District 9 is a movie about an alien spaceship that comes to rest over Johannesburg, South Africa. The government first waits for something to happen, and when it does not, they drill into the spaceship to make ‘first contact’. When they drill through, they come across malnourished aliens unable to make their way back home. District 9 is then set up, a camp for the aliens to recover, until a better course of action is decided upon.
This feature debut of South African writer-director Neil Blomkamp and produced by Peter Jackson was called ‘smart and vicious and filled with moments that make you smile at the wonders of contemporary film craft, a bravura calling card from an exciting new talent.”
District 9 brings up a number of moral dilemmas. One of them bringing into focus human rights organizations and their role in such a situation – claims of human rights violations are brought up with regards to the aliens’ living conditions. The other is how far one would go to stand up for his/her ethical rights and beliefs.
Reviewers praised District 9 for creating characters viewers got emotionally attached to. When the moral issues surface during the movie, viewers are compelled to ask themselves the same questions. The movie also used a different filming technique. The first 45 minutes of the plot is told via interviews as well as video footage. This provides a clearer picture of the characters and the events about to take place.
With unique filming techniques, District 9 does have its own set of flaws. However, with a good movie, flaws are overlooked in the grander scheme of things. It is not just a good sci-fi flick, but action packed and has a solid story to its name.