Pros: Good storyline, realistic execution, a nice change
Cons: A few weird holes, you may find the main character difficult to like
The Bottom Line: HAH! For once America isn't the bad guy screwing everything up! Fantastic, I'm down with this.
Plot Details: This opinion reveals minor details about the movie's plot. When I first saw the trailer for this, I thought it was going to be a weird funny parody-like movie. I think they realized their mistake because those trailers soon disappeared and were replaced by new ones that showed that this movie was actually serious. Geez, do these people not screen their trailers before sending them out or something? (*coughIngloriousBasterdscough*)
Twenty years ago, a massive spaceship appeared over Johannesburg in South Africa. The aliens did not attack, nor did they ask to see our leaders. Instead we found them, huddled in their spaceship in relatively bad shape. While we didn't know why they were here, the people of the area tried to accommodate them, but there were over a million, and soon the whole area outside of Johannesburg became an alien - or "prawn" as they were derogatorily called due to their appearance - slum.
Wikus Van De Merwe (Sharlto Copley) is pretty much just a desk jockey. Then he is appointed to head the project that will move all the prawns from their current residences to a new location since the residents of Johannesburg want them out of the area for good. But during their visits - though more like raids - Wikus touches a cylinder that sprays him with a strange substance, a substance that begins a transformation he cannot stop. And while we can't use the alien weaponry we found, it's quickly discovered that Wikus can. With the help of a prawn named Christopher, Wikus hopes to regain his dissolving humanity and maybe even help get the aliens back home.
Whoo! A big summary from me. Kind of odd. Either way, it's a pretty solid movie. But it's not just a straight action, science fiction, excitement movie. It's delