Rttp: District 9 is brilliant social commentary on immigration and the weapons industry

[Wag]

iTunes now carries District 9 in 4K and Dolby Vision, it was on sale for $5 and I thought I'd pick this up.

It's been a decade since the movie came out and it's still just as good today as when it was released. Our protagonist, Vickers is a managerial stooge for a multinational weapons contractor- MNU (ie: Blackwater) who takes it upon themselves to oversee a settlement of refugee aliens from their home planet. More interested in their weapons technology, the MNU perpetrates unspeakable crimes upon the aliens, willing to do practically anything to extract information and technology from them.

When I first saw the movie a decade ago, I recall being sympathetic towards Vickers, but this time around not at all. He only seemed to care about the aliens when he was actually physically being transformed into one of them.

The best sci-fi shines a light on modern social issues, there's few movies in recent memory that does it as well as District 9. I only wish there were more sci-fi movies as good as this.

 

[Deleted member 13015]

And with fabulous directing and action sequences, it deserves to be called one of the best Sci-Fi films of all time.

 

[Deleted member 39374]

One of the rare sci-fi's that does social commentary effectively and incorporates it into the story seamlessly

Also great VFX.

 

[rude]

Crazy how everything the director has made afterward is so subpar. I still want to see his Alien movie.

 

[Deleted member 19066]

Crazy how everything the director has made afterward is so subpar. I still want to see his Alien movie.

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Dude needs a new screenwriter or something. District 9's story/themes are just as blunt and on the nose as his later movies... but somehow it works waaay better.

 

[kickz]

Crazy how everything the director has made afterward is so subpar. I still want to see his Alien movie.

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Yeah extremely disappointing, after District 9 I thought he would be a star but everything since has been meh like Elysium...

 

[Afrikan]

Yeah extremely disappointing, after District 9 I thought he would be a star but everything since has been meh like Elysium...

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I really liked Elysium. Maybe I'll watch both back to back to see if there is a big drop off or something.

Loved District 9!

Read somewhere it was suppose to orginally be a Halo movie? :o

 

[Deleted member 35598]

One of the best Sci Fi movie ever made. I absolutely love the fact that you see the Alien prospective. But actually that Alien point of view, is very reminiscent of racism and how we treat immigrant. So brilliant !

And visually the movie is incredible. The special effects are incredible !

 

[Xeonidus]

District 9 is by far his best film but I enjoyed his message in Elysium as well even if it was a bit on the nose. I really hope he gets his groove back.

 

[Zeouter]

It's the greatest gift the Halo Hollywood back and forth has given us.

 

[Deleted member 2254]

I watch it every couple years, it seems like that as time goes on it becomes more and more relevant as the theme of immigration is becoming a bigger and bigger talking point. The way the aliens are treated in this movie are a crude representation of many scenarios to day, and the fact it's accompanied by a great protagonist and a lovely sci-fi story just seals the deal. Awesome movie.

 

[Wag]

I watch it every couple years, it seems like that as time goes on it becomes more and more relevant as the theme of immigration is becoming a bigger and bigger talking point. The way the aliens are treated in this movie are a crude representation of many scenarios to day, and the fact it's accompanied by a great protagonist and a lovely sci-fi story just seals the deal. Awesome movie.

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The aliens all had big painted ID #s on their heads, something I didn't really notice until the end of the movie.

Vickers' denial of knowing anything about the alien vivisection lab rings totally hollow. Even if he didn't actually know about the lab he still willingly worked for MNU.

The way nobody even attempts to destroy the alien mothership for fear of losing the ability to exploit their technology.

There are lots of little things like that scattered all through the movie that make it work.

 

[ProfessorLobo]

I was really excited about District 10 but I've long since given up on it. I don't understand why he wouldn't follow up on his one big success.

It's still great as a standalone film, but they sure teased a follow up.

 

[Gernau Morat Gurgeh]

It's a bloody good film, and deserves a wider audience

 

[Deleted member 40797]

For what it's worth, Chappie is a brilliant commentary on the Christian notion of salvation and the afterlife.

 

[Deleted member 40797]

Also, Elysium is a great commentary on the self-sacrifice required of those leading the vanguard parties of socialism (re: power vs. sacrifice).

