District 9 is a 2009 science fiction action film, and a co-production of New Zealand, the U.S. and South Africa. It uses fake news and interviews to get the viewer nearer to the story, making it somewhat believable, and is one of the best science fiction films produced.
It was directed by Neill Blomkamp and the main characters are played by Jason Cope, Sharlto Copley, Louis Minnaar, Nathalie Boltt and David James.
The movie is set 30 years ago, when aliens arrive on Earth and are marooned without fuel, and just stay here. They are segregated from humans and located in District 9, a terrestrial camp, tensions and a big unrest between locals and aliens (nicknamed prawns) occurs, and the government hires MNU, a huge weapon manufacturer, to relocate them. One of the leaders of this relocation, named Wikus, accidentally gets infected by a virus, while searching an alien’s shack, which alters his DNA and slowly turns him into an alien himself. After his medical condition got so bad that he had to be taken to a hospital, the doctors discover the alien DNA in his body and want to take him to a testing facility to extract his DNA and weaponize it with alien equipment, but Wikus is able to escape and returns back to District 9 to seek help from other Aliens. The movie takes you through a very action-loaded journey of Wikus trying to become human again and discovering secret deals. An underlying theme of the movie is Apartheid, as it is set in South Africa. The movie makes a statement about how a dominant group subjugates another and treats them like animals.
Rotten Tomatoes gave this movie a 90% rating, and I’d rate this movie a nine out of 10, too because of its originality and the thematic weight. It’s one of the most exciting science fiction movies out of that time.
