# District 9 (2009)



## StoryForge (Jul 10, 2009)

I have yet to see any threads on the movie District 9 by Peter Jackson?  Anyone?  We think it looks....awesome.  period.


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## Dave (Jul 10, 2009)

*Re: District 9*

I hadn't heard about it until someone mentioned it here in connection with the remake of the 'Alien Nation' TV series. Then I Googled it and was surprised that it has had so little publicity. When is the release date?


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## mygoditsraining (Jul 10, 2009)

*Re: District 9*

August 14th.

One of the less "teasing" trailers can be seen here:

YouTube - 'District 9' Trailer 2 HD

A lot of the publicity so far has been in the form of an alternate reality game, where the MNU, the private corporation looking to control the alien technology, has been openly recruiting whilst concurrently silencing a series of fake 'blogs protesting for alien rights.

I think I can sum up my excitement about this movie in four words:

Mech catches rocket.  _SWEET_.


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## clovis-man (Jul 11, 2009)

Saw a trailer on "Nothing But Trailers" on UNIHD. Now I'm intrigued. The story line is interesting to say the least, seemingly indicating that stressful situations can always be relied upon to bring out the worst in us.

District 9 (2009)

Haven't seen any advance reviews (I don't think the film is rated yet), but I'll likely see this one early.


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## Rodders (Jul 11, 2009)

I like the look of this. Could be a very interesting racism allegory. (Is that the right word?) 

Reminded me somewhat of Alien Nation.


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## Dave (Jul 11, 2009)

D-9.com

IMDb says the UK release date is later, 4 September 2009.


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## AE35Unit (Jul 11, 2009)

Hmmm not heard about this one,will keep an eye out for it!


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## Rodders (Jul 13, 2009)

Check out the trailer on youtube AE. Looks interesting.


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## Xelebes (Jul 21, 2009)

Just saw the trailer today.  I'm kinda piqued.


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## Pyar (Jul 21, 2009)

This looks awesome. Hopefully it will live up to the trailer lol.


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## Scifi fan (Jul 23, 2009)

I think we all agree it looks like Alien Nation. But Alien Nation never dealt with the true ramifications of an alien species coming here, and this movie probably won't do so either.


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## TK-421 (Jul 23, 2009)

Saw the trailer. Looks interesting. I like the South African ghetto angle.


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## Rinman (Jul 23, 2009)

But the fact that it was done by Peter Jackson is the fact that it _damn well should_ do good.


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## Doublehex (Jul 24, 2009)

Rinman said:


> But the fact that it was done by Peter Jackson is the fact that it _damn well should_ do good.


And yet, almost nobody knows the damn movie even exists.

I'm concerned.


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## Rinman (Jul 24, 2009)

For some odd reason too, when I saw the preview for the first time, the alien or whatever, made me think of predator...

Funny thing is, I don't remember seeing Alien vs. Predator...or Predator for that manner - I know I've seen Predator though. I just don't know why the absolute first thing that crossed my mind was a take off of Predator...odd.


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## TheMoirae (Aug 7, 2009)

My first thought was that this was an Alien Nation remake, but apparently all the aliens are quarantined in the "District 9".  Interesting, and more realistic than the Alien Nation scenario.


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## clovis-man (Aug 7, 2009)

TheMoirae said:


> My first thought was that this was an Alien Nation remake, but apparently all the aliens are quarantined in the "District 9". Interesting, and more realistic than the Alien Nation scenario.


 
I always thought *Alien Nation* was just about some Yuppies with dappled bald heads.


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## Dave (Aug 8, 2009)

I think *Alien Nation* worked because the humour helped the 'message' work-in deeper i.e. the drinking sour milk to get intoxicated, and avoiding sea water (though the scene in the film when they threw one in the sea was pure horror.) We opened up our arms to the _Newcomers_ (although they were in camps for 5 years first) and you saw them assimilated into every part of society - businessmen, policemen, criminals and prostitutes. The fact that they had been slaves in their own society became apparent only later.

I suspect that *District 9* would be closer to the truth if this event ever occurred. However, it looks to be much more blatant in it's message, and wonder if it will work as well.


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## Omphalos (Aug 8, 2009)

We've been following this movie on my website for months.  I've been seeing ads for this film on NBC, Sf-Fy (blech name), and a few other networks like USA and TBS for several weeks now.  This thing is not getting as much buzz as _Moon _got, but really, its not _that_ much less.  A lot of people seem to be talking about this.


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## Omphalos (Aug 8, 2009)

Dave said:


> i.e. the drinking sour milk to get intoxicated,



I know you are talking about Alien Nation here, but in South Africa, where District 9 is set, many do drink sour milk to become intoxicated.


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## clovis-man (Aug 15, 2009)

Initial critic reviews have been pretty good. Anybody seen it yet? I'm going to try for Monday.


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## clovis-man (Aug 21, 2009)

Saw it today. Not for the squeamish (just a heads up). But it turned out to be pretty good. The lead character (Wickus) really went through some acting somersaults. The "Prawns" were intriguing, but except for the two main characters, were pretty one dimensional. Lots of thrills and spills, so action buffs will be happy. Recommended.

And would you believe that the story line left it open for a sequel? Stay tuned for *District 10*.


