35 million to Blomkamp and told him he could direct anything that he wanted to direct. Blomkamp, in turn, chose to direct this movie.
I gave this movie a solid A . With this and Moon, the sci-fi genre may be due for a comeback...
My wife and I saw this last night and we both walked away pretty disappointed. Once you get past all the visuals, this film was a pretty much run-of-the-mill unfocussed sci-fi flick.
SPOILERS... FOR SOME OF YOU... MAYBE
The first few minutes make the movie seem that a mockumentary--which seemed to be the way to go with this. Characters were interviewed. They talked to the camera. There was a little bit of 'did you film this,' etc.
Shortly after this, the genre turned to sci-fi action, losing that great documentary feel, only to have it return at the end.
Characterization in this movie, IMHO, was very flat. The main character, Wikus, is an unattractive, goofy, cowardly, insensitive asshole with no redeeming qualities about him. Yet he has a great job and a hot wife. This character couldn't die a slow and painful enough death to suit my needs.
The aliens (the 'Prawn') were great visually. but they quickly lost steam. They were introduced as insectoid creatures who were much stronger than humans, but they were getting bitch-slapped before to long. And, despite their physical difference, they had too many human mannerisms for my taste. When they get mad, they hit walls and knock things off the table. And, in one scene, a father prawn affectionately rubs the head of his prawn son.
There are a lot of other things that annoyed me, but I thought that this would be enough to get my point across.
Got to agree with the dog here - funnily enough not with his provided points, but the spirit of it.
Good film, but it's being judged by a different standard 'cos it's South African in my view. I watched it with a friend from Cape Town, and he was very excited to see such a momentous release for their film industry. However, he too, felt that the accent brought a level of unnecessary comedy - even though he sounds more or less the same!
I just think the reaction is a little disproportionate to its quality. That said, it did veer off the standard hero quest which set it aside to a degree, but it remained pretty formulaic aside. Bad guys, a anti-hero protagonist and the - now obligatory - metaphorical need to "integrate"/pick your message. Nice social commentary, and the nod towards greed and its complexities when faced off with ethics - again, all very nice. But all of this talk about originality? That seems a stretch to me - what was original exactly? All of the themes have been touched on before, and visually it didn't break any boundaries - narratively? No, not to my mind. I don't want to "hate on it", 'cos it was good, but it also seems like a reaction to American dominance of the international wide release. Also, politically it was obvious a 'Saffa' film would permeate the globe ahead of the World Cup.
Did anyone feel it was also paying a serious level of homage to 'RoboCop'? I mean, the mechanical beast that the Wikus helmed was surely a - not so subtle - nod to ED209? MNU was surely OCP, and the forced Wikus metamorphosis was a variation of Alex Murphy/RoboCop. There also seemed to be a large dose of the social message that 'RoboCop' provided.
All in all, good film - very good even, but "Film of the decade", hell, "Film of the year"? That's just being caught up in a marketing wave, IMO.
It's the best film I've seen this year by a mile. I was surprised this only cost $35m to make, it looks like it could have cost so much more. I guess this shows what you can do if you don't spend half your budget on a big name/bigger ego actor. Big thumbs up to the special effects guys, the detail in the aliens were amazing.
I just watched this, and agree with a lot of what Phil said.
Either make it all doco, or not at all.
I could never take the aliens seriously, and it ruined the film for me.
The main character wasn't very likable and in points was thinking "Just kill him! Geeez!" I do find it very interesting that this was was the main characters first and last film, in terms of acting. I find it even more interesting that he ad-libbed ALL his lines.
Thoughts on this?
Saying all that, it definately wasn't a bad film at all. Original, very well shot and with a good message. I give it a ... 7/10.
Just seen this today and thought it was a peculiar film. It was good and had some great moments but felt the beginning to be a little slow. I also didn't like the camera documentary style part, it just didn't suit the film.
My one big question was, why did they want the aliens to sign this form? Seemed like a complete waste of time.
Wow, I guess i'm one of the only ones who that hands down it was THE best film of the summer. District 10 shall be interesting but I'm really worried about that. the last thing you want to do is create a movie universally loved, only to create a sequel universally hated.
Isle 10- A series I'm currently writing with my friend Adam and it will go into production soon. Think The Office meets 10 Items or Less.
Just went to see this tonight. People have been telling me that it's good, but I wasn't expecting to see one of the best films I've ever seen.
It's unbelievably good.
