A hit that came out of the blue – District 9

DISTRICT 9 is the most startling and rewarding movie of the year so far. It came with no hype and fanfare. It was made by people of whom you have never heard — with the exception of producer Peter Jackson, of course — and, in a year cluttered with big Hollywood space-creature fantasies, this gritty sci-fi thriller made in South Africa and New Zealand has the whole world buzzing with approval.
Director Neill Blomkamp was born in South Africa and lived here for a time before immigrating with his family to Canada. He has a skill for special effects and fantasy and he has made a few short movies, but his elevation to director of a major sci-fi film produced by Peter Lord of the Rings Jackson is like one of those “zero-to-hero” transformations that we mostly see only in the movies.
Blomkamp’s film is a bold combination of hi-tech conspiracy theory and a parable about racism and bigotry that is played out not by rival nations, but rival species.
The Times - A hit that came out of the blue

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