Copley's wild-eyed performance as the luckless Wikus has a lot going for it. The fact that he's so ridiculous -- and so dogged -- adds to the pathos, for it's patently clear Blomkamp has no taste for easy endings.
District 9 (2009)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted:232
Fresh:209
Rotten:23
Average Rating:7.8/10
Consensus: Technically brilliant and emotionally wrenching, District 9 has action, imagination, and all the elements of a thoroughly entertaining science-fiction classic.
Australian Theatrical Release:
Aug 13, 2009 Wide
US Box Office: $115,646,235
Synopsis: Genre master Peter Jackson produces this science-fiction film, the directorial debut of Neill Blomkamp. In District 9, South Africa has become a haven for refugees--from outer space. Genre master Peter Jackson produces this science-fiction film, the directorial debut of Neill Blomkamp. In District 9, South Africa has become a haven for refugees--from outer space. [More]
Starring: Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope, David James, Mandla Gaduka
Starring: Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope, David James, Mandla Gaduka, William Allen Young, Vanessa Haywood, Kenneth Nkosi, Devlin Brown
Director: Neill Blomkamp
Director: Neill Blomkamp
Screenwriter: Neill Blomkamp, Terri Tatchell
Producer: Peter Jackson, Carolynne Cunningham
Composer: Clinton Shorter
Studio: Sony Pictures Entertainment
Reviews for District 9
It's a fascinating hybrid of a film, an anti-Hollywood movie which incorporates a great deal of contemporary big-budget elements ... but with a tart, subversive sense of humour that leavens the violence and mayhem.
As an action director, Blomkamp is no John Carpenter. Parts of the story are not dramatised but narrated direct-to-camera by supposed interview subjects -- a lazy device that reduces immediacy and momentum.
An engaging sci-fi parable rooted in both universal themes and a specific setting that often takes you by surprise with both its smarts and intensity
It’s always exhilarating seeing something refreshingly new on screen, and even though we’ve seen horror before, and aliens before, and the dirty deeds of capitalism before, it’s never been quite like this.
The world Blomkamp has created in this original creature feature is at once familiar and distinctive.
Neill Blomkamp's career-making debut film District 9 mixes alien contact with apartheid politics, deftly creating one of the best sci-fi films in recent memory.
District 9 is a brave, intelligent and exciting film. Some of its story beats fall into the "unlikely" category, but the central idea, the design, and the acting are so strong that you'll likely go with it and have a damn good time doing so.
Completely absorbing and intense. As audiences are compelled early in the film to "learn from what has happened", Blomkamp uses District 9 to quietly remind us that it's too late for some.
Technically superb, District 9 is a feast of seamless digital work fused to live action, as it is also a smart fusion of documentary format with narrative fiction.
Un entretenido ejercicio de ciencia ficción que es también toda una alegoría sobre la condición racista y discriminadora del hombre.
Um presente inesperado para todos os fãs de uma boa e inteligente ficção-científica.
Le film de Neill Blomkamp brille de par son audace et la pertinence de son propos.
We've seen most of the film's elements before ... but all these ideas have never been assembled in exactly this manner before, let alone with Blomkamp's wit and style.
Works as political commentary, blood-splattering action flick and sneaky-funny comedy.
We'll know if District 9 has become an instant cult classic if this Halloween, children start dressing up as prawns.
Peter Jackson let Neil Blomkamp make his Bad Taste but with all of Jackson's expensive toys.
Original in concept and thoroughly intense, this alien encampment sci-fi thriller quickly devolves into a gritty slaughter chase that never bores but rarely surprises.
District 9 is a ferocious fable. Potent and provocative, it is an allegory for our time. It is bursting with contemporary themes -- oppression, greed, power, propaganda, and the conflict of disparate cultures.
You don’t feel bamboozled, fooled, or patronized by District 9, as you did by most of the summer blockbusters. You feel winded, shaken, and shamed.
Latest News for District 9
October 23, 2009:
Blomkamp Gets to Work on District 9 Follow-Up ![]()
Few details are known about the project, but director Neill Blomkamp has signed a deal that will give him creative control over his untitled follow-up to "District 9." More...
September 03, 2009:
Neill Blomkamp talks District 9 - RT Interview
District 9 heralds the arrival of 29-year-old South African-born director Neill Blomkamp as a major new voice in science-fiction. Infused with gritty, hand-held authenticity,... More...
August 28, 2009:
Neill Blomkamp Teases District 9 Sequel, Prequel ![]()
Now that "District 9" is officially a hit, it's time for Neill Blomkamp to hit the publicity trail -- and answer the inevitable questions about a sequel and/or prequel. CHUD has... More...
August 17, 2009:
Sharlto Copley Talks District 9 ![]()
He's a first-time actor with the #1 movie in the country. How good is life for Sharlto Copley right now? Watch his recent interview with Collider to find out. More...
More Movies
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 70% 70% | Where the Wild Things Are | 03/12 |
| 83% 83% | Paranormal Activity | 03/12 |
| 89% 89% | Zombieland | 03/12 |
| 76% 76% | The Informant! | 03/12 |
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