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## Scifi fan (Aug 21, 2009)

What do you mean, not for the squeamish? Lots of blood and gore? I'm not into that.


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## Blackrook (Aug 21, 2009)

Seen it.

The movie is a political message about racial problems in South Africa.  I'm not sure what the message is.

The aliens are all of the worker class and they are dumb as rocks.  They apparently lost their leadership at some point and they're too stupid to take care of themselves.  So Earthlings put the aliens in a refugee camp, where they get free food but very shoddy housing.  The aliens are violent so they are segregated from humans behind barbed wire.

If the aliens are supposed to represent black people, then it's a very insulting movie to black people.  I can't see any other interpretation though.


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## dustinzgirl (Aug 21, 2009)

They are worker class. I would imagine kind of like ants. Ending has a nice set up for a second flick.

However, most of it is so drawn out and boring that I wish I would have waited for the DVD.


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## clovis-man (Aug 21, 2009)

Scifi fan said:


> What do you mean, not for the squeamish? Lots of blood and gore? I'm not into that.



Yeah. You could describe it that way. But there is more to the story than just that. And as far as for whom or what the characters served as metaphors, more than one interpretation could be argued. I could see the planned relocation as looking a great deal like urban efforts to deal with homeless in the U.S. (minus the violence). Saying more about the putative intelligence of the aliens would be loaded with spoilers. Suffice to say, I'd have liked for it to have been more fully explored. But that would have added another 30 minutes to the film, I imagine.

The relationship between Wickus and the one alien imbued by the script as being intelligent was one of the best parts of the tale. Lots of all too human foibles on both sides. OTOH, the army of NMU goons did, in fact, look way too much like the vigilante mobs during the height of the Apartheid unrest.

Still, I found the overall experience to be worthwhile.


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## _Jack_ (Aug 21, 2009)

dustinzgirl said:


> ...


 
My babies - will you have them? 

_Anyway_...

This would be okay if viewed on HBO in a few months, but I kinda wish I had saved my eight bucks. It's not a bad, movie, you know, it's just...gah, you guys know what I'm talking about. It had promise, but it turned into a run-of-the-mill shoot-em-up. Iunno. Solid *C*.

Directors: No one, I mean _no one_, likes crazy-realistic-super-shaky camera work. Knock it off.


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## dustinzgirl (Aug 21, 2009)

_Jack_ said:


> My babies - will you have them?
> 
> _Anyway_...
> 
> ...



Pfft...get a job jack! Whats up doll? You should make a welcome post. 

(jack is my friend, all) 

Yeah.....and I have no idea why it was rated R...my ten year old was like OMG mom this is stupid. 

I wish I would have went to see G-Force instead.

I really wish it would have only costed eight bucks. It was me and my two boys at 6.50 each, plus medium popcorn, drink, and candy @ 8$ per package. So my total 43.50$ for two hours of boredom.


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## Michael01 (Aug 22, 2009)

This thread might be nearly a month old, but I've seen a few previews so far on TV - and I was intrigued immediately just by the few seconds shown.  Now, after seeing the trailer, I think this is one I definitely MUST see!


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## Rodders (Aug 23, 2009)

I really like the look of this, but i'll probably wait until it comes out on DVD. Interesting that peoples opinions are so mixed though.


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## dustinzgirl (Aug 23, 2009)

Michael01 said:


> This thread might be nearly a month old, but I've seen a few previews so far on TV - and I was intrigued immediately just by the few seconds shown.  Now, after seeing the trailer, I think this is one I definitely MUST see!



Those intriguing few minutes you see on the tele are the only most interesting moments on the whole two hour movie.


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## Michael01 (Aug 23, 2009)

dustinzgirl said:


> Those intriguing few minutes you see on the tele are the only most interesting moments on the whole two hour movie.


 
Haha!  Yes that usually is the case, isn't it?


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## Hilarious Joke (Aug 24, 2009)

Well I liked it. I thought most of it was interesting. And I don't usually like dark depressing movies.


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## Rodders (Aug 28, 2009)

People keep going on about this, yet i've never even heard of, let alone seen districts 1 through 8.


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## jojajihisc (Aug 28, 2009)

Very intense film. I thought if the makers were going for an anti-apartheid message or whatever that it was a secondary consideration and the main focus was on making an original science fiction movie.


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## Rodders (Aug 28, 2009)

Like Moon, this will be one for the DVD collection, but i can already see it being a film that i'll watch several times.


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## mygoditsraining (Sep 6, 2009)

Watched it last night.  

Very enjoyable; maybe not as deep or as hard-hitting as the initial viral campaign might have suggested, but still a good watch.  It's always nice to have a protagonist who goes through an actual personal journey as part of the story as opposed to the usual popcorn guff where the hero starts off perfect and the story just churns from there onwards.

Also, mech suit catches rocket-propelled grenade.  _What's not to love?_


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## Wybren (Sep 6, 2009)

I liked it. I hadn't heard much of it, but my husband convinced me to see it. While there could have been more done in regards to the aliens IMHO I think the story was good and weird. I thought the end of that army guy was kind of fitting too.


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## ChrisQ (Sep 6, 2009)

I really liked this. I was thinking it was going to be like a Starship Troopers type movie, but it's not. It's so hard to find good sci-fi (or action movies for that matter) where the characters grow and there's a nice arc to their change. Really refreshing. I thoroughly enjoyed this, and I'm really hoping they don't screw it up with a crappy sequel.


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## biodroid (Sep 7, 2009)

It was definitley not a hollywood type movie and was so well done. The story was well written the SFX were brilliant for the small budget, everything worked well for this movie and deserves all the praise it gets. Go South Africa! And it's great for my country to show that we are just as competitive in the movie industry.


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## Anthony G Williams (Sep 13, 2009)

(An extract from my SFF blog)

A new SF film set in the near future (currently on limited release in the UK), concerning what happens when a vast alien spaceship arrives on Earth, finally coming to rest in the sky a few thousand feet above Johannesburg in South Africa. Nothing happens for three months, after which humans decide to cut their way in. To their astonishment, they find a million starving, helpless aliens, who bear a close resemblance to human-sized crustaceans and are promptly dubbed "Prawns". The Prawns are evacuated from the ship and moved into a camp beneath it, in a zone which soon becomes a huge shanty-town called "District 9". Humans and Prawns are unable to speak each other's languages (the impressively alien-sounding Prawn speech could never come from a human throat) but do learn to understand each other.

The action in the film takes place twenty years later, when the Prawn population has nearly doubled. The Prawns live sordid lives at a basic subsistence level, with no indication of understanding the sophisticated technology of their spacecraft and weapon systems; these are useless to humans as they can only be operated by those with Prawn DNA. District 9 is officially looked after by an organisation called "Multinational United" (MNU), effectively a private security firm, but is unofficially controlled by Nigerian gangsters who exploit the Prawns. 

Increasing resentment from the local human population has prompted a plan to relocate the Prawn community to a secure zone in a remote area of the country. MNU is given the task under the leadership of Wikus van de Merwe; a well-meaning but ineffectual administrator who happens to be the son-in-law of the director of MNU. What happens is told partly in flash-back by commentators apparently appearing in a TV documentary, but mostly in real time.

The relocation attempt is met by resistance, brutally handled by the military wing of the MNU over the protests of Wikus. As a result of a bizarre accident, Wikus absorbs alien DNA and begins to acquire Prawn characteristics. He instantly becomes an extremely valuable possession since he can now operate Prawn weapons, and he finds himself on the run from both his former employers and the gangsters. One of the Prawns, called Christopher (they have all been given human names), is gradually revealed to know far more about their technology than any Prawn has admitted, and he and Wikus end up fighting for survival together. 

It is no accident that the film was set (and made) in South Africa; it is based on historical events during the apartheid era and the parallels are obvious. The plot is intelligent and gripping, the ending well-handled with a convincing blend of success and rather touching failure, plus room for a possible sequel. Definitely well worth watching. Be warned though, some scenes are gruesome enough to belong to a horror movie and are not for the squeamish, although judging by admiring comments from younger members of the audience I suspect that I am less inured to such scenes than most modern cinema-goers.

A footnote for weapon geeks like me: the film makers were evidently able to raid the stock of the giant South African armaments firm Denel. The MNU's standard rifle was the Vektor CR-21 assault rifle, a bullpup version of the Kalashnikov in a futuristic-looking synthetic stock, which has in reality not entered service. A couple of other weapons shown in use were the formidable Mechem NTW-20 high-velocity 20mm anti-materiel rifle, and one gun I have a soft spot for, the Neopup PAW-20, a low-velocity semi-automatic 20mm rifle. The PAW-20 has also yet to enter service (although it was on display at DSEi this week), but this is (at least) its second outing in fiction, following on from its inclusion in my own SF novel, *Scales*. There is another parallel with my novel in that my hero also changes dramatically as a result of absorbing alien DNA, although the rest of the story is entirely different. You can read my article on the PAW-20 here: http://www.quarry.nildram.co.uk/PAW.htm , and read reviews plus download *Scales* for free here: http://www.quarry.nildram.co.uk/Scales%20Book.htm .


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## Dozmonic (Sep 13, 2009)

It was a fun movie. Obviously there are parallels to the black/white segregation but, as usual, some people choose to read too much into these things and develop their own disappointment with it ;-)

It is entertaining and doesn't take you by the hand and tell you everything. Some stuff you figure out, the rest you don't know. The effects are nice, Wikus is superbly acted and has a decent story, the plot is fine; worth a watch.


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## Dave (Sep 19, 2009)

I never managed to get to see this at the cinema so will probably wait for the DVD release.

Apparently, it isn't going down too well in Africa:
BBC NEWS | Africa | Nigeria 'offended' by sci-fi film


> ...the film portrays Nigerians as cannibals, criminals and prostitutes...


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## Anthony G Williams (Sep 19, 2009)

Missed out the fact about them sending endless emails promising to transfer trillions of pounds to your bank account, though...


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## Daisy-Boo (Sep 22, 2009)

biodroid said:


> It was definitley not a hollywood type movie and was so well done. The story was well written the SFX were brilliant for the small budget, everything worked well for this movie and deserves all the praise it gets. Go South Africa! And it's great for my country to show that we are just as competitive in the movie industry.


