District 9 review

Let's kick things off with a review of the recent film release, District 9 (Peter Jackson fanboys, look away now).

So, District 9...

Synopsis
In 1990, a massive star ship bearing a bedraggled alien population, nicknamed "The Prawns," appeared over Johannesburg, South Africa. Twenty years later, the initial welcome by the human population has faded. The refugee camp where the aliens were located has deteriorated into a militarized ghetto called District 9, where they are confined and exploited in squalor. In 2010, the munitions corporation, Multi-National United, is contracted to forcibly evict the population with operative Wikus van der Merwe in charge.[1]


Review
There was I looking forward to something interesting and thought-provoking (overtones of concentration camps, apartheid etc). Instead there was crude characterisation, violence and gore from the outset. Loads of it. The words "gratuitous" and "splatterfest" were surely invented for this film. How on earth did Producer Peter Jackson (he of LOTR fame) become involved with such a witless project?

What irritates me most about this (can't you just tell it does?) is that underneath all the crap lurk a good basic story idea and some really interesting possibilities. A friend of mine (you know who you are Steve) is wont to describe some films with the epithet "leave your brain outside". Something the screenwriter and director clearly did when putting this together.



The documentary style is a potentially interesting device, but sadly the director is far too interested in splattering things (actually people mostly) and jerking the camera around madly to do it justice. Some subtlety would have been nice. 
The bad guys of the film are a "munitions corporation, Multi-National United" - awful name, even worse idea. The "evil corporation" cliché has been trotted out too many times before, and to much better effect. Why not make it the UN? Or a "peacekeeping" force lead by the US with the Brits in tow? Oops, there I go again, using my brain willy-nilly...

On the technical side, the visuals are nothing short of stunning - only a couple of shots where I could "see the join". It's just unfortunate that a great story idea and so much visual talent has been squandered here. Not to mention a (surely) enormous SFX budget.

Scores on the Doors
Basic Story - 8/10
Lots of potential for being thought-provoking, interesting and even controversial. All wasted, sadly. It's so criminal, somebody should be locked up.

Screenplay/realisation - 2/10 
"Ah'm a white Saath Efrican and I hate aliens because they're different to me." Duh

Direction/characterisation - 2/10
Woman in slum, matter-of-factly to camera: "the aliens take your trainers, your mobile and then they kill you". That would be the same kind of nasty, casually vicious alien that is noisily scavenging just 6 feet away from her, about which she isn't even remotely concerned.

Acting - 7/10 
Some people in particular explode very convincingly. Pig carcasses fly through the air with considerable aplomb - give that Stunt Pig an Oscar someone.

Photography/Visuals - 9/10 
Lights, camera, action, SPLAT!, wipe lens.

Soundtrack - 6/10
Impressive variety of different splatter sounds. Like eskimo words for snow - you never knew there were so many (I know that's really a myth - I watch QI too you know).

Overall - 5/10
Could do better. Should have done much better. Bah humbug.

In Summary:
If you like puerile gory splatterfests, then this is for you. Be it alien, human or indeed bovine/porcine/caprine, gore is coming your way. Big time. All over the camera lens at every opportunity. Every possible decapitation/amputation/mutilation/experimentation/mutation  is captured in glorious detail - taste and discretion be damned! Hang onto your lunch...

Can I recommend this? I don't think so. My overall feeling (apart from nausea) is one of disappointment at a huge opportunity lost.
No doubt the Peter Jackson fanboys will love it.



(Venue: Greenwich Picture House - great cinema, thoroughly recommended. That's Greenwich, ENGLAND, y'all. The original and best)


[1] Synopsis courtesy of IMDB (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1136608/plotsummary), 'cos let's face it, I'm lazy.