 

[Box]

Fantastic film.

 

[Solo]

Fookin' prawns man!

 

[ArtVandelay]

South Africa's own M. Night Shyamalan. One good movie and a lot of crap.

 

[Deleted member 22407]

I really liked Elysium. Maybe I'll watch both back to back to see if there is a big drop off or something.

Loved District 9!

Read somewhere it was suppose to orginally be a Halo movie? :o

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I believe originally Blomkamp and Peter Jackson were working with Microsoft until MS pulled the plug. They decided to take Alive in Joburg and expand on it. I could of course to totally wrong.

I remember watching the Halo Landfall short/test filmed by Blomkamp and being so disappointed that a full movie didn't happen.

 

[Shaneus]

Is there any way you can play iTunes movies on other devices? Because I'd happily buy that if I can play it without an Apple TV.

 

[HStallion]

Crazy how everything the director has made afterward is so subpar. I still want to see his Alien movie.

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Yeah extremely disappointing, after District 9 I thought he would be a star but everything since has been meh like Elysium...

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District 9 is by far his best film but I enjoyed his message in Elysium as well even if it was a bit on the nose. I really hope he gets his groove back.

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South Africa's own M. Night Shyamalan. One good movie and a lot of crap.

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Ahh so many people unaware of his Oats Studio work.





There are a lot more of these and he could probably turn a good amount of them into feature length films.

 

[sgtnosboss]

District 9 is one of my favorite movies ever. I love the person who makes those three films, District 9, Elysium, Chappie

 

[Adventureracing]

One of my favourite films. I still enjoyed both Elysium and chappie but they weren't quite on the same level. It's a shame he hasn't made more movies, he's just a screenwriter away from being an amazing director.

 

[Wag]

Is there any way you can play iTunes movies on other devices? Because I'd happily buy that if I can play it without an Apple TV.

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Yes, that's exactly what I'm doing. Vizio recently started an AirPlay 2 beta on most of their newer TVs (mine is a 2017 model). I buy the movie and play it from my iPad to my TV. Not sure if it will work from the Windows version of iTunes. 4K and Dolby Vision works this way- only thing missing Is DD+/Atmos, just standard DD5.1 right now.

 

[The Fabled Englishman]

Dude needs a new screenwriter or something. District 9's story/themes are just as blunt and on the nose as his later movies... but somehow it works waaay better.

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I'm not going to say that D9 is particularly subtle but the success of that movie might just come down to the fact that Blomkamp had been turning the idea over for several years - hence, the fact that D9 is based off his earlier short film, Alive in Joburg, and the fact that he was writing about something he was clearly familiar with, in the history of apartheid in his country.

 

[Tbm24]

District 9 in 4K/Dolby Vision sounds mouth watering. I don't have an apple tv so I'm stuck waiting for a possible UHD release :(.

 

[Deleted member 4346]

This is one of the great sci-fi films of the modern era, but the themes are not subtle at all. Blomkamp rubs the viewers nose in the message early and often. But it's a good and important message and the film is otherwise well done.

I think one of the biggest successes of District 9 is that the most sympathetic, noble, and human character is a hideous alien.

 

[Haloid1177]

Man I need a 4K disc of this the Atmos soundtrack would be killer.

 

[Gustaf]

Wikus van de Merwe

 

[aerach71]

Honest question about this movie I've had since it came out and never got an answer for:
Like 40 minutes into the movie the directorial style completely changes and it doesn't make any sense? At the opening of the movie the lead is talking to camera and it's shot like a documentary and then after shit goes down it just isn't anymore? There's no transition/explanation for this.

 

[iareharSon]

It also highlighted how ridiculous Hollywood was at the time in terms of representation. The fact that the two movies from 2009 set in South Africa starred Matt Damon and Sharlto Copley is pretty telling of the era. Their ability to make Johannesburg that white was pretty damn impressive.

 

[litebrite]

Sci Fi author Steven Barnes begs to differ. "There are some very troubling aspects of this film that need discussion. If you believe in human equality, it is hard to conclude that Blomkamp doesn't."'

