unknowing
Since: Mar, 2014
05/09/2014 00:00:00
i agreed, it really good to see how the protagonist have to grow to conflict instead of being the good guy who is never guilty of anything(like in avatar)
"My Name is Bolt, Bolt Crank and I dont care if you believe or not"Leave a Comment:
A Smart, Creative Story with Fantastic Character Development
District 9 got a lot of hype around the time of its release for being an allegory for apartheid and racial segregation. I got interested as soon as I heard Peter Jackson was involved, but I didn't think it would be anything special. I expected it to be either a smart-but-underwhelming mockumentary or a big dumb action flick. Instead, I got a smart, startlingly powerful film with loads of action and character development.
The apartheid allegory isn't quite as emphasized as I had been led to believe; it stills shines through bright enough be seen, but not so brightly as to distract from the action. And oh yes, there is action. Thrilling, high-octane, edge-of-your-seat type stuff. The special effects are incredible, and I really appreciate the gritty, realistic edge that they applied to everything. Also, the camera work stood out to me. The combination of traditional cinematography and shaky, mockumentary style made for an experience that was both epic and visceral, and the transitions from one to another were positively seamless.
But the one thing about this film that really grabbed me by the throat and didn't let go was main protagonist Wikus van der Merwe's character development. Wikus is initially depicted as a goofy, annoying jerk with no empathy for the aliens - the kind of person I wouldn't have minded seeing get eaten or vaporized or something. But after he suffers a horrifying trauma, the story slowly closes in around his character, and we get to see him change. His interactions with the alien Christopher Johnson (who is himself a very endearing character) slowly reveal that he is capable of empathy and sacrifice. His transformation into a genuinely likable hero - and I do mean hero - is the strongest aspect of the movie, and must be seen to be believed.
While it's not quite as sophisticated as I had thought it would be, District 9 still has an extremely creative and original premise, well-developed characters, fantastic visuals, a very realstic edge, and a story that continually defied my expectations in the most ingenious ways possible. It earned an R-rating for its brutal violence and Wikus's many, many F-bombs, but there's no real gore or sexual content, which I appreciated. I could not recommend it any more highly.