Movie: District-9

[quote]Tiribulus wrote:

A race of beings technologically advanced enough to build a mind numbingly huge space ship housing one million habitants and sporting some really cool unstoppable weaponry. However, 20 years later all but one of them are practically brain dead infantile dumpster divers.

Humans are a race who have created some pretty impressive technology, yet for all intents and purposes most of us are brain dead retards. Look at how incompetent most people are when there is a problem with their computer. When the “people” who create the technologies are gone, those who rely on it are rendered useless when it breaks down.

They are routinely abused in a 3rd world ghetto, but are in possession of the aforementioned weaponry that only they can use which gives them, even in a Dr. Seuss book, an insurmountable advantage. Not to mention being physically superior x10 in every category. BUT, rather than throw off their oppressors they trade the weapons to a Nigerian warlord that they could squash for catfood. Catfood they could simply confiscate at will with the initiative and intellect of a carrot which it seems they have not yet achieved despite having traveled here in the spaceship and having developed the weapons themselves.

Again, you have to look at our own society. How many billion people are there is the world? Now, how many people have actual power to affect society? If the masses ever organized and formed an uprising, we could easily overthrow a corrupt government. However, we are kept complacent because the powers that be offer us just enough to keep us satisfied and pacified. Furthermore, consider all of the guns and weapons in a ghetto. Why don’t those guys just bust up some fancy neighborhood and take their shit? And as for the catfood, I took it as basically crack and the prawns overpaid for it because they do not have a concept of money/value (see also American Indians).

After all, one thoroughly untrained human who conveniently turns just alien enough in just the right body part to also use their weapons and one alien are able to blast their way in AND out of a top secret militarily secured research facility virtually unscathed. Just think what an army of these things could do if so inclined, but despite having the presence of mind to resist their eviction and relocation with alien spoken yet human profanity it never occurs to them to just pick up their guns and have their way?

I do agree that this part was a bit convenient, but without it there is no story so I will suspend disbelief on that. The main character does not act until the final moment of desperation, however; the reluctant hero. He has lost everything. The prawns would have much more to lose if they were to try and fight back.

They had only one of those exo suits? One that a human has just seen for the first time, but is an instant one man alieo-human commando unit while operating it? They just surrender inexplicably on the ship in the beginning? Nobody bothered to look for them for 20 years?

I believe the prawns were scavenging through the garbage to find the weapons to sell to the nigerians for food. Again, I agree that his immediate control of the suit was problematic, but felt they addressed this issue earlier when they stated that the weapons were created to work with alien DNA. It could be argued that as soon as Wikas started to become an alien he naturally knew how to use their weapons.

I would also like to say that I doubt there will be a sequel (and if there is, I would be shocked if it was the same director). I would not classify Jackson (producer not director) as a guy who does sequels because LOTR was really just one very long ass movie that needed to be broken down to be practical.

I loved the gore of District 9; a subtle nod to those of us who will always love Jackson for Dead Alive and Bad Taste. I was uncomfortable for the entire movie and it has been a long time since I watched something and had no idea what was going to happen next. Great movie.

[quote]PonceDeLeon wrote:
I saw it a second time just now. Now, I did not love the movie as some others here did, so I did not think it was worth seeing a second time.

However, I do agree that it is one of the most original sci-fi films I’ve seen.

A friend and I were talking tonight and he said the film was based on District 6:

I didn’t know that and I knew there had to be more than the obvious apartheid connection given the SA setting.

[/quote]

BUMP.

I know I’m late to the party, the movie was only released here this past weekend.

Anyway, I thought it was really good - original idea for a movie (at least I’ve never seen anything like it). The fact that it was based where I grew up made it that much more…interesting. All movies of this type of production are always based in other countries (ie. the US), so it had a different appeal to me.

Ponce is correct (IMO) that it’s based on District 6, and I think that they pulled it off well. The other thing is that rather than a sequel, I think that a prequel would be a better idea, that is if the film doesn’t become a one off. Unless some serious thought was put into it, a sequel would be too predictable; Christopher comes back, saves his race, and they leave, etc…

I’ll need to give it a second watch to solidify my opinions and thoughts on it, but I’d definitely recommend it to others.