Gritty. Funny. Gory. Intense. Original. All-action. Empathy-wielding. Epic.

It is a great movie, and every science fiction fan should watch it. The story is quite unique from one perspective, because in this movie the aliens are not the threat to us - we are the threat to the aliens. The story is also great and not hard to follow, the characters have very sharp personalities.
Overall it's a very good movie, I had a lot of fun, so check it out!
I give it 9/10

I can honestly say that I have never seen anything like this before. A true and complete original. You will ride an emotional rollercoaster while watching this film. You'll laugh, scream, wince, jump and quite possibly cry. I cannot recommend seeing this film enough. Amazing.

it was amazingly original and very unpredictable. a must for me personally.

Next Peter Jackson's movie and next amazing movie!
This movie is other than all Action, Sci-Fi movies. It holds in tension and tells excellent story. Story is the best in this movie but all is really great. This is ones of my favorites movies and i advice District 9 every Sci-Fi fans.

I thought this movie was intelligently put together. Its not as deep as a heavy drama, but there's decent character development and an OK script. The technology/CGI for the movie was pretty well done and the storyline concept was unique and well thought out.

Not only is this film an engaging science fiction film it is one of the only sci fi films where I have left the cinema viewing the humans as the real monsters. This is a must see summer blockbuster and probably one of the most important films of this year and maybye the decade.

I have tears in my eyes. 'District 9' is pure genuis! Neill Blouwkamp got it so right, the words for such things, haven't been invented yet. I grew up in English speaking KZN South Africa, hearing van der Merwe jokes , but deep down inside, I always knew, that thrown into the frontline, van der Merwe would be heroic and clearly Neill knew it too. I cannot wait for Neill9;s next film.… Expand

A genuinely thrilling and smart film. If you like your sci-fi movies deeper and more realistic than usual, than you're on the right track with this one.

Blissfully original,subtly political, teeming with excitement & brilliance.

This isn't a cosy film. You can't just sit there and expect robots hitting each other whilst the good looking guy gets the good looking girl. The fact that it deals with aliens is largely irrelevant. Its NOT about apartheid, but it IS about displacement and reflects the sad treatment of powerless refugees across the world. This is a difficult story with no easy answers provided by the SFX guys. There IS a kind of resolution but its hard fought for and therefore more worthwhile when it arrives. An INTELLIGENT Sci-fi film for once. Well done.… Expand

Seriously the best movie since The Dark Knight. My interest was never lost from start to finish. Pulls on the strings of your heart.

All I can really say, It was phenomenal. I didn't know what to think as the story continued. It was simply amazing.

Absolutely amazing. Neil Blomkamp and Peter Jackson, I bow to you, for bringing us the best Sci-fi experience in years. My favorite movie ever, hands down.

Near perfect movie. It kept me enraptured for the full viewing time. One of the most original concepts for cinema I've ever seen. A movie in which the viewer actually cares for the fate of the protagonists? woah, what a novel concept! This movie had me praying the "good guys" succeed. A must see for EVERYONE (with the exception of young children). P.S. Pray Neill Blomkamp can get his hands on the Halo movie rights, he'll take it to new bounds.… Expand

It begrudges me to read the negative reviews of this movie. A lot of viewers have focused on the messages (of which are their personal opinions) that this film is portraying rather than judging it purely on entertainment. This movie was a breath of fresh air and is one that I can add to a short list of films I would watch multiple times.

Both me and my wife just went because nothing else out that we didn't see. We loved it, I'm a sci fi fan she isn't . She said an interesting thing ,after you get to know the aliens they don't look so bad.