 

Another Saffer here!


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## Constantine Opal (Sep 24, 2009)

I saw this a couple of weeks ago, and I still think about the characters... the actor that played Wikus was outstanding, just outstanding. You felt for him all the way through and some scenes were truly heartbreaking. This film probably shouldn't be classed as science-fiction as I think it's about as far from it as can be with aliens being the main characters! I liked it.


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## Daisy-Boo (Oct 2, 2009)

I saw District 9 two nights ago and loved it. I'm so proud that a quality film such as this was made in my country, by South Africans and starring South Africans. 

I got such a kick out of hearing Afrikaans spoken in an internationally successful film. Charlto Copley as Wikus van der Merwe was superb. I read that he improvised all his dialogue in the opening scene where he's conducting the tour of District 9. He's an English-speaking South African but he nailed the Afrikaaner accent and speech patterns 100%.

An aspect of the film I found problematic was the portrayal of Nigerians and their belief in Muti. Muti is a South African word so I wondered why Nigerians would use it amongst themselves. Even though I'm familiar with the bad rep Nigerians have here (all Nigerians are unfairly tarred with the same brush), I was uncomfortable with the way they were demonised. It was one of the jarring notes in the film.

The other thing that jarred was the relationship between Wikus and his wife. An English and an Afrikaans speaking white South African getting married isn't unusual but the kind of Afrikaaner Wikus is, and the kind of English SA his wife is...I don't know. It seemed unlikely to me. I was also puzzled about why a white middle-class South African couple would go to what looked like a rather down-at-heel state hospital. Her father is a high-ranking executive at MNU. She'd have money even if Wikus maybe didn't. They'd have a good medical aid that would allow them to check into a private hospital. It seems like a small thing but it's something that would occur to a South African. 

Other than that I, I really heart this film. I'm definitely seeing it again. Even if only to hear Wikus say _fok_. 

_Trivia_: The actor who plays Kobus, the soldier who guns for Wikus, played a mercenary in a very popular local soapie. His nickname in the soapie was Mad Dog. I'm sure that in one scene in the film I heard someone call him Mad Dog.


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## biodroid (Oct 2, 2009)

Hi Daisy-Boo ek is ook van SA af. Ek dog dit was my tweede beste fliek van die jaar, Star Trek is my gunstelling. Ek dink to Wikus in the Mech in klim en se Fokken Bliksem is ook 'n goeie en snaakse moment. 

Apologies to the rest of the Chrons I just had to say something in Afrikaans, I just said that I thought District 9 is my second fave movie where Star Trek is my number one.


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## Daisy-Boo (Oct 2, 2009)

biodroid said:


> Hi Daisy-Boo ek is ook van SA af. Ek dog dit was my tweede beste fliek van die jaar, Star Trek is my gunstelling. Ek dink to Wikus in the Mech in klim en se Fokken Bliksem is ook 'n goeie en snaakse moment.


 
Hi Biodroid!

Dis lekker om 'n Suid Afrikaaner hier te ontmoet. Ek is eintlik engels-sprekend maar van die Kaap and jy weet hoe praat ons engels en afrikaans hier. 

Ja, daai _Fokken Bliksem_ was baie snaaks. Ek dink nog steeds dat afrikaans die beste vloek woorde het. 

*Translation:*

It's nice to meet a South African here. I'm actually english-speaking but from the Cape and you know how we speak english and afrikaans here.

Yes, that _Fokken Bliksem_ was very funny. I still think that Afrikaans has the best swear words.


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## Ursa major (Oct 2, 2009)

Daisy-Boo said:


> _Trivia_: The actor who plays Kobus, the soldier who guns for Wikus, played a mercenary in a very popular local soapie. His nickname in the soapie was Mad Dog.


 
* Wonders when Eastenders** will get a mercenary. (Unless they already have had one; I don't watch it.) *



** - But (surely) not Corrie....


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## biodroid (Oct 6, 2009)

Daisy-Boo said:


> It's nice to meet a South African here. I'm actually english-speaking but from the Cape and you know how we speak english and afrikaans here.
> 
> Yes, that _Fokken Bliksem_ was very funny. I still think that Afrikaans has the best swear words.


 
Definitely, I'm from Jozi, and I agree, speak French to woo, speak Italian for passion, speak English for poetry and speak Afrikaans for vulgarity.

Anyway it's is nice to see fellow SA people here.


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## Daisy-Boo (Oct 6, 2009)

I so seldom encounter South Africans in these kinds of forums that I go all _OMG! OMG!_ when I do.


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## biodroid (Oct 7, 2009)

Hehe, same here. Now lets hope the sequel to District 9 comes out, or they can sort out the issues around the Halo movie, that would be cool coz Blomkamp was slated to direct that one too. Maybe Jackson and Blomkamp should co-direct.


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## Daisy-Boo (Oct 7, 2009)

I look forward to the sequel.


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## steve12553 (Jan 1, 2010)

I managed to miss this in the theaters but received the BluRay for Christmas. I have a limited understanding of the South African politics (about the same as I have for American politics) but I found the film facinating and well produced and acted. I don't see this as a movie that begats reasonable sequels but it was definitely a keeper.