Incredibly powerful, brilliantly subversive, it's a genuine masterpiece.
I've not enjoyed a film as much since Empire Strikes Back.
The only slight problem I had with it has been mentioend by other people, this idea that they had to collect alien technology to get the fluid. Didn't make a lot of sense that they ahd to sort through trash to find stuff that must have come from the mother ship. Even in writing that though I can think of a plausible explanation, so I'm going to let them off.
A truly breathtaking film.
As to those saying that its reception is just because it's South African...no way. It's just based on the sheer power of the film. It destroys anything I've seen in a long, long time.
Saw it a while ago and, because everyone was telling me how great this movie was, I went into the theater with huge expectations...and I left it feeling quite disappointed.
It's not a bad movie at all, no, it's just not that memorable. Yes, the Apartheid references and Wikus' arc were nicely done but...it's just been done before, like in Enemy Mine. Once it turned into an action movie it became very generic and that huge walker looked like something right out of Matrix Revolutions.
A decent movie but definitely not a masterpiece or groundbreaking in any way.
Down in the hole / Jesus tries to crack a smile / Beneath another shovel load
I thought this film was really good, but would not say masterpiece. I think the premise was brilliant and it had all the makings of a masterpiece of sci-fi but a few things let it down slightly for me.
Towards the end it turned into too much of an action movie and for me it slightly overshadowed the incredible human drama that was unfolding throughout the film. There was an homage to The Fly when he was pulling his fingernails out and I felt although they came close they could have done much more with his transformation. But, it was a fairly big budget and one would assume that there was pressure to ensure we had the gunfights and robocop ending to please the masses.
The ending though was superb, they managed to pull things back to the important aspect of the story and I have to say I had a tear in my eye right at the finish.
But it certainly was a great film, one of those rare films that after watching I just sit in silence for 5 mins saying "fuck, fuck, fuck" to myself..."why couldn't I have come up with that?".
Funny...I started this thread and never came back to give my complete thoughts.
I really liked it and thought it was very well done, very entertaining, and overall, a great movie. I defintely wouldn't call it a masterpiece, though. I didn't really like the whole transformation thing going on and thought it came off a bit hokey. I actually loved the ending though and agree with Murphy that it was very powerful, and just about tear jerking.
I look forward to seeing again, and think it has very high replay value.
Funny...I started this thread and never came back to give my complete thoughts.
I really liked it and thought it was very well done, very entertaining, and overall, a great movie. I defintely wouldn't call it a masterpiece, though. I didn't really like the whole transformation thing going on and thought it came off a bit hokey. I actually loved the ending though and agree with Murphy that it was very powerful, and just about tear jerking.
I look forward to seeing again, and think it has very high replay value.
Just for a point of comparison:
Which films in the last 10 years have been masterpieces, in your opinion?
For me there han't been a mainstream release that has come even into the same league as this film.
Oscars:
Shakespeare in Love. American Beauty Gladiator A Beautiful Mind Chicago Lord of the Rings Million Dollar Baby Crash The Departed No Country for Old Men Slumdog Millionaire.
Not one of those films is even in the same league as District 9 as far as I'm concerned. Lord of the Rings is perhaps the closest, but it never got close to the sheer power of this bad boy.
Dec, I defintely don't go by Oscar winners, or even Oscar nominated movies, when listing "the best" movies.
I don't have time to go check out which movies are from the last 10 years, but from your list, all of the LOTR movies, IMO, were simply fantastic. Gladiator was also much better.
Dec, I defintely don't go by Oscar winners, or even Oscar nominated movies, when listing "the best" movies.
I don't have time to go check out which movies are from the last 10 years, but from your list, all of the LOTR movies, IMO, were simply fantastic. Gladiator was also much better.
Fair enough, I agree about the Oscars, but it does put things in perspective.
Ultimately it's all subjective, but for me D9 is better than those by a long way. In terms of filmmaking the LOTR films were excellent, but the first book was boring and the third was frankly a bit poor and the films followed them faithfully and so suffered the same fate.
Gladiator was an intense, stimulating experience, but lacked any depth or truth.
Still, I'd call them great films but D9 has joined a very select group films for me. Frankly, I'd given up thinking that a film could be made that actually told such an interesting, but ambitious story.
For the first time in my life I now think it's possible that someone could make a better film than Star Wars.
Blomkamp probably won't manage it himself, but he's single-handedly raised the bar for me and looks like the first Director with the chops to replace the last generation of greats.