If you really do not like this movie then you probably cannot catch on to the high level concept. Heaven forbid the director make everything make sense so that all of you idiots with your third grade IQ levels understand. It kills me to see that people like GI joe and Transformers 2, then people call District 9 a bad movie. I have seen District 9, 5 times in the last 2 weeks, and every time I watch it, I learn something new about the movie. This movie is smart enough to be shown in classes as a good example of allusions, metaphors, and allegories; but children won't be watching District 9 in English class just yet because.....you cannot say the F word in school, but maybe that will change. District 9 is perfection, go see it.… Expand

is movie is proof that there are people out in the world who know what a si-fi moive is. when other movie showed that si-fi now means big guns and bad action with a lame story that has aliens, this movie brings back what si-fi used to mean big guns and good action with a tear jreakin, heart warming realist tell that has alines

Last night I died and went to cinema heaven

The main theme of this movie is ignorance imo. Ignorance in it's various forms: blind desire, neglect , indifference, incompetence, lack of understanding and selfishness. It's about the terrible cost of these attributes for the individual and society as a whole. It's about how fragile civilisation is and how interdependent we are: could you fix your phone or you car if you needed help getting back home? And it's pretty fookin funny.… Expand

I am seeing it for a third time tomorrow, and may even go for a fourth. Leave the kids at home, the emotions and the language and the violence are certainly not appropriate for the kiddos, but wow what an original, engaging movie! Don't read spoilers, the less you know about the movie going in, the better. After seeing such mindless, stupid nonsense as Transformers 2, with its over the top budget and marketing, to finally see an intelligent sci fi movie, and from a relatively unknown director, with unknown actors... it's incredible.… Expand

As a South African I went to watch the movie expecting it to be worse than what the reviews said. I'm tired of all the racism stories and well I wasn't expecting anything good. Wow I was wrong. I loved it and will probably go watch it again. The only flaw for me is that it turns into too much of an action movie, though still a good one. All the so called plot holes can be reasoned away and I'm glad that we are not spoonfed everything. Awesome movie and well worth the watch!… Collapse

Stunning, amazing, I would definetly recommend.

This film is raw, unpretty, shaky, crude and probably has a budget much less than Hollywood ones. I enjoyed this one much more than any Hollywood movie. It left me on the verge of sobbing into my hankie.

Amazingly tender, thought provoking and engrossing story. The documentary style makes it extremely authentic. This is what sci-fi is all about.

Brilliant! Flawless performance of main actor, great story, realistic effects.Real refreshment in movie industry and real gem of SF. Way to go!!!

Anyone who rates this lower than a 9 knows nothing about Sci-Fi or cinema for that matter and is more likely to be all excited about big budget nonsence like transformers.Go ahead and get in line for Roland Emerich's 2012, i'll wait till it appears in the bargain bucket at my local junk shop about 6 months after its release! Rate District 9 low if you really feel the need to grab the attention of grown up movie lovers but my advise would be not to bother just get back to your online gaming.....is that your mum i hear calling?… Expand

This movie takes us from a tongue in cheek parallel of the apartheid era to the xenophobic actions following of people as a result of the vilification of people in public which gives one the "right" to just do what you want to them....it is gritty, very smart with acting, style and the expression of and accent from the home ground of the afrikaans speaking people, so remniscent of many myopic attitudes under the surface of most cultures.… Expand

A movie more flawless than this one does'nt come to mind because there is'nt any. From the begining to the end the film succeds in entertaining. Everything about it is A1 from the cast's performances to the films story.

Startling on first viewing, left a big impression even if I can't quite pin down what that is! Reminds me of the feeling I had when I first saw Alien and Terminator, not necessarily great films in the traditional sense but for whatever reason stops you in your tracks. A Marmite film, you'll love it or hate it, either way it's destined to become a cult classic.

One of the best films I have ever seen. Utterly compelling. The acting was superb from everyone involved, and the script couldn't have been written any better. If this doesn't go down in history as one of the greatest films of all time, I will be sorely disappointed.

This movie will make you think about yourself.

