District 9

Discussion in 'Off Topic' started by LOCK.xcf, Aug 15, 2009.

  1. Whisper

    Whisper Ancient
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    You've obviously never been to Johannesburg. He's a typical example of the type of people that you'll find there. Definitely not exaggerated.
     
  2. Shatakai

    Shatakai Ancient
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    Well I suppose you've got me there XD. No I've never been to Johannesburg, but I think it would be more important for a movie to help the audience relate to a character rather than make them feel as foreign and fake (Within most American's ideas of foreign countries) as an actual person from that region would feel; especially in this particular movie, where the main character is supposed to start out as an ordinary everyday man that we can all relate to.

    And that still doesn't remedy the fact that he was a complete asshole and unlikable character.
     
    #22 Shatakai, Aug 16, 2009
    Last edited: Aug 16, 2009
  3. SargeantSarcasm

    SargeantSarcasm In Loving Memory
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    He was meant to start out as a normal ordinary man anyone who knows anything about that region could relate to.

    Hell this entire movie is an allegory for the racist behavior the country exhibited, namely with the forced relocation of millions of blacks out of District 6 to keep it whites-only.

    He's meant to have some traits you can relate to (loving his wife, being cheery, etc) but in the end, he himself is just a generalization of the attitudes prevalent in that area, and as such directly reflects it in his behavior and actions.

    In the end, the story is about redemption really. This white collar douchebag who you've seen throughout the movie gets beaten down to the point where he's treated like those he's oppressed, then literally starts to become one and sees their plight. He regains his real humanity by becoming an alien.

    Oh and about "boring" I tend to agree, however, it was all the set-up and style of the director, it was necessary for the second half of the film to make sense the way it did, if they breezed through it and didn't take as long as they did to show the ruthlessness of one van de Merwe, the film wouldn't be nearly as resonant or as awesome as it came to be, so I appreciate that.
     
  4. Shatakai

    Shatakai Ancient
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    I agree that the pacing and events that happened earlier in the movie were necessary to convey the message and atmosphere of the movie that they desired. It wasn't really the movie's fault, more of my own short coming on lacking the proper attention span, I guess. Or perhaps it was because I had heard reviews and so many people talking about it that I was aware of the movie was supposed to symbolize, and so it seemed boring to me that they spent so long setting it up.
     
  5. Rifte

    Rifte Ancient
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    Transformers, G.I.J.O.E, and a couple other ones as well I can't remember, but we've only talked about a few. Whatever doesn't really matter. I thought it was a really good movie, best sci-fi I've seen since star trek.

    I lol'd.
     
  6. Whisper

    Whisper Ancient
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    I didn't think you'd be the person to criticize the fact that the movie doesn't cater to today's 'ADD generation'.
     
  7. Meltyourtv

    Meltyourtv Ancient
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    From the trailers, it seems a lot to me like Cloverfield, which I really liked.

    Since I liked that, I'll probably enjoy this, too. :D
     
  8. xxAl Capwnagexx

    xxAl Capwnagexx Ancient
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    Downloading now, so I hope it's good.
     
  9. mastersync23

    mastersync23 Ancient
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    Isn't it meant to have a double meaning? The "prawns" are meant to be like the black Africans, and District 9 is meant to represent the lack of power and running water in slums found in Africa?

    I'm going to see it this weekend BTW.
     
  10. LOCK.xcf

    LOCK.xcf Ancient
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    I never once thoght the main character was over acted, and I thought he did a great job. And yeah at times he was a douche but I wouldn't say he was a douche for the majority of the movie.
     
  11. X5

    X5 Ancient
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    I'm usually a sucker for movies that draw parallels to current issues, especially when it comes to human treatment of one another in the form of racism and discrimination. The prawns and our harsh treatment of them is a metaphorical representation of the white man's treatment toward African Americans, Indians, and any other minority group. It shows how selfishly we act toward something new, out of fear and/or ignorance.
    Meanwhile the transformation of the main character into a prawn has many different meanings, the first being to show that the prawn are too human in a mental aspect. Although the main character stopped looking human, he was still the person everyone once knew. This goes into point two, showing that we as humans deny acceptance of certain people for the sake of an image we all wish to maintain. For some reason, I couldn't help but keep thinking of The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka. Thirdly, it displays the truly horrid truth behind many companies, which often-times assume business over human life and morality. As the main character changed into a prawn and became less human, he was also turning into a possession as opposed to a human life. Finally, their is the theme behind the main character, who (while pleasant and jolly toward fellow people) was cruel and heartless toward the prawn. In the end, it took him being turned into an alien to understand what it means to be human.
     
    #31 X5, Aug 17, 2009
    Last edited: Aug 17, 2009
  12. Dow

    Dow Ancient
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    Speak for yourself, because I have never treated a minority any different then I treat anyone else.
    As for the movie, I have not seen it yet, and all of the bootlegged ones are horrible quality so far. BTW, you kinda ruined it for me X5, but it's probably my fault.
    You should probably put that thing about him being turned into an alien in a spoiler tag
     
    #32 Dow, Aug 17, 2009
    Last edited: Aug 17, 2009
  13. Whisper

    Whisper Ancient
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    It's a facet of the human condition. You may not be a victim of it (which I doubt), but it is prevalent throughout most of our society.
     
  14. Plan B

    Plan B Ancient
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    I just saw the movie yesterday. It was great.
    And wow did anyone else like that ending? inoidid
     
  15. Shatakai

    Shatakai Ancient
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    Yes, the ending is one thing that I thought they did a really great job on.
     
  16. Jonesy2009

    Jonesy2009 Ancient
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    Oh man, i wish this would hurry up and come out in the UK. All ive heard about it is good things.
     
  17. XxSpix

    XxSpix Ancient
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    Seeing it Friday with mai homies!
    Or...
    singular....

    Anyway, what is it exactly about? I know it has aliens, and I know they are hot wanting to go home, but why?
    No spoilerzzz pl0x
     
  18. Shatakai

    Shatakai Ancient
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    Alien Mothership came out of the sky and floats on top of Johannesburg. The ship seems to be broken, as the aliens are not able to return home, and humans don't want them to because they want access to the technology. Aliens are put in slums and concentration camps and mistreated by humans. The main character is part of the organization MNU, and they are trying to relocate the aliens to a different concentration camp. This man goes through a transformation into the hero of the movie. How he becomes the hero, you'll have to find out.
     
  19. Plan B

    Plan B Ancient
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    Did anyone recognize in the more like begining of the movie when it was doing the camera view and had the little black rectangle with the numbers in the corner, and some of the filters of the camera? That reminded me alot of the Halo shorts Neil B. did.
    (yes i know Neil Blomkamp directed)
     
  20. MetaWaddleDee

    MetaWaddleDee Ancient
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    This is by far one of the best movies I have ever seen. the acting, the script, the camera angles, everything. I particularly loved the part where...
    aliens weren't immediatly treated like monsters, (I thought the humans would just try and kill all of the aliens, I was pleasantly surprised that it was a pretty deep story).
     

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