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## Happy Joe (Jan 2, 2010)

... and there I was all disappointed because the movie makers were picking on South Africa ...

I like the film, once past the initial documentary sequence (initially I hated it),  and I hope the the return in "3 years" makes a good movie (the box office/profitability demands a sequel).  I would, also like to see the many unresolved questions answered (hopefully, without another documentary sequence).

Enjoy!


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## Blitz (Jan 12, 2010)

I was absolutely blown away when I saw this in the theatre. What an amazing movie! I knew there were lots of reviews that said that for a low-budget movie the special effects were amazing, but - wow! 

It also portrays the problem and unfairness of apartheid really well, but only in the beginning so there is still time to get emotionally involved with the story and the characters. Everything about this movie was just amazing, I can't wait for a sequal to come out! If there's going to be one, that is...


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## Scifi fan (Jan 13, 2010)

Just saw it on DVD, and the reference to apartheid is obvious, especially given its film location. 

But apartheid has been gone for quite awhile, so I'm wondering just how timely it is. I mean, stories about racism and gender inequality belong to the 20th Century, not the 21st ... right?


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## Anthony G Williams (Jan 13, 2010)

Scifi fan said:


> I mean, stories about racism and gender inequality belong to the 20th Century, not the 21st ... right?


You wish...


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## Vladd67 (Jan 13, 2010)

Scifi fan said:


> But apartheid has been gone for quite awhile, so I'm wondering just how timely it is. I mean, stories about racism and gender inequality belong to the 20th Century, not the 21st ... right?



You would hope so, but forms of segregation still occur all over the planet and a reminder to us can't hurt.


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## Daisy-Boo (Jan 13, 2010)

Scifi fan said:


> But apartheid has been gone for quite awhile, so I'm wondering just how timely it is. I mean, stories about racism and gender inequality belong to the 20th Century, not the 21st ... right?


 
The system of Apartheid was dismantled but its legacy still thrives. Racism and gender inequality are still a daily part of our lives.


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## Scifi fan (Jan 13, 2010)

Daisy-Boo said:


> Racism and gender inequality are still a daily part of our lives.



Yes, to a certain extent, but we have made a lot of progress, and, don't forget, Britain and India have women prime ministers, and the US now has an African-American president. But, speaking as a storyteller (which I'm not), I would say that this is pretty stale stuff. Star Trek: TOS has dealt with racism, and so has Alien Nation. 

We need SF to deal with more contemporary issues, like religious fanaticism/terrorism, rogue states, environmentalism, the rise of China, and so on.


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## clovis-man (Jan 13, 2010)

Scifi fan said:


> Yes, to a certain extent, but we have made a lot of progress, and, don't forget, Britain and India have women prime ministers, and the US now has an African-American president. But, speaking as a storyteller (which I'm not), I would say that this is pretty stale stuff. Star Trek: TOS has dealt with racism, and so has Alien Nation.
> 
> We need SF to deal with more contemporary issues, like religious fanaticism/terrorism, rogue states, environmentalism, the rise of China, and so on.


 
In my original post about the movie, I mentioned the similarity between the treatment of the "prawns" and the treatment of the various tent cities of homeless in the United States. The violence quotient is missing, but a lot of other factors are there: disrespect, resentment, disregard for basic rights, etc. Since the film's origin is South Africa, perhaps this is unintentional, but striking nonetheless.


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## Blitz (Jan 13, 2010)

Everyone does realize that this film takes place in South-Africa, right? I'm reading a lot of reactions that link apartheid to American and Western situations, but I don't think that is what the film wants to portray. 

The tent camps (I forget what they're called) are still used in South Africa and the relocation of the prawns is a reflection of what the government tried to do in the past.

Sad but true, it still lives  My mum once said it is the most terrible word in the Dutch language, and having seen D9 I think I know what she means.


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## Scifi fan (Jan 13, 2010)

I don't know the real situation in South Africa, but I wonder if aliens is the best way to convey the message.

Speaking strictly as an armchair critic, I wonder if it would be better to portray the Prawns as our masters and the humans as the outcasts. I say this because anyone who can come here in a large ship wouldn't have any problem conquering us. But that's just a minor quibble.


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## Blitz (Jan 13, 2010)

I'm not sure, but weren't the prawns on the brink of death when they came to earth? That would explain why they didn't conquer us 

There was a small piece about the World Cup in South Africa on TV a while ago, and a man was complaining at some sort of gate or fence that not enough was being done for the people in the camps football-wise. So whatever else it is, the camps are still there.

Aliens are a good way to convey the message, because it's slightly less cruel when it happens to them. Especially in the beginning of the movie when the prawns were still just yuckie and unlikeable, and things were being done to them that have actually happened to humans, but you don't think about it like that. But when Christopher (was that his name?) comes around and we start liking him, we reconcider if it was really right to treat the prawns like that. Well, I know I did anyway


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## Scifi fan (Jan 13, 2010)

Quite honestly, I never got around to feeling for Christopher, possibly because the writers never really developed the character.


