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District 9 (Two-Disc Edition)
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| Genre | Action, Sci-Fi, Drama, Thriller |
| Format | Multiple Formats, AC-3, Color, Dolby, NTSC, Subtitled, Dubbed, Widescreen |
| Contributor | William Young, Carolynne Cunningham, Peter Jackson, Wingnut Films Productions, Ltd., Sharlto Copley, Eugene Khumbanyiwa, Louis Minnaar, Kenneth Nkosi, Mandla Gaduka, Hlengiwe Madlala, Vanessa Haywood, David James, Jason Cope, Neill Blomkamp See more |
| Language | English |
| Runtime | 1 hour and 52 minutes |
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Product Description
Product Description
From producer Peter Jackson (The Lord of the Rings Trilogy) and director Neill Blomkamp comes a startlingly original sciencefiction thriller that "soars on the imagination of its creators" (Peter Travers, Rolling Stone). With stunning special effects and gritty realism, the film plunges us into a world where the aliens have landed... only to be exiled to a slum on the fringes of Johannesburg. Now, one lone human discovers the mysterious secret of the extraterrestrial weapon technology. Hunted and hounded through the bizarre back alleys of an alien shantytown, he will discover what it means to be the ultimate outsider on your own planet.
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A provocative science fiction drama, District 9 boasts an original story that gets a little lost in blow-'em-up mayhem. Set in Johannesburg, South Africa, District 9 begins as a mock documentary about the imminent eviction of extraterrestrials from a pathetic shantytown (called District 9). The creatures, it turns out, have been on Earth for years, having arrived sickly and starving. Initially received by humans with compassion and care, the aliens are now mired in blighted conditions typical of long-term refugee camps unwanted by a hostile, host society. With the creatures' care contracted out to a for-profit corporation, the shantytown has become a violent slum. The aliens sift through massive piles of junk while their minders secretly research weapons technology that arrived on the visitors' spacecraft.
Against this backdrop is a more personal story about a bureaucrat named Wikus (Sharlto Copley) who is accidentally exposed to a DNA-altering substance. As he begins metamorphosing into one of the creatures, Wikus goes on the run from scientists who want to harvest his evolving, new parts and aliens who see him as a threat. When he pairs up with an extraterrestrial secretly planning an escape from Earth, however, what should be a fascinating relationship story becomes a series of firefights and explosions. Nuance is lost to numbing violence, and the more interesting potential of the film is obscured. Yet, for a while District 9 is a powerful movie with a unique tale to tell. Seamless special effects alone are worth seeing: the (often brutal) exchanges between alien and human are breathtaking. --Tom Keogh
> District 9 downloadables (Click for pdf file)
Product details
- Aspect Ratio : 1.85:1
- Is Discontinued By Manufacturer : No
- MPAA rating : R (Restricted)
- Product Dimensions : 7.75 x 5.75 x 0.5 inches; 0.32 Ounces
- Item model number : 043396332348
- Director : Neill Blomkamp
- Media Format : Multiple Formats, AC-3, Color, Dolby, NTSC, Subtitled, Dubbed, Widescreen
- Run time : 1 hour and 52 minutes
- Release date : October 16, 2009
- Actors : Sharlto Copley, David James, Jason Cope, Mandla Gaduka, William Young
- Dubbed: : Spanish
- Subtitles: : English, French
- Producers : Peter Jackson, Carolynne Cunningham
- Language : Unqualified, English (Dolby Digital 5.1), French (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo)
- Studio : Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
- ASIN : B002SJIO54
- Number of discs : 2
- Best Sellers Rank: #53,640 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
- #1,339 in Science Fiction DVDs
- #3,145 in Mystery & Thrillers (Movies & TV)
- #5,907 in Action & Adventure DVDs
- Customer Reviews:
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"District 9" is one of those rare gems that immediately immerses you in its world. Beginning in medias res with stark images of a massive spacecraft hovering over Johannesburg, the audience quickly discovers it's been there for over thirty years by the time our story picks up. For months after the craft appeared the Earth waited for a response. When none came, the decision was made to send special teams to board the vessel and finally get some answers. What they got, instead, were more questions.
The aliens inside were malnourished, unhealthy and their intelligence appeared to be below that of most humans. Labeled "prawns" due to their appearance, the aliens were removed from the ship and placed into a temporary encampment known as District 9, which has rapidly deteriorated into an outright slum. Enter Wikus van der Merwe, a seemingly naive yet likeable fellow employed with Multinational United (M.N.U.), the pseudo-U.N. organization tasked with handling the prawns. He's just received a promotion and is ordered to relocate the prawns to a newer camp set up in an area more isolated from humanity.
