Oh wow

I just caught District 9.

Of course, being a scifi movie, I was just simply itching to catch it ever since I heard of it. Any scifi movie, the genre being so rarely represented in moviedom, is worth watching. Whether the movie itself ends up being worth watching, is another thing. More often than not, I end up being disappointed.

Not so this time. Oh my word, not so.

It opens rather like a documentary. Shot "on the spot" like Blair Witch and Cloverfield, which I loathe. But lookit, this is a Peter Jackson presentation and it's "mocumentary" style (as some people use the term) is used very, very effectively.

The movie doesn't boast a Hollywood version of A-listers and you won't care in the end. Whomever is here, human and alien alike, is very compelling.There is solid acting on both sides, and at the end, you come to the slow realisation that the bottom line of the movie is you don't have to look human, to show your humanity.

There are many layers to this movie. You can see the personalities evolve tangibly. The violence is graphic and, on hindsight, necessary to show how brutal just trying to live can be. The locale, set in the raw, seething environment of Johannesburg, SA, sets off the tone beautifully.

I can't say much more without revealing plot details, but suffice to say, this is not a typical hollywood let's-see-big-explosions thingie. I sat as the credits rolled, fingers steepled against my lips, well after the smattering of people left. It's a thoughtful movie, and very believable.

Go here to watch the trailer. Then, do yourself a favour, and catch it on the big screen. My god, I think I'm going to see it again. And soon.


This is most definitely one for my movie library.