Star Wars? OK, based on when it was released, and how "big' it was, I understand...to a point.
The first 2 sequels were very good...probably better, IMO than the original. But since then, the additional sequels/prequels, whatever they were, have been weak at best. Maybe I'm just older and don't care any longer about that kind of stuff. I don't know. But I remember very clearly going to see the one with Jar Jar Binks (or whatever his name was), and my sister and her husband (as well as myself) were all totally disappointed with where the franchise had gone. We left actually saying that we disliked the movie and were all shocked how lame it was.
One of my favorite movies of all time (in terms of "big" movies) is defintely "The Abyss". It works on all levels and is still one of the few movies that will bring me to tears at numerous times, for different reasons. Just saw it again 2 nights ago, and once again, I was wiping my tired old eyes. That's one of a handful I would call masterpeices.
Star Wars? OK, based on when it was released, and how "big' it was, I understand...to a point.
The first 2 sequels were very good...probably better, IMO than the original. But since then, the additional sequels/prequels, whatever they were, have been weak at best. Maybe I'm just older and don't care any longer about that kind of stuff. I don't know. But I remember very clearly going to see the one with Jar Jar Binks (or whatever his name was), and my sister and her husband (as well as myself) were all totally disappointed with where the franchise had gone. We left actually saying that we disliked the movie and were all shocked how lame it was.
One of my favorite movies of all time (in terms of "big" movies) is defintely "The Abyss". It works on all levels and is still one of the few movies that will bring me to tears at numerous times, for different reasons. Just saw it again 2 nights ago, and once again, I was wiping my tired old eyes. That's one of a handful I would call masterpeices.
The new ones are terrible. I don't deny that. I'm just talking about the originals.
The Abyss is a great film, one of my favourite films as well. Although I've never cried at it.
The Abyss is probably Cameron's most complete movie to date, it works on all levels be it drama, suspense or action and IMO it's as close to a masterpeice as you're likely to come. For me, it's one of those movies that keeps adding new layers every time I see it, much like Alien3 (and I've seen both about a gazillion times).
D9 wasn't a homerun for me and while I definitely wouldn't call it a foul ball, it just didn't connect with me. The whole setting just required more suspension of disbelief that I'm willing to accept - and I'm not talking about aliens arriving at Earth (I can believe that ). No, it's the fact that they (the prawns) were interned at D9 and pretty much left for themselves (while a Nigerian warlord is allowed to run a black market inside - wtf?). Now, while that may be "normal" in real African ghettos (with real people) I doubt that would happen to an alien species.
I might be wrong but if an alien race arrives on Earth (be it now or twenty years ago) I seriously doubt that the average human being would be allowed within five feet of them. The aliens would be hauled off to some undisclosed location(s) for testing, prodding and dissection (as quite a few are in this movie) and the moment one of them harms a human being they would be wiped out.
Cynical as that may seem, that would be the human way.
Wikus' journey from an ignorant racist to "one of them" was good, no doubt about it, but it just reminded me too much of Dennis Quaid's journey in Enemy Mine (another film laced with racial metaphors).
There's just nothing new under the sun in this movie.
Down in the hole / Jesus tries to crack a smile / Beneath another shovel load
The Abyss is an original idea, Titanic is not. Abyss works on so many more levels, and has so much more to it. I wouldn't even put the two films in teh same sentence unless the subjet was Cameron films, or films that took place in an ocean.
I finally saw this movie and really enjoyed it because it shows you don't have to follow the Hollywood (Everything is the same) plot outline for a movie to be entertaining.
One question for those who saw the movie (Spoiler alert) was the alien at the end holding the flower, Wikus and if it was how can Christopher come back three years later and save him if he's fully transformed?
I finally saw this movie and really enjoyed it because it shows you don't have to follow the Hollywood (Everything is the same) plot outline for a movie to be entertaining.
One question for those who saw the movie (Spoiler alert) was the alien at the end holding the flower, Wikus and if it was how can Christopher come back three years later and save him if he's fully transformed?
Yeah it was.
His DNA has combined with the Alien DNA, but his original DNA will still eb there as well so he can probably be turned back.
The Alien seemd to think it was possible, so we just have to go with that. Teh science is made up after all.
I finally saw this movie and really enjoyed it because it shows you don't have to follow the Hollywood (Everything is the same) plot outline for a movie to be entertaining.