​

 

[Goodlifr]

Finally got round to watching it.

Why does he turn Irish everytime he swears?

 

[Braag]

Finally got round to watching it.

Why does he turn Irish everytime he swears?

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I think the actor is south african?

 

[Goodlifr]

I think the actor is south african?

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Really?

I've never spoken to a South African who swears like that before, but will keep a listen in future!

 

[UnluckyKate]

I really liked Elysium. Maybe I'll watch both back to back to see if there is a big drop off or something.

Loved District 9!

Read somewhere it was suppose to orginally be a Halo movie? :o

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He worked a lot on pre prod for a Halo movie. He did the halo 3 live action shorts. And a lot transfered back in style into d9.

Check these halo 3 landfalls shorts, they are good

 

[Soap]

Arguably the best sci-fi film in recent memory. It hurts me that we'll likely never get a sequel explaining what the aliens will do.

 

[Tomasoares]

Funnily I've watched this film again recently and I had the same opinion regarding Vickers. 10 years ago I got more sympaty for him, this time I thought he got what he deserved lol

Very good movie indeed.

 

[Phantom]

Yea this is a brilliant and fun movie. Saw it in theaters when it released and rewatched a couple of times since then.

 

[Phantom]

Arguably the best sci-fi film in recent memory. It hurts me that we'll likely never get a sequel explaining what the aliens will do.

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Not everything needs a sequel. In fact I love the fact you have to fill in the gaps yourself. I hate the trend of every IP becoming a series/franchise.

 

[Transistor]

One of my favorite movies. It's masterfully directed and written. It seems many people want a sequel. I don't. It ended perfectly.

 

[mikhailguy]

Sad his career is going through something of a rough patch.

I miss the old school R-rated sci-fi films in the vein of robocop, predator, and so on.

 

[Deleted member 4452]

Honest question about this movie I've had since it came out and never got an answer for:
Like 40 minutes into the movie the directorial style completely changes and it doesn't make any sense? At the opening of the movie the lead is talking to camera and it's shot like a documentary and then after shit goes down it just isn't anymore? There's no transition/explanation for this.

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It's been a while since I saw the film, but the first part is shot like a documentary because there's a camera crew following him around. After he gets infected, he's on his own.

 

[aerach71]

It's been a while since I saw the film, but the first part is shot like a documentary because there's a camera crew following him around. After he gets infected, he's on his own.

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Yeah I get that, it's just jarring that it changes style completely and breaks it's own narrative

 

[Deleted member 4452]

Yeah I get that, it's just jarring that it changes style completely and breaks it's own narrative

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It just felt like tone shift to something more serious. If the camera crew kept following him for the rest of the movie, it would have felt sillier than what they were going for.

 

[aerach71]

It just felt like tone shift to something more serious. If the camera crew kept following him for the rest of the movie, it would have felt sillier than what they were going for.

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If the film crew following him was going to be stupid it shouldn't have been the way it was directed from the start. I'd forgive this as a choice I just disagree with if it hadn't turned out that Neill Blomkamp isn't a good director and District 9 was actually a good movie instead of just an interesting one.

 

[J2d]

Loved it and thought elysium was decent, chappie however ugh.

 

[VaporSnake]

Yeah I adore this flick, still holds up. I think it's probably got the best live action mech sequence as well, you wouldn't think a movie with a mech using a gravity gun to launch a pig at someone would also have some interesting things to say.

 

[Masterz1337]

Funnily I've watched this film again recently and I had the same opinion regarding Vickers. 10 years ago I got more sympaty for him, this time I thought he got what he deserved lol

Very good movie indeed.

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Weird take on it. The whole point of the movie was that he is a prick at first and finds kindness from the aliens he was disgusted by. The cherry on top is that is he becoming a better man as the story progresses and he is put through his trials, or is his change in biology away from man to prawn what makes him a kinder and more sympathetic being.

Thinking he got what he deserved is just such a strange and vindictive message to take away from the film. The point is that none of them should have been treated the way they were, and that the humans were fine to write off their own people if it benefitted them. Vikus is guilty of being part of the problem at the start, was a small cog in a machine he destroyed by the end.