90/100. What an amazingly imaginative film, and it has a totally unique plot and you can

I have been reading lots of reviews and need to start commenting in order to clear up some of the misunderstandings. ive read so many (usa) reviews about the "unbelievable main character" and the "fake accent" and to any south african Wikus is 100% typical of our own red neck those-who-never-apply for passports true blue south african. we all know lots of south africans who speak and act and (unfortunately) think exactly like wikus. there is a huge problem with nigerian violence, scams and drug trafficking in SA and the locals have been protesting about it. Our malawian gardener who comes to us once a week always gets himself robbed by nigerians when returning to the townships, we have opened a bank account for him so that doesnt carry cash anymore. Our friends in JHB had their son killed because a nigerian gang kidnapped him and asked for a ransom, which our friends paid for, and they killed him anyway. So yes, its very very appropriate to include them in the movie. The ruwandans, mocambiqueans, botswananas, malawians and all manner of neighbouring africans who have flocked into SA are corralled into the worst parts of every township and are called "aliens" locally. Racism? Well the white guys are depicted as the baddies and the black guys in MNU are the nicest humans so the racist card is not that clear. I find it amusing that people who would walk out of a movie only 20 minutes into it can write reviews and have any sort of intelligent opinion. The director clearly states that he didnt need to patronise the audience by explaining every little angle and leaves much to audience. A good movie is one that gets people thinking and talking and this movie sure does that !! I understood the brilliance of the movie when seeing it the second time and so much fell into place that I couldnt take in the first time because it was so intense. Hopefully the academy will do their due diligence and try and understand the social and criminal context, the accent and ignore some of the super ignorant reviews that have been written by folk who cant understand a movie unless it spoonfeeds and stars Will Smith !!… Expand

Whats with all these 0's and people saying this film is bad...?!!?!?! Rigged boards? Dont talk rubbish.. Anyway..this film is geniuenly epic...and it really dos make you feel empathy for the aliens and sorry for Wikus...the main character. I loved it from start to finish....the special effects are top notch, it isnt my favorite film..but its definelty one of them! Seriously do yourself a favor and see it...its really really good!!… Expand

Unlike anything you've ever seen. A very original sci-fi film with top notch cgi, acting and a great script. Copley is absolutely amazing in his first film, this guy is going to be a star. Blomkamp is a visionary... this film had me hooked from the first frame. A must see.

This movie is simply beyond perfection

I'm certain a sequel is being hashed out as I type this little review and the resulting "District 10" had better explain some things to me...like is there a biological basis for bigotry? My left lower claw is tapping out messages in wounded impatience but that's just me and my wild DNA...it gets a little funky with all that cat food in the system. All in all, I have to say this film was amazingly well done and embraced many themes about our humanity that were compelling and engaging. But I didn't feel it was "deep" enough. Don't get me wrong. It's a great little film. But the themes have just been scratched and I hope will be further explored. And yeah, I liked all that vomiting, public urination and relatively tidy body explosions!… Expand

District 9 is easily the best movie I have seen so far this year. It's story brings you in and makes you feel for these people(humans and aliens alike). The action is amazing, but never feels overdone or like it is meaningless. I should note that the entire film is extremely violent and if you don't like blood you should stay away. If you like good movies that actually have a message then don't miss this one.… Expand

This movie proves it's not about money, it's all about the artist behind the camera. Well done Mr. Blomkamp and Mr. Jackson.

A mix of The Fly, Blackhawk Down, Children of men and Half-life 2, with a possible gravity gun reference involving a.... I wont spoil it. If I had to nitpick, I'd say that the Aliens aren't really all that alien. They are basically bug people who behave exactly as humans would. And the Apartheid thing doesn't last long before it goes all action, But the action is great.

I went into this movie with high hopes. I was left speechless. This movie delivers on all fronts and its worth every penny...twice. I would recommend this to all. Be warned there is quite a bit of gore so this is not for the weak stomached.

District 9 is subtle, subversive and its a Sci-Fi shot in Johannesburg?? What a treat watching a movie that does not bombard you with colour, special effects and the soulless Hollywood 'SHAZAM' factor. Instead we are given a real portrayal of squatter camp life, with beings suffering and oppressed to the point of revolt. We feel for them; we want them to be rescued and oh yes they are aliens!!! This Movies strength is its core is overflowing with subversive power and the fact that its a alien/chase/special effects fiasco just makes it a great ,great movie!!!!… Expand

Most original sci-fi since Alien. Neill Blomkamp in his directing debut knocked this one out of the park. There is so much right with this movie, and so little wrong. It really pulls you in and ratchets up the tension so adroitly you don't notice until you're cheering. Can't wait to see it again.

A well-done, fun, rational, thought-provoking, exciting movie!

All the critics who gave it a 50 either misunderstood the film or simple lack any sort of intelligence. Some critics have bad taste in films. Please note this is not a comedy nor a comic book film, it is a realistic science fiction film. This movie is a Si-Fi classic. It has a lot of rich ideas and great action. District 9 has all the components you would expect from a excellent film. It has a great plot that makes you think about humanity and what would happen if we were really to encounter Aliens. All the snobby critics can go eat canned cat food, and should be held captive in district 9. The snobby critics misunderstood the movie the way M.N.U. misunderstood the aliens of district 9. Hopefully we will see district 10 some time in the near future.… Expand

Very satisfying and original. I cant wait to go see it again and then go buy it on DVD.

Dark, twisted, and wonderfully executed.

Purely amazing. This movie pulls you in, grabs you by the head, and smothers you in awesome. Very intelligent, very entertaining. They fleshed out the Aliens and made you feel for them, and I loved the way they ended it, this is one of the closest movies I would call perfect. Everyone was clapping.

Just when you think this movie is trying too hard to be a documentary Blomkamp thrusts you into an emotionally charged action film with all of the bells and whistles of a top shelf summer movie. It manages to pull the viewer into its make-believe world and tear at the heart and soul. Nail biting and speak out loud to youself... "oh god I hope they don't kill tha poor child, wait he's CG!!!!." incredible sci-fi movie. Genre defining. A must see!!!… Expand

An amazing movie, especially considering it's really low budget.

Peter Jackson does to SciFi what he did to zombie flicks with his dark humored classic Dead Alive. This film is original. Tells a good story. Has a nice whimsical at times and dry / twisted at times sense of humor. Most important part. THE SPECIAL EFFECTS ARE USED TO TELL THE STORY. They rarely, if at all, get in the way or are special effects for the sake of special effects. Rising above a sea of Hollywood crap this summer this film redeemed my faith in creative narrative and filmmaking.… Expand

Great SCi fi movie, Great social drama, Great action movie. You cannot help but feel uneasy at the brutal realism of this movie. Wikus is a testament to the best and worst of human nature. THe lack of stars allows the focus to be on the story. After the debacle of Transformers and Wolverine, This film is proof that real movie making still lives.

I went into the theater with high expectations, and I was blow away. I left the theater dazed, and I'm still digesting the subtler elements of the film. Stunning, brilliant, exciting, and heartbreaking. There hasn't been an American film this good since There Will Be Blood. We are going to see great, marvelous things coming from both Neill Blomkamp and Sharlto Copley!

Perfect 10 loved every moment.

This is by far the deepest Science Fiction film I have ever seen, the message and imagery rocked me to my core. Hopefully people who see this will look into the atrocities that have happened in South Africa so that they will never repeat themselves anywhere.

Great movie that is NOT totally centered around science fiction. You must actually think while watching the film; that's what makes it outstanding. The special effects are an added bonus.

Great movie, Ties in very well with the short ' Alive in Joburg'.

Great movie. Great directing.Great acting. Amazing story.But it starts off a little slow. (also I'd like to warn people reading these user reviews that a ton of them do not have spoiler alerts. They might ruin the ending like they did for me).

A great movie with unique direction and plot. Throw in a couple good protagonists, some realistic computer graphics plus good social commentary and you got one of the best science fiction movies of the year. Yes, there are some places is could have been better, but in most areas it was amazing. I think everyone should go see it.

