xenophobia
~ August 14, 2009 ~
~ AUGUST 14, 2009 ~
Just when I thought intelligent science fiction was becoming a dying art, District 9 comes along and blows me away. More reminiscent of the gritty sci-fi masterworks of the ’80s (the Alien series, Blade Runner, Brazil, The Road Warrior, etc.) than more contemporary sci-fi movies, it’s the rare summer futurefest that has great writing AND kick-ass explosions.
Like its esteemed forebears, District 9 is driven by big ideas but not beholden to them. More than just a simplistic “what-if” scenario, it features a fully realized and believably flawed world. There are moral dilemmas and real-world parallels to consider, drawn sketchily enough to keep the action moving and just detailed enough to engage your neurons. But there’s no overt philosophical or political agenda here; no “message” to deliver via heavy-handed allegory. The complex universe created for District 9 is simply a deep backdrop for a killer action movie. The ideas are there, for sure, but any profound philosophizing is left thoroughly to the viewer. You’re free to think as much or as little as you like when the credits roll.
District 9’s greatest strength is to encourage such philosophizing while maintaining such lightness of touch. The touch of gently humorous pathos that can be found throughout the story (and especially at the very end) is the movie’s most pleasant surprise. ∞