2246 ( )

Violence ensues after an extraterrestrial race forced to live in slum-like conditions on Earth finds a kindred spirit in a government agent exposed to their biotechnology.

Sci-fi thriller based on the short film, 'Alive in Jo'berg' (2006), about the tense relationship that exists between a group of aliens who have been living on earth for 30 years and the humans who have been trying to keep them segregated and under their control. The aliens live in a place called District 9 in South Africa in squalid conditions and are now under the supervision of Multi-National United (MNU), a company who are solely interested in exploiting the aliens' superior technology to make money. However, the only way of getting the extraterrestrial technology to work is by using alien DNA, so when MNU worker Wikus van der Merwe (Sharlto Copley) becomes infected with a DNA altering disease, giving him alien DNA, he becomes a very desirable commodity. Realising he is alone and in serious danger, and as relations between the aliens and humans intensify, van der Merwe must enter District 9 to escape.

A million aliens stranded on Earth are kept in a South African slum.

Strange - the first time I saw it, I thought it was a great, if flawed, movie. But now, I'm wondering what I saw in it. I had written that it was "lots of fun" and "entertaining throughout." Now, I find it boring; although it moves quickly, there isn't anything to get me invested in it - probably because I know that after the first five minutes, there aren't going to be any more interesting ideas to look forward to. I had also written that it was "very original" and that "you’ve never seen a movie like this before." I guess that's so, but apparently the novelty only stands up to one viewing. I have no doubt that I would like it even less if I were to see it again. And I wrote that "whether or not you think it’s good, it will probably get you thinking and talking about it afterward." This time around, it's got me thinking about how such a great idea for a movie, made without studio interference, manages to fail as spectacularly as it does.

Concept: A
Story: D
Characters: F
Dialog: B
Pacing: B
Cinematography: D
Special effects/design: C
Acting: B
Music: C

Enjoyment: C plus

GPA: 2.1/4 ( )

Impressive!!