On the edge of my seat from the start to the finish. The movie lingers in my mind even before I went to bed that night.

Nearly perfect. Acting, uniqueness, adventure and sense of terror and realness.

Hopefully we can take a look at ourselves after watching this movie!

Amazingly directed! Great acting. Very interesting movie.

I'm hoping that as this film gets a wider release the ratings provided by critics who prioritise the accuracy of a film's allegorical social commentary over it's entertainment value, will be reduced to insignificance, and District 9 will receive the MetaCritic score it deserves.

Awesome sci-fi movie.

Original and interesting ideas that develop into good sci-fi style action.

Best movie of the summer. Hands down. Easily blows Terminator, Transformers, Potter and G.I. Joe out of the water. Easily. You won't be disappointed.

An amazing movie! And one thats based in my home country! How awesome is that!? At last, the aliens have landed somewhere else than the US. I think they liked it here, although the accommodation was a bit scruffy. Loved it! A must see Sci-Fi movie.

Best sci fi movie in forever. Very original, quirky, clever and action packed!

District 9 is a combination of new special effects and good old fashioned story telling. The CG Aliens are flawless with smooth animations and perfect interaction with live-action characters. Any Sci-Fi fan should make it their business to see this movie. The cliche of a movie that makes you laugh, cry and smile has finally arrived. The funny bits and comic relief and even some of the violence will put a child - like smile on your face. The emotion brought up between the main character and his wife and an alien and his child will make you tear up, and the ending will bring a big old grin to your face. Every actor isn't a cliche and you have never seen on the big screen, however this does not make them bad actors, they are brilliant! Sharlto Coprey gives an amazing performance! I love this movie and saw it for the 4th time today!… Expand

I loved it! Flaws in the plot, ridiculous or not I was totally engrossed. Way better than most Hollywood productions with budgets 10 times as much. Can't wait for the sequel.

This movie tore at me in a way not many can. I left with an empty hurt place in my heart. I loved that the aliens were not pretty, the action was just right to make it fun to the lay viewer. The stupidness of the main character was perfect to set up his growth and despair later in the movie. It's hard not to see the ties between this movie and the politics of South Africa... It was beautifully done and even though it bothered me not to have an ending, OUR story has not ended, why should theirs.… Expand

The sleeper film of the year. It was thoughtful, edgy, well-produced, and a breath of fresh air from all of the cookie-cutter Hollywood action films.

Anybody who hates this movie should go and learn a little about apartheid. Blacks in South Africa were treated this way, and had to endure such hardships, in concentration camp type settlements. As far as the aliens being cardboard cutouts, that is similar to what the blacks had to endure. They weren't allowed an identity, weren't listened to, and weren't allowed, in many cases. to even speak their own language. They were moved against their will if whites didn't want them in their neighbourhood. I think this movie nails that on the head without being too obvious about it. The lead actor was amazing. Consider that most of his roll and his lines were adlibbed before you criticize the writing. His transformation was incredibly and convincing, both in his character and his appearance. Fantastic movie!… Expand

After a summer of dissapointing film after dissapointing film (Transformers, Terminator, G.I. Joe, The Final Destination and Star Trek) i almost gave up on expecting a great summer film. But then out of nowhere came District 9. Not only is this the best film of the summer, its the best film of this year (so far). The acting of spot on, the computer effects were incredible and the action scene at the end blew me away and left me on the edge of my seat (although it did go on a bit long). It was really interesting and strangely moving to see this happy go lucky man turn into a monster by the end (by his actions, not appearance, i'm trying not to spoil anything) and it just shows that maybe the aliens aren't the real monsters on our planet. The reason i'm giving it a 9 was because after an amazing action sequence, the writers must have thought "crap, we have only 5 minutes to end the story" so the ending comes across as very very rushed. But the 110 minutes leading up to that is modern sci-fi at its finest. It just goes to show that you don't need a huge budget and a well know cast and crew to make an amazing film. It defines sci-fi, it defines movies. GO AND SEE THIS MOVIE.… Expand

I entered the cinema with a blazing headache and didn't came out much better... Still, what a thrill! Best entertainment at the movies since the Matrix.