Original? You mean a plot where the scumbag learns the errors of his ways after finding the shoe is on the other foot?
You expected him to be a transforming robot or something?
He's unapologetic and honestly I don't think he does learn anything. The only reason he saved Christopher was to save himself becoming a Prawn.
Earlier he proved he cannot pilot an alien ship and if he were to go back to the alien home world I doubt they'd help him.
To me you take from movies what you will.
I don't think that's true. He is prepared to sacrifice himself at the end to protect his alien friends son.
There's been a complete character arc.
The originality in the film is not in the major story arc. It lies in its subversive qualities, making the human political system and humans the enemy in a way I've not seen before.
It just goes further than any other film to show humans brutality. The killing of the babies was absolutely shocking and hit harder than anything I've seen in a Sci-Fi film or pretty much anything I've seen full stop.
It was original in the way Tarantino filsm are. It borrowed ideas from multiples sources to create a fresh whole.
It's a great film. Really inspirational for me as a filmmaker as well. Just so raw, but attainable at the same time.
Peter Jackson makes Bad Taste, Meet The Feebles and Braindead (Dead Alive), three of the greatest movies ever made. Makes it big, does LOTR trilogy, wins more Academy Awards than any Hollywood or arthouse director in history. Makes it bigger, does King Kong for $200,000,000, gets paid $20 million dollars, a bigger salary than any Hollywood director in history... and at the end of the day, the guy is gracious enough to give a first-time director the chance to make any movie he wants with no creative restraints on a genuine Hollywood budget. The result. A pretty damn impressive sci-fi flick.
This is why Peter Jackson is God. In fact, take away District 9, King Kong, LOTR... still God. Dead Alive is the greatest zombie movie ever made. I don't care what anyone says.
That said, I had mixed feelings about this one. Surprisingly, I thought Avatar was a better film even though its obviously pansy in comparison. Seriously. Cute, sexy blue Pandora natives in a gorgeous glow-in-the-dark alien rainforest vs. hideous insectoid freaks in a junkyard slum. Which one are you going to take your kids to see? This is the stuff I loved about District 9. Sci-fi movies for the past 20 years or so have been about flash. Even The Matrix which holds a very dark future for mankind. District 9 has complete disregard for flash. The film is gritty, brutal, messy and repulsive. No Jar-Jar Binks here. The prawns are the grossest aliens I've seen since Predator and yet they have enough emotion that you cared about them. The visuals were amazing as well yet still completely against the norm. A very hostile, borderline-cyberpunk environment. Not to mention there were more guts flying around than lasers. I really wish there was more down-and-dirty sci-fi out there.
I did have some issues with the dialogue. It wasn't particularly bad but it felt lazy at times and melodrama was abundant. The scenes with Wikus trying to talk to his wife were nonsense. After what'd been publicized about Wikus's exploits, I don't think she'd ever want to talk to him ever again. Same goes for Christopher's promises made to Wikus. Frankly, he owed this guy nothing. He was a scumbag, betrayed Christopher numerous times and never genuinely cared about him. I think a lot of the characters made some pretty bad decisions throughout.
That said, I didn't have the problems with Wikus others have had so far. He was a scumbag and a coward, absolutely. Very few redeeming qualities. That said, I wouldn't have had it any other way. He was in charge of keeping the prawns as far from humans as possible. His job practically required him to see them as lesser beings. Scum. Then all of a sudden, he's one of them. One of the very creatures he's come to hate. He's completely shunned by his own kind and has no choice but to turn to the creatures he despises for help. I think he acted in a perfectly natural way given the circumstances.
The documentary stuff was decent and I think the film segwayed into action pretty seemlessly. It wouldn't been interesting to see how it would've turned out if they stuff to the mockumentary format the whole way through.
Overall, I went into District 9 with very few expectations and I think I was both pleasantly surprised and disappointed. Surprised because it was the kind of gritty, down-and-dirty sci-fi I'd like to see more of. Back to its roots so to speak. Alien, Blade Runner, even Total Recall which wasn't all that great. Disappointed because it wasn't better than a sci-fi film that was blatantly mainstream, politically correct and universally accessible. Still, excellent film I think.
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). No, it's the fact that they (the prawns) were interned at D9 and pretty much left for themselves (while a Nigerian warlord is allowed to run a black market inside - wtf?). Now, while that may be "normal" in real African ghettos (with real people) I doubt that would happen to an alien species. 
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