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## Daisy-Boo (Jan 14, 2010)

Scifi fan said:


> Yes, to a certain extent, but we have made a lot of progress, and, don't forget, Britain and India have women prime ministers, and the US now has an African-American president. But, speaking as a storyteller (which I'm not), I would say that this is pretty stale stuff. Star Trek: TOS has dealt with racism, and so has Alien Nation.
> 
> We need SF to deal with more contemporary issues, like religious fanaticism/terrorism, rogue states, environmentalism, the rise of China, and so on.


 
I cannot agree that racism and sexism are stale subjects. As a woman of colour I am reminded every day about the impact of race and gender. I don't think I'm being arrogant in assuming that millions all over the globe also don't see racism and sexism as stale subjects. It's never stale when you're at the receiving end.



> The tent camps (I forget what they're called) are still used in South Africa and the relocation of the prawns is a reflection of what the government tried to do in the past.


 
I think you're referring either to *Homelands*, *Townships* or *Informal Settlements*. To the best of my knowledge, tents were only used to provide temporary shelters for displaced foreigners who fled the recent xenophobic attacks. 

*Homelands* were "independent states" within the borders of South Africa. During the Apartheid-era Blacks were not considered to be South African citizens. Instead they were "citizens" of their respective homelands - Transkei, Bophuthatswana, Venda and Ciskei. Those homelands were abolished with the end of Apartheid.

*Townships* are urban areas that were designated by the Apartheid regime for specific race groups - Black, Coloured and Indian. (Inadequate) basic housing and amenities were provided.

*Informal Settlements* (used to be called squatter camps) are areas that people took over because they had no other place to stay. They build shacks with any available material. The current government is trying to integrate informal settlements and provide basic amenities.



> The violence quotient is missing, but a lot of other factors are there: disrespect, resentment, disregard for basic rights, etc. Since the film's origin is South Africa, perhaps this is unintentional, but striking nonetheless.


 
I can't say what the filmmakers' intentions were but when I saw the film I could see parallels between how South Africans treated the aliens (and the Nigerians) to how people of colour were treated during the Apartheid-era. The disrespect and disregard for human rights (and the anger and frustration of the victims) was very much a way of life back then and to a certain extent, not much has changed in that regard.


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## Moonbat (Jan 14, 2010)

Wasn't that the reason why Disctrict 9 was such a good film, because we humans treated the aliens with such contempt, treating them as worse than second class citizens, calling them 'prawns' and denying them basic human rights, mainly under the pretense that they weren't human and therefore don't have human rights.

A little side query, but isn't Nigeria quite a long way from South Africa, why were there Nigerians living in the camps, or near the camps? Isn't that equivalent of English people being dispaced to Turkey? or the other way round?


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## Daisy-Boo (Jan 14, 2010)

Moonbat said:


> Wasn't that the reason why Disctrict 9 was such a good film, because we humans treated the aliens with such contempt, treating them as worse than second class citizens, calling them 'prawns' and denying them basic human rights, mainly under the pretense that they weren't human and therefore don't have human rights.


 
That's what I thought when I saw the film and I could see how that same "logic" applied during the Apartheid-era - an era I grew up in (I was 19 when then-President FW de Klerk made the historic announcement of the unbanning of the ANC, etc.).




Moonbat said:


> A little side query, but isn't Nigeria quite a long way from South Africa, why were there Nigerians living in the camps, or near the camps? Isn't that equivalent of English people being dispaced to Turkey? or the other way round?


 
Nigeria is indeed a long way from South Africa.  

We have quite a large Nigerian expatriate community here. Though Zimbabweans outnumber all other non-South African groups, we still have significant numbers of Nigerians, Zambians, Congolese, Somalis and other Africans who come to South Africa for a variety of reasons.


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## Scifi fan (Jan 14, 2010)

Thank you, Daisy-Boo, for your informative post on South Africa.


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## Daisy-Boo (Jan 15, 2010)

Scifi fan said:


> Thank you, Daisy-Boo, for your informative post on South Africa.


 
 My pleasure. I'm absurdly happy when anyone takes an interest in my country but please tell me if I waffle on too much. I get carried away sometimes.


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## biodroid (Jan 15, 2010)

I hope they make a sequel, that would be awesome!!


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## williamjm (Jan 17, 2010)

Scifi fan said:


> Yes, to a certain extent, but we have made a lot of progress, and, don't forget, Britain and India have women prime ministers,



Britain has a woman Prime Minister? Gordon Brown might be surprised to learn that. I'm not really sure what the relevance would be to District 9 would be either.



> But, speaking as a storyteller (which I'm not), I would say that this is pretty stale stuff. Star Trek: TOS has dealt with racism, and so has Alien Nation.
> 
> We need SF to deal with more contemporary issues, like religious fanaticism/terrorism, rogue states, environmentalism, the rise of China, and so on.



So because Star Trek had some treatment of racism no other film or TV series should ever do the same? That's a ridiculous statement and if you think racism isn't a contemporary issue then you are being astonishingly naive.


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## Scifi fan (Jan 18, 2010)

> Britain has a woman Prime Minister? Gordon Brown might be surprised to learn that. I'm not really sure what the relevance would be to District 9 would be either.



I was referring to Margaret Thatcher - perhaps I should have said, "Britain HAD a woman Prime Minister", as in past tense.