While the scope of "District 9" seems initially epic, the film wisely follows a very focused tale centered on Wikus and a prawn known as Christopher. As the story unfolds, the development of these characters is outstanding - particularly for an action-oriented film. A lesser film would've transformed Wikus into a more compassionate person as the events transpired, perhaps even culiminating into some sort of freedom fighter for the prawns. With this film, however, we're finally presented with a very real, very flawed character.
Even at his best, Wikus is a wholly self-serving individual and stands as a damning indictment of humanity as a whole. His most selfless act in the film is tempered by the fact that it's still in his best interests to do so. Christopher is, ironically, the most human character here and is unquestionably the most deserving of sympathy. Yet it's interesting to note how many still think Wikus is the true victim of it all. Watch how cunningly manipulative Wikus is when he's attempting to evict the prawns. His demeanor is slick and polished. He uses bribes, lies, and outright threats against them - not to mention the intimidating image of armed soldiers and armored vehicles surrounding the prawns.
The documentary format in which the film is shot is a phenomenal aspect and one which is very original and innovative. Technically this technique has been used before, but it's typically in something like a Christopher Guest comedy and nothing substantially riveting aside from humor. Some have critiqued this film for dropping the documentary style mid-way through and becoming a more action-oriented film. However, had they paid closer attention, the reason for this is quite evident. It's made clear at the beginning of the film that the persons providing the commentary have no idea what happened to Wikus, or indeed what really happened in District 9. M.N.U. predictably covered it all up and only the audience is privy to what really occured. Their commentary mid-way through the film would've been precisely what it is at the end - mere conjecture and thus useless to the audience.
Further, some have felt the film draws large plot elements from a myriad of other films such as Enemy Mine , Robocop , or Alien Nation . This can hardly be a criticism, because "District 9" incorporates elements from these films in only the broadest sense possible. It's akin to declaring that American History X is influenced by To Kill a Mockingbird or Hart's War is influenced by The Great Escape . While there may be a modicum of truth to this, the respective narratives are much too wildly divergent to be categorized in this manner. I can agree, however, that it seems very unlikely (even for a science fiction film) that the fuel/fluid could perform both the uses it does in the film. Still, this plot device provides an excellent catalyst for what transpires and is entirely forgiveable.
I've read some critics believe the themes are a bit on the nose, and while I definitely concur that occasionally a subtle route is best, "District 9" is so thematically rich and the narrative is complex enough that this rings as a hollow criticism. "District 9" is, on the surface, an action film. Yet this film has more to say about human nature than any film in years. If this weren't so, how else could a film about alien creatures on Earth feel so real?
The polarizing opinions and wildly diverse interpretations of this film are precisely what writer/director Neill Blomkamp was aiming for. It's been labeled as both a brilliant allegory of apartheid and of the Iraqi war, it's been accused of somehow being a 'racist' film, while others simply see it as violently offensive rubbish. Many watch "District 9" and cannot see the forest for the trees, they simply cannot see past the gore and violence to the core of the film. Further, they want the film to provide answers and solutions, when the truth they're unable to face is that there are no viable solutions.
These spirited debates, in a sense, mirror the ones in the film concerning the handling and treatment of the prawns. Ultimately, whether you like or dislike this film, it'll almost certainly have you talking about it for days afterwards. This can be credited to the fact that, once the smoke clears, there is a very real beating heart at the center of "District 9" (provided you're able to look beneath the surface). In the end, these are the true marks of a lasting, important film.
* The text hereafter refers to the features included on the 2-Disc DVD of "District 9". As this assumes you've already seen this film, fair warning, there are spoilers below. The disc has two menu screens, one in an M.N.U. design and one in a prawn design, the difference between the two being entirely cosmetic. It's a nice touch to a fantastic home video release. The first disc contains three special features: a fine selection of deleted scenes, a making-of featurette, and a commentary track with director Neill Blomkamp. There are roughly twenty-three minutes of deleted scenes that shed a little more light on Blomkamp's vision. Almost all are little more than a minute each and a few have incomplete special effects (much like the ones from the recent "Star Trek" release). A handful are uninteresting filler, but the best ones range from a scientist explaining the reproductive habits of the prawns to one which depicts Wikus forcefully stealing the vehicle he drove to the M.N.U. headquarters. While I enjoyed the scenes immensely, I feel it was a wise decision not to offer an "extended" version of the film. The pacing of "District 9" is lighting quick without feeling rushed, something that the addition of these scenes would've ruined entirely.
