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In fact, they are raising the bar with District 9 - mashing together at least three mutually exclusive genres and turning them into something truly sublime.
For
those who haven't been following the wonderful viral Internet marketing
of the film (there is some great stuff floating around if you have the
time to waste at work), District 9 is a "documentary".
As "history" tells us, thirty years ago aliens made first contact with Earth.
Humans
waited for the hostile attack, or the giant advances in technology.
Neither came. Instead, the aliens were refugees, the last survivors of
their home world.
The creatures (or "Prawns" as they are
known) were set up in a makeshift home in South Africa's District 9 as
the world's nations argued over what to do with them.
Twenty
years later, patience over the alien situation ran out. Control over
the alien-prawn situation was subsequently contracted out to
Multi-National United (MNU), a private company uninterested in the
aliens' welfare...
It's a company also destined to make enormous profits if they manage to make the aliens' space-age weaponry work.
Combining
a mixture of interviews with "experts" looking back at
events, footage taken during the political shit storm of MNU field
operative Wikus van der Merwe, and the occasional "real-time" cutaway -
District 9 delivers some truly compelling storytelling.
Using a cast of unknowns (Sharlto Copley delivers a stellar performance as the Clarke Kent-esque Wikus), as well as setting the film in Johannesburg (far away from the "seen it all before" world of NYC), director Neill
Blomkamp somehow manages to lure the audience deep inside the realistic
alternate dimension he has created - and keeps them there for the
entire ride.
It's Cloverfield meets Alien with a dash of Transformers - the ultimate blockbuster recipe - and is deliciously layered, fresh and utterly captivating from beginning to end. District 9
is so wondrously original, smart, intense and action packed. DVD Special Features
This flick cost just over $30M to make, but went onto
gross over $200M worldwide so it only makes sense that there are about
150 different variations of "Special Editions" of District 9. There are plenty of DVDs and Blu Ray's with plenty of extras to choose from - some of which include the "Metamorphosis:
The Transformation of Wikus" Featurette, as well as fluff pieces like
"Innovation: The Acting and Improvisation of District 9", "Concept and
Design: Creating the World of District 9" and "Alien Generation: The
Visual Effects of District 9". Well worth adding to the collection. Conclusion:
Movie 85% Extras: 65%
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