The super secret movie is out - but not too far out. No spoilers!


I said I'd review Watchmen. I lied. But instead, I have a story of racism, satire and the human condition.
And really, really cool special effects. With aliens. Hoyeah.

District 9, from the actual filming angle, is a mixture of documentary, handheld rattle and roll, and your usual movie camera. The different styles worked together seamlessly to my eye (and hamster-like brain), while the news clips and interviews built up both the characters and their world. Which, just to say, is one where a space craft halted inexplicably over Johannesburg in the 80's, hung around doing a disturbing amount of nothing, then was cut open to reveal a starving, sickly population of aliens. These clawed, tentacled, mandibled, antennaed and unusually upholstered (segmented exoskeleton, yes plz) creatures are then "rescued" by the good folks at MNU, a not-at-all sinister global corporation. The prawns, as they're soon dubbed, are placed in a refugee camp (that title one) that gradually, as tensions build between the aliens and surrounding human population, becomes a squalid walled in ghetto, lorded over by Nigerian gangs who exploit the aliens, selling them meat and catfood (their favorite) in return for weapons of incredible power - that, to the frustration of the human race, are biologically tuned to only work in the hands of the prawns. Hoho, gotcha. Now cough up the Whiskas.
In the present day we're introduced to Wikus van der Merwe, (say it Vickus) an MNU cog who's eager, somewhat naive and, typical of this reality, a condescending racist jerkoff in concern to the local crustaceans. His father in law and employer at MNU has given him the job of leading the movement to relocate the prawns to District 10, a "newer, bigger, better" camp farther from the city. However, an accident in District 9 will tear Wikus' world to pieces and lead him to question everything he thinks he knows about the nonhumans - and himself.
Wikus is played by first time actor Sharlto Copley. I didn't know that until afterward, and it was a heck of a surprise - Wikus' journey is incredible to watch, both because of the emotional and physical intensity. Though the character we meet at the beginning of the movie is certainly contemptible at points, he's still sympathetic if only because of his ignorance and the terrible betrayal it leads to. The aliens themselves are really incredible - close up shots of bizarre golden eyes and fidgeting tentacles don't usually make for much, but here there's some very moving personality. Gore, alien guns and some grisly prosthetic work make up the remainder of movie magic. There were no obviously weird moments where the effects looked out of place, which is pretty impressive considering how much there was; this went a long way towards creating a believable reality, so much so that when we see Wikus trying to get signatures from bipedal seafood it's satire rather than just a joke. There are scenes like that, displaying a razor-sharp sense of hypocrisy and ironic giggle-making, and then there's ones that honestly disturb. The obvious message is there, but it's not being beaten in. The film is a story with a statement, rather than the other way around.

Overall - Buying it. Like the supreme special feature version. And that's coming from a starving student.
Gripe - Apparently not built off a set script, which could explain a slightly trimmed feeling - as if some extra developmental moments were snipped onto the cutting room floor.
Best Bit - Toughie. It made me love aliens again.*


*For the first time since Jar Jar Binks... it makes you feel so used.. *tear*


I will start updating this gallery eventually - right now life is INSANE, because, holy crap, in something like two weeks I'm actually going to university. That does not excuse the past... four months? But the quiet shall be broken, soon. Ish.
Thanks for reading, if you sat through it! Hope you enjoy the movie anyway .