![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Movie Review: District 9
Aug. 14th, 2009 09:00 pmJust got back from seeing "District 9", and I can't stop thinking about it.
From the trailers, I thought the show could go one of two ways:
1) Evil aliens trying to deceive humanity, or
2) Innocuous aliens just trying to get home.
As it turns out, both scenarios were wrong.
First, it's a bloody movie. But that's OK, it makes for a good ride. Lots of bad guys meet various and sundry splashy, squishy, or culinary endings, which is always good in my book.
Second, the first half-hour annoyed me because it seemed irrelevant, and the attitude of the main character was rubbing me the wrong way. As the show went on, I saw what they filmmakers were trying to do, and it all made sense. So be patient, the best is yet to come.
Third, the message was certainly undisguised and perhaps a little heavy-handed, but that's OK too. It's a message that bears repeating.
Fourth, it's kind of depressing, but then again, so is real life if you look at the global human condition. The movie pulled no social punches, so it gets good marks in that area.
Fifth, the effects were well-done. Except for one, which seemed like "Whoa, they sure cut the budget for that scene." Well, you'll probably recognize it when you see it. The rest of them made up for it.
Lastly, I like the ending. It's neither tidy nor definitive, but it leaves the door open for a possible sequel, or not. It's not an obvious "Oh by Mogg's tufted tail, we can milk another film or two out of this franchise" - they could do another one which might work, but if they don't, the story stands on its own and the viewer can fill in all sorts of scenarios for themselves.
If you want more, I'm putting some ( spoilers behind the cut. )
Overall Rating: 8.5 out of 9 stars
From the trailers, I thought the show could go one of two ways:
1) Evil aliens trying to deceive humanity, or
2) Innocuous aliens just trying to get home.
As it turns out, both scenarios were wrong.
First, it's a bloody movie. But that's OK, it makes for a good ride. Lots of bad guys meet various and sundry splashy, squishy, or culinary endings, which is always good in my book.
Second, the first half-hour annoyed me because it seemed irrelevant, and the attitude of the main character was rubbing me the wrong way. As the show went on, I saw what they filmmakers were trying to do, and it all made sense. So be patient, the best is yet to come.
Third, the message was certainly undisguised and perhaps a little heavy-handed, but that's OK too. It's a message that bears repeating.
Fourth, it's kind of depressing, but then again, so is real life if you look at the global human condition. The movie pulled no social punches, so it gets good marks in that area.
Fifth, the effects were well-done. Except for one, which seemed like "Whoa, they sure cut the budget for that scene." Well, you'll probably recognize it when you see it. The rest of them made up for it.
Lastly, I like the ending. It's neither tidy nor definitive, but it leaves the door open for a possible sequel, or not. It's not an obvious "Oh by Mogg's tufted tail, we can milk another film or two out of this franchise" - they could do another one which might work, but if they don't, the story stands on its own and the viewer can fill in all sorts of scenarios for themselves.
If you want more, I'm putting some ( spoilers behind the cut. )
Overall Rating: 8.5 out of 9 stars
