On CLIPS In September, 2009
DISTRICT 9

Living in slum-like conditions on Earth, stranded space aliens rebel.

TRIVIA: The premise was derived from which 2005 sci-fi short?

Since 1990, extraterrestrials have been forced to live in slum-like conditions in Johannesburg, South Africa while their inoperable spaceship hovers above them. In 2010, the initial welcome has worn out and their refugee camp has turned into a fenced-in ghetto called District 9. With the crime rate up and attributed to the aliens, munitions corporation Multi-National United is contracted to evict the population - nicknamed "The Prawns". Operative Wikus Van De Merwe (Sharlto Copley) is put in charge of the eviction. All does not go as planned. "District 9" is an engrossing, imaginative and highly original science fiction adventure. Director and writer Neill Blomkamp skillfully unfolds his story documentary-style with a cast that is relatively unknown. The majority of the plot and believability is squarely on the shoulders of Sharlto Copley. He delivers a magnificent performance - transforming from a rather dim, unlikable corporate underling into an empathetic fugitive after being accidentally exposed to alien chemicals. Without giving too much away, the humans turn out to be more monstrous than the alien creatures. For a low-budget movie, the special effects are amazing. This sci-fi gem lapses into a Transformers battle near the end, but the outcome makes it forgivable. Even with some minor flaws, "District 9" is out-of-this-world.