I loved this movie and can't wait to buy it when it is on BluRay. I felt like this movie could have been a reality with the way it was made. If you go in wanting to not like it, sure it could be bad. If you like aliens, this could be exactly how things would happen if the crash on Earth.

Excellent movie, great.

This is one of the best films I have ever seen. A great commentary on how we treat people who may be different to us.

Film of the summer, no question. Yes, it is very easy to compare it to other films - Starship Troopers, The Fly, ET, Alien Nation etc. But the film is more than the sum of its collective parts. Don't over-analyis it, District 9 is a highly enjoyable experience, even if there are some glaring plot-holes. But hey, it's def. better than Transformers 2 (actually every film this summer was).

Best action/Scifi since Terminator 2. Absolutely brilliant, so well done.

Exciting, mind blowing and morally disturbing. The best movie I have seen since ...whenever. As an honorary South African this movie makes me proud.

An amazing movie. Watch as our hero becomes more human as he becomes more alien - you figure it out. Just stunning filming - reportagestyle gets a little over done and loses a point. Deep film, big ideas, just fabulous.

Somewhat political, but most of all a heartbreaking love story. A Must see, and must own.

This movie entertained me in an excellent way from beginning to the end, by unsuspiciously starting out as a documentary-like movie, then turning into an all-out live-or-die action movie While being an intelligently crafted sci-fi movie, it throws some serious social criticism right into your face, sometimes without you even noticing. I think this movie deserves the praise, and I'm looking forward to a continuation of the story.… Expand

Awesome movie and becomes even better when taking the social and political imagery into play of a struggling South Africa in very unfortunate circumstances.

Its one the best films of 2009..go see this instead of that childish piece of crap transformers

One of the most refreshing Sci-fi years. It starts out a little slow, but overall pacing is good. The filming style works great for the style they going for and in this age of a hundred million dollar action flicks, they show how great a thirty million dollar film can be. If you love Sci-fi, this is a must. If you love action flicks, you should really enjoy this. If you hate Sci-fi, you might still find some enjoyment. Yes, it is that good.… Expand

I forgot to to drink my drink while watching this, now thats never happened before.

If you didn't like this movie, chances are you're probably a huge fan of Wayan's brothers flicks & still eat your boogers. This movie was f'ing fantastic from beginning to end.

Favourite film of the year so far. Although I can appreciate why some people wouldn't enjoy aspects of it, it will clearly hit home for a lot of the more open-minded and imaginative movie-goers. Particularly those who pay attention to subtle details! Not one of the arguments put forward for plot holes wasn't actually addressed in the film, don't believe me? Write a list and go watch it again. It's well paced, enticing storylines are played out in an emmersive and realistic world that is steeped in it's own history. Rarely is that level of effort, or thought put into a film of this kind.… Expand

I heard so many good things about this film and after watching the trailer and seeing that Peter Jackson was connected with it i expected a good film. So many times I've been disappointed. I have to say this is a classic! I have no doubt that as well as films like bladerunner and aliens this will go down in time as a film that is regarded as a cult hit.

I'm sorry, but anyone who thought that District 9 was a bad movie needs immediate medical attention as they've undoubtedly suffered a concussion or some other form of head injury.

ONLY FOOLS WOULD HAVE BEEF WITH THIS FILM If you hate Quality complex plots Creative concepts Psychological themes and undertones And last but not least Action-scenes that are high quality and MAKE SENSE DONT WATCH D9 catch Transformers 2 and the rest of the garbage action films out this year to fill your primitive action junkie taste.

This is what humans do the aliens, that's why they don't contact us.

Amazingly original, inventive, gripping film. I've never seen a movie quite like this. A thrill ride with a heart.