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## Dave (Feb 7, 2010)

I finally got around to seeing this (yes, catching up this week on many films from 2009.)



dustinzgirl said:


> I wish I would have went to see G-Force instead.


I have to disagree, I saw G-Force and wish I'd seen this instead.



Rinman said:


> But the fact that it was done by Peter Jackson is the fact that it _damn well should_ do good.


I think he must have been some kind of executive producer. It didn't have anything like his budget.



_Jack_ said:


> Directors: No one, I mean _no one_, likes crazy-realistic-super-shaky camera work. Knock it off.


I was more than a little worried about both that, and also the Docu-Drama style at first, but I think it worked well, and it almost stopped after the first 45 minutes. After that it became a normal story.



biodroid said:


> It was definitely not a Hollywood type movie and was so well done.


You could never get something so original made in Hollywood, so long may there be more films like this.



mygoditsraining said:


> It's always nice to have a protagonist who goes through an actual personal journey as part of the story as opposed to the usual popcorn guff where the hero starts off perfect and the story just churns from there onwards.


Quite a journey from pushed-around coward and office fool, to single handed killing-machine and possible saviour of Prawns. However, the ending was left open. Is he a Prawn? Is he dead? Is he a captor of MNU, being secretly experimented upon.



mygoditsraining said:


> Also, mech suit catches rocket-propelled grenade._What's not to love?_


Is that what they are called? It is exactly what I imagined a _Soldier Boy_ from Joe Haldane's _Forever Peace_ would look like.



Scifi fan said:


> I don't know the real situation in South Africa, but I wonder if aliens is the best way to convey the message.


I would say it was inspired by that situation, rather than an allegory.



Blitz said:


> Everyone does realize that this film takes place in South-Africa, right? I'm reading a lot of reactions that link apartheid to American and Western situations, but I don't think that is what the film wants to portray.


The relocation of people living in this kind of squalor, as if they are an inconvenience without any rights, is happening in India, is happening in Brazil, is happening in China, and most likely happening in other places. (On a lesser scale it is also happening in East London around the Olympic Village site!)



Daisy-Boo said:


> Even though I'm familiar with the bad rep Nigerians have here (all Nigerians are unfairly tarred with the same brush), I was uncomfortable with the way they were demonised. It was one of the jarring notes in the film.


I see now why Nigerians got so worked up about this now.



Omphalos said:


> Re: Sour Milk.
> I know you are talking about Alien Nation here, but in South Africa, where District 9 is set, many do drink sour milk to become intoxicated.


They did have the Prawns eating rubber tyres, and the Cat Food thing was funny. This was much funnier than I expected it to be. I laughed a few times.



Scifi fan said:


> Quite honestly, I never got around to feeling for Christopher, possibly because the writers never really developed the character.


He only became a main character half-way into the film, but there was a strong _Alien Mine_ relationship developed with Wikus. I really believe that he will return to save his people, though whether he can reverse Wikus who knows. 

Why did he get a human name - Christopher Johnson on the News broadcasts - when none of the other Prawns did? Do you think he was from a leader/drone/queen class of Prawn and the others were worker class? Or did he just have an education? Or did he come down from the mothership in the control section and have access to the equipment? His friend (that got shot) and him were certainly different to the others. And no other Prawns were shown any caring for their children like him.



Daisy-Boo said:


> The other thing that jarred was the relationship between Wikus and his wife. An English and an Afrikaans speaking white South African getting married isn't unusual but the kind of Afrikaaner Wikus is, and the kind of English SA his wife is...I don't know. It seemed unlikely to me.


Before I read your comments, I also wondered how someone so obviously unsophisticated would be allowed to marry a Daddies girl like her. I then wondered if the father could be so scheming that he would have her marry Wikus, just so that he could have someone working for the government's Alien office working for him. Why else would he promote him?



Daisy-Boo said:


> I was also puzzled about why a white middle-class South African couple would go to what looked like a rather down-at-heel state hospital. Her father is a high-ranking executive at MNU. She'd have money even if Wikus maybe didn't. They'd have a good medical aid that would allow them to check into a private hospital.


I think we need to bear in mind that the mother-ship has been there for 20 years. Unless this is an alternative reality, then I don't see one in the sky at the moment, this is set in the future. The Aliens have obviously been a huge drain on South African finances. Who can say what the knock-on effect of that on the Health Care system would be after 20 years? That would be a part of the reason why there was such intolerance of them remaining.


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## Connavar (Feb 7, 2010)

Moonbat said:


> Wasn't that the reason why Disctrict 9 was such a good film, because we humans treated the aliens with such contempt, treating them as worse than second class citizens, calling them 'prawns' and denying them basic human rights, mainly under the pretense that they weren't human and therefore don't have human rights.


'

Thats why i enjoyed the movie.  It had a message,a different story that we wouldnt be seeing from hollywood.

They would make a The Day Earth Stood Still remake kind of action sf.....

I almost laughed at the idea of racism,inequality is something of the past....   Thats a naive way,comfortable way to look at the world.  

Plus the apartheid is only 20 odd years old, people in Gaza live in similar ways,in Uganda there are millions that live in permanent refugee camp inside their own country.


