A highly admirable sci-fi flick that crackles with wit, invention, imagination and ingenuity.
Comment
09/03/09
District 9 (2009)
90
%
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:232
Fresh:209
Rotten:23
Average Rating:7.8/10
Consensus: Technically brilliant and emotionally wrenching, District 9 has action, imagination, and all the elements of a thoroughly entertaining science-fiction classic.
Theatrical Release:Aug 14, 2009 Wide
Box Office: $115,646,235
Synopsis: Genre master Peter Jackson produces this science-fiction film, the directorial debut of Neill Blomkamp. In District 9, South Africa has become a haven for refugees--from outer space. [More]
Starring: Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope, David James, Mandla Gaduka
Director: Neill Blomkamp
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Reviews for District 9
While the viral campaign and mockumentary style primed us for something in the vein of Cloverfield, District 9 ultimately proves to be in a much older tradition. This is pure body horror in the lineage of Alien, The Thing and The Fly.
09/01/09
District 9 doesn't carry much weight as sociopolitical commentary or satire but, taken on the merits of its shrewd story sense and craftsmanship, it's a popcorn entertainment destined to stay in our minds.
08/31/09
District 9 is an odd melange of a movie: part fake documentary, part body horror, part office comedy and part Mechwarrior: It's fresh and exciting if not groundbreaking.
08/28/09
A funny, violently gross, and wildly enthralling addition to the science fiction canon.
08/26/09
a sharp-edged science fiction parable that mixes metaphor and violent action with such dizzying confidence that you leave the theater feeling charged and alive
08/25/09
An energetic and tantalizing film that promises more than it can ultimately deliver
08/24/09
[The "popcorn" egg-burning scene] in a way represents the whole film: There's popcorn appeal for casual viewers, but something more vital and desperate at stake underneath.
08/24/09
Wielding wicked retribution, the clever District 9 reinvents alien invasion with a wry wink.
08/21/09
District 9 is a down and dirty sci-fi flick that ... makes a point about racial prejudice.
08/21/09
Copley's wild-eyed performance as the luckless Wikus has a lot going for it. The fact that he's so ridiculous -- and so dogged -- adds to the pathos, for it's patently clear Blomkamp has no taste for easy endings.
08/21/09
It's a fascinating hybrid of a film, an anti-Hollywood movie which incorporates a great deal of contemporary big-budget elements ... but with a tart, subversive sense of humour that leavens the violence and mayhem.
08/21/09
It signifies nothing. Still, its sound and fury are undeniably impressive.
08/20/09
This low-budget film with its unknown cast is recommended because it ultimately is thought-provoking and smart. This isn't a sci-fi thriller so much as it is a sci-fi drama. It poses several serious questions about the state of humanity.
08/20/09
Smart, provocative, fun, and exciting...District 9 is everything that Transformers 2 and G.I. Joe tried - and failed - to be.
08/20/09
It has some terrific thrills and it's probably worth a video rental, but overall it's yet another case of action over ideas and messages over emotions.
08/20/09
The most gripping, intriguing and compelling sci-fi allegory to grace the big screen since 1968's 'Planet of the Apes' -- and that makes it an instant sci-fi classic in its own right.
08/20/09
A superb realization of satire, irony, humor and the horrific, with a kick in the guts to human nature and the technical challenges of sci-fi action and destruction.
08/19/09
The film's message, that compassion and humanity extend far beyond our own species, isn't subtle, but it is effective.
08/19/09
Low key in its excellence by just being solid and real and well thought-out...substantial and revealing.
08/19/09
Latest News for District 9
October 23, 2009:
Blomkamp Gets to Work on District 9 Follow-Up 
Few details are known about the project, but director Neill Blomkamp has signed a deal that will give him creative control over his untitled follow-up to "District 9." More...
September 03, 2009:
Neill Blomkamp talks District 9 - RT Interview
District 9 heralds the arrival of 29-year-old South African-born director Neill Blomkamp as a major new voice in science-fiction. Infused with gritty, hand-held authenticity,... More...
August 28, 2009:
Neill Blomkamp Teases District 9 Sequel, Prequel
Now that "District 9" is officially a hit, it's time for Neill Blomkamp to hit the publicity trail -- and answer the inevitable questions about a sequel and/or prequel. CHUD has... More...
August 17, 2009:
Sharlto Copley Talks District 9
He's a first-time actor with the #1 movie in the country. How good is life for Sharlto Copley right now? Watch his recent interview with Collider to find out. More...
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