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District 9 (Neill Blomkamp, 2009)
I will agree, up to a point, that it's an original concept, but even so, I was strongly reminded for obvious reasons of several other films. Both versions of The Fly came to mind, and I'll admit that Sarah hit it on the nose that the original might have been more-influential. Besides that, Independence Day, Children of Men, Aliens, Robocop 2 (or Iron Man if you can't think that far back), all cried out to me at various times. My wife Brenda was grabbing my arm, hard, at several times. At first, it was just because it was all so damn intense, and afterwards, when you totally got into the Christopher character, she said that she really wanted him and his son to get back to their family just like she wanted Tom Hanks' character to get back to his wife in Saving Private Ryan.
I'm not sure what else to add which hasn't been said. I did laugh at quite a few of the deaths. I thought the inclusion of the Nigerians was a masterstroke, but I need to ask our friend no1mccoy what he thinks because I laughed at their wastocity. I really don't understand the complaints about the film's score. There are many different kinds of African music, but since much of the film was shot in Soweto, it makes sense that you would hear music from Soweto, one of the continent's and definitely South Africa's touchstone for apartheid and civil rights. There would be no sense in setting the flick in South Africa and Soweto unless it included appropriate music. Rwanda and South Africa are thousands of miles apart, so learn about African music if you're going to discuss it.
The film is definitely set up for a sequel: District 10, and it's ripe for story strands from both lead characters, one I never even mentioned by name here in this post.
I will agree, up to a point, that it's an original concept, but even so, I was strongly reminded for obvious reasons of several other films. Both versions of The Fly came to mind, and I'll admit that Sarah hit it on the nose that the original might have been more-influential. Besides that, Independence Day, Children of Men, Aliens, Robocop 2 (or Iron Man if you can't think that far back), all cried out to me at various times. My wife Brenda was grabbing my arm, hard, at several times. At first, it was just because it was all so damn intense, and afterwards, when you totally got into the Christopher character, she said that she really wanted him and his son to get back to their family just like she wanted Tom Hanks' character to get back to his wife in Saving Private Ryan.
I'm not sure what else to add which hasn't been said. I did laugh at quite a few of the deaths. I thought the inclusion of the Nigerians was a masterstroke, but I need to ask our friend no1mccoy what he thinks because I laughed at their wastocity. I really don't understand the complaints about the film's score. There are many different kinds of African music, but since much of the film was shot in Soweto, it makes sense that you would hear music from Soweto, one of the continent's and definitely South Africa's touchstone for apartheid and civil rights. There would be no sense in setting the flick in South Africa and Soweto unless it included appropriate music. Rwanda and South Africa are thousands of miles apart, so learn about African music if you're going to discuss it.
The film is definitely set up for a sequel: District 10, and it's ripe for story strands from both lead characters, one I never even mentioned by name here in this post.