Next is a thirty-four minute making-of featurette which offers a generalized overview of how the film was conceived, shot, and edited. I'm not typically interested in this sort of thing, but a film like "District 9" is anything but typical itself, so I found this highly entertaining. It's precisely what one expects from a feature of this sort - plenty of interviews with the cast & crew along with some great behind the scenes footage. Watch for an amusing scene where Sharlto attempts to eat his lunch using his alien hand. Rounding out the first disc is a commentary track which is also excellent, well-stocked with Blomkamp's wealth of tales and comments about the genesis of the film. If he at times spends a bit too much time describing rather personal details, they still only serve to provide deeper insight into the film, especially considering Blomkamp was such an integral part of the film's creation. There are plenty of details covered here that aren't mentioned in the other features, though some of it could be considered a bit extraneous. (All of the above is also included on the single disc version.)
The second disc contains four featurettes which in toto run approximately forty-five minutes. These are focused on a specific aspect of the film's production, as opposed to the more generalized feature on the first disc. The first is called "Metamorphosis" and highlights how the makeup crew gradually transformed Sharlto Copley's character from human to alien (if you liked seeing how the "Benjamin Button" crew transformed Brad Pitt, you'll love this one too). The second is "Conception and Design" which details the inspirations and ideas that led to the creation of the film. It's interesting to watch Blomkamp acknowledge previous sci-fi films that served as templates for the themes he wanted to flesh out with his own film, while simultaneously illustrating how brilliantly original the mechanics of "District 9" are. The piece begins with some great photos and information on how Weta Workshop created the unique alien weaponry. The third is "Alien Generation" which delves into the special effects work. This primarily focuses on the mechanics of creating the aliens and making them interact seamlessly with the human characters. The fourth is "Innovation" which details Blomkamp's approach to directing the actors in the film, along with how he felt improvisation was the key to making the film feel more organic. All of these features have tons of interviews and comments from the cast & crew (including Blomkamp & Copley).
The Blu-Ray version includes all of the above as well as the ubiquitous digital copy and an exclusive feature called "Joburg from Above: Satellite and Schematics of the World of District 9". This is a unique feature which allows the user to explore sensitive locales on both the alien and M.N.U. sides with an interactive map. Also included are a couple of newish features popping up on all new Blu-Rays: the "CineChat" feature, which allows users to chat with friends while watching movies; and "MovieIQ" which provides a large database of technical information about the film. For those who are interested in this sort of thing, there's also a demo for a video game called "God of War III" for the Playstation 3 which includes a making-of clip once the demo is completed. I don't own a PS3 so I can't comment on the quality of this feature. A final note: the one feature that many hoped would be included is absent on all versions, which is the original "Alive in Joburg" short that inspired the film. However, the short can easily be located and viewed online.
STORY
In 1982, a giant alien ship grinds to a halt above Johannesburg, South Africa. The aliens are referred to negatively as "Prawns" for their scavenger-like personalities, and are treated like garbage by both the public and government. The Prawns are forced in a giant slum called District 9, and Multi-National United (MNU) is really interested in getting their hands on the Prawn weapons and engineering them for human use (Prawn weapons won't work on human hands since they're only made to work with Prawns). Wikus van de Merwe, an MNU manager, is putting up eviction notices for the Prawns into District 10, and comes into contact with Prawn fluid that'll turn him into a Prawn himself. He's being hunted down by the MNU and has to make a reluctant alliance with a Prawn named Christopher Johnson if he wants any chance to come back to normal.
CHARACTERS
For the most part, I thought the characters were done really well. Of course, the best character is Wikus (Sharlto Copley). In the beginning, you see him as a mild-mannered jerk (if that makes any sense), and doesn't really care about the Prawns (though he doesn't want Prawns getting killed by MNU troops). The neat part of Wikus is that his character becomes "more human" when his metamorphosis makes him less human, physically-speaking.
The only character that I would say is closer in line to being the more traditional "good guy" would be Christopher Johnson (Jason Cope). Out of the other human and Prawn characters, he's really the only one who doesn't want to fight, but is forced into combat against the MNU near the end of the movie.
The antagonists, such as Colonel Koobus Venter (David James) and Obesandjo (Eugene Khumbanyiwa), are good in their roles. Some may complain that Koobus and Obesandjo lack depth, since they're straight-up maniacs, but I think this works out in their favor since for the former, it would dilute the menacing feeling if he was written to have sympathetic moments. Koobus's menacing vibe is enhanced with his superb tactical skills when in combat, and while he's not going to rival the Terminator in terms of supervillains, he's quite effective as the cold, murderous maniac.
However, I wish that some characters, like Wikus's wife, Tania (Vanessa Haywood), would have been developed a little more.
THEMES/COMMENTARY
District 9 is noted for having quite a few things to say about humanity. As stated earlier, with Wikus, his physical transformation into a Prawn makes him more "human." Also, this movie takes an interesting stand by showing the aliens in a more sympathetic light than the humans, thought I think the allegories relating to the Apartheid in South Africa are way too obvious. However, I think Neill Blomkamp did a better job at handling the way the humans and Prawns were handled than James Cameron did the humans and Navi in Avatar, since there was some nuance in the characters in D9 to make them more believable. I also applaud Blomkamp for pulling off his message without the use of making the Prawns look like eye candy (more on visuals later).
I also commend Blomkamp for not just portraying the big businesses (MNU) as evil to reflect the "evils of humanity," but also shows it through the Nigerian warlords (headed by Obesandjo) taking advantage of and brutalizing the Prawns for their advanced weapons.
STORYTELLING
I thought the way D9 was told was pretty interesting, as it's not everyday that you see a sci-fi film with pretty strong action scenes told as a documentary in the beginning and end like one. I thought Blomkamp handled the fusion of documentary-styled film and traditional film well, since I thought the transitions were smooth.
SOUNDTRACK
Clinton Shorter's music for this movie wasn't bad, though I wouldn't put in the same league of the soundtracks in movies like Blade Runner, The Terminator, or Total Recall. However, I'll say that Shorter captured the mood of the gritty settings really well with tribal chanting and other musical elements very fitting to the geographical setting.
CINEMATOGRAPHY
Trent Opaloch's cinematography for District 9 is quite good. The cinematography perfectly captures the gritty and violent atmosphere of the Prawns' lives, and I think the idea of it taking place in South Africa is a neat decision, since it's not everyday that you get a sci-fi movie taking place in this part of the world.
APPEARANCE
What really struck me in a positive way is the look of the Prawn technology, especially their weapons. I love how they don't look like totally outlandish guns more akin to a fantasy story in space, but look more like our weapons with a strong "alien" visual aesthetic to them. This also makes them look pretty nasty compared to other alien weapons in sci-fi (such as the Covenant weapons in the Halo games).
The MNU's personnel and equipment were made perfectly in this movie, since they're a potent military force that also reflects the fact that they're a private military entity. This is reflected in the fact that the personnel have a more "casual" look to them than official military personnel and that they don't have access to really powerful weapons like tanks and gunships.
The looks of the Nigerian warlords were done really well for the movie as well. They're shown as more "rag-tag" through their dilapidated vehicles and dwellings.
SPECIAL EFFECTS
The special effects done by Weta Workshop are marvelous. The movie combines "traditional" special effects with CGI, and you hardly even notice that the effects are, well, effects. The mutations on Wikus's body are very convincing (these were make-up effects), and the same can be said with how the Prawns look (the Prawns were made by CGI). I think it's funny that despite the very convincing effects in the movie, the pricetag for them was drastically lower than what was needed to make everything in Avatar.
ACTION SCENES
Despite the fact that District 9 is often labeled as an "action" movie along with its sci-fi tag, there really isn't that much action that goes on. However, the action that does take place is done very well. The movie decides to build up to the action near the end, which I thought was a good thing since it gave them more power.
I thought the scene where Wikus and Christopher storm the MNU building was awesome, as it showed the two armed with Prawn weapons and dishing out some unique deaths to the MNU mercenaries in the building (such as the arc gun making its targets blow up in a shower of blood).
The final action scene near the end was pretty amazing. The MNU and the Nigerian warlords are after Wikus, and donning a Prawn combat exosuit, dishes out some awesome damage against the enemies. The exosuit even uses a magnetic force to collect all the incoming bullets and uses them as lethal projectiles against those trying to harm Wikus, and even fires a mini bomb into someone's head. In one scene, he uses the suit's graviton device to pick up a pig and uses it as a projectile against an MNU mercenary. That scene was one of the most unintentionally funny things I've ever seen. I wish this Prawn exosuit was real, because I'd like to have this thing for home security.
MATURE CONTENT
This is not a movie for the kids since there's a good deal of gore and bad language throughout. There's scenes with both humans and Prawns getting dismembered, blown up, and shot at with plenty of bloodshed. One of the hardest to watch was actually against a Prawn, since MNU scientists start conducting experiments on Wikus's abilities to interact with Prawn weapons, and Wikus is forced into killing a Prawn with one of the guns (which is highlighted by Wikus begging to shoot at the pig carcasses instead).
FINAL WORD
While I wouldn't say that this is quite in the same league of movies like 2001: A Space Odyssey, Alien, or Total Recall, this was a really solid sci-fi movie. In terms of sci-fi movies that came out in 2009, this runs rings around Avatar since it had much better character development and storytelling, not to mention better action scenes. I strongly suggest you at least rent this.
Top reviews from other countries
If ya like sci-fi with a diffent plot then watch this film!!!
Les effets spéciaux sont superbe car très réel.

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