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## Daisy-Boo (Feb 8, 2010)

Dave said:


> I think we need to bear in mind that the mother-ship has been there for 20 years. Unless this is an alternative reality, then I don't see one in the sky at the moment, this is set in the future. The Aliens have obviously been a huge drain on South African finances. Who can say what the knock-on effect of that on the Health Care system would be after 20 years? That would be a part of the reason why there was such intolerance of them remaining.


 
It's possible but I doubt it. Private medical care is a big issue here and will be even bigger in the future. Just about anyone who can afford it has private medical insurance. It's simply highly unlikely (to me anyway) that a middle-class couple with a wife that has a wealthy father would avail themselves of state hospitals. 

Also, I think the story was set in the recent past, not the future. But I stand open to correction on that. (Just got it, haven't had my coffee yet, too tired to Google.)


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## Daisy-Boo (Feb 8, 2010)

Connavar said:


> I almost laughed at the idea of racism,inequality is something of the past.... Thats a naive way,comfortable way to look at the world..


 
Amen to that.




Connavar said:


> Plus the apartheid is only 20 odd years old,...


 
I assume you meant the _*end*_ of Apartheid?  

Officially, Apartheid ended and the new South Africa began, on 27 April 1994, which makes our democracy nearly 16 years old...with all the problems that teenagers usually have.


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## Anthony G Williams (Feb 8, 2010)

Daisy-Boo said:


> Also, I think the story was set in the recent past, not the future. But I stand open to correction on that. (Just got it, haven't had my coffee yet, too tired to Google.)


One of the aspects of the film of interest to military weapon specialists is that it is packed with a huge variety of guns, especially from Denel, including some that are currently only prototypes, so I would assume a near-future setting.


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## Daisy-Boo (Feb 8, 2010)

Anthony G Williams said:


> One of the aspects of the film of interest to military weapon specialists is that it is packed with a huge variety of guns, especially from Denel, including some that are currently only prototypes, so I would assume a near-future setting.


 
That's very interesting. Thanks.


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## Anthony G Williams (Feb 8, 2010)

This site gives you all the details: District 9 - imfdb :. guns in movies :. movie guns :. the internet movie firearms database


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## Daisy-Boo (Feb 8, 2010)

Anthony G Williams said:


> This site gives you all the details: District 9 - imfdb :. guns in movies :. movie guns :. the internet movie firearms database


 
Thank you.


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## Connavar (Feb 9, 2010)

Daisy-Boo said:


> Amen to that.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Yes i meant the end of Apartheid.  Thats the good thing to remember,not when it started.


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## Scifi fan (Feb 9, 2010)

I wish your democracy all the best, and I hope you can join the developed world one day.


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## JenJen (Aug 23, 2010)

Having seen District 9 many, many, MANY times now, I can still say that it is among my most favourite movies ever, to date.

Have you seen it? What did you think?

Apparently there's talk of a sequel. Not sure how much truth there is in that rumour, but making a sequel to District 9 is like making the sequels to The Matrix. In my humble opinion.


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## The Judge (Aug 23, 2010)

JenJen, I've just brought your post over to this older thread (it was rather hidden away, so you probably didn't notice it) -- as you can see, lots of talk about the film already, and you can no doubt start discussion going again.


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## JenJen (Aug 23, 2010)

The Judge said:


> JenJen, I've just brought your post over to this older thread (it was rather hidden away, so you probably didn't notice it) -- as you can see, lots of talk about the film already, and you can no doubt start discussion going again.



Thanks! I tried searching for it before posting, but couldn't find it.


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## Rodders (Aug 23, 2010)

I still haven't seen this yet. Must try and pick it up. I've seen it for £5.99.


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## Mele Kalikimaka (Aug 26, 2010)

Really liked this movie, just cause it's a relief from the big-budget scifi crap. My friend hates it, though.


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## Allan06 (Aug 31, 2010)

i dont get tired of watching this movie is soo awesome when hes in the robot lol


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## Niolani (Sep 25, 2010)

Another fan here, liked it on many levels and it's always interesting to read the opinions here.


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## Rodders (Sep 26, 2010)

I'm going to finally sit down and watch this tonight.


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## Rodders (Sep 26, 2010)

OK, i watched it and am very much impressed. Th overt racism towards the Prawns was very well done. 

Shame, this will be a classic SF Film. I fear that a franchise will ruin it.


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## Dave (Sep 26, 2010)

Rodders said:


> I've seen it for £5.99.


Yes, I saw the price of the DVD had come right down and bought it a few weeks ago, but I haven't yet had time to re-watch it. 

I hope there are no sequels, unless they are very well thought out. I don't think it made enough of a box office impact to get sequels.



Anthony G Williams said:


> One of the aspects of the film of interest to military weapon specialists is that it is packed with a huge variety of guns, especially from Denel, including some that are currently only prototypes, so I would assume a near-future setting.


Yes, interesting about the prototype weapons Anthony. It adds to my impression that a lot of thought went into this.


Allan06 said:


> i dont get tired of watching this movie is soo awesome when hes in the robot lol


The "robot" is another future weapon. They are the 'soldierboys' in Joe Haldeman's 'Forever Peace' but featured already in a variety of films. Sigourney Weaver does a good impression of one in _Aliens_.


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