9 Reasons You Have To See District 9

It's one of the films of the year, here's why...

BY James White Sep 3rd 2009 10:10AMFILED UNDER: Movie news

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After months of anticipation, alien thriller District 9 is finally touching down in cinemas.

We've seen it, we like it, and we recommend you check it out.

Need a reason? How about nine of 'em? Beware of minor spoilers, but we've largely stayed away from major plot points...



1. You'd Be Supporting Visionary Filmmaking

While D9 might have the trappings and marketing support of a big studio film, in reality it's a lot closer to co-writer/director Neil Blomkamp's vision that most focus group approved, test-marketed studio movies.

It doesn't hurt that Blomkamp had Peter Jackson and his team backing him, but it led to the director getting to make the film he wanted, not what some studio exec thought might sell best across the middle of America.

Star Sharlto Copley (more on him later), who met a teenaged Blomkamp when he gave him one of his earliest jobs, saw something in him from the start. "He was going to be the next James Cameron or Spielberg. That was my personal, little opinion. So, on the one hand, I have to say that it's not particularly surprising."

Blomkamp credits Jackson and co with a lot of what makes the final film work: "It’s much more than just saying, 'Go and do what you want.' It’s 'Can I put a guy in the movie who’s never acted before, but I think he can carry the lead role?' There’s no way that would have happened if he wasn’t producing it. So he said 'Yes.'

"And then, 'Can they keep South African accents? And they’re thick accents.' Yes.'

"So that is probably the single biggest thing, is just the fact that he allowed it to happen. And then on a day-to-day basis, when we were writing the script, (co-writer) Terri Tatchell and I would have meetings with him and Fran, and Philippa Boyens honing the script, and they were giving us input, and helping us really shape that."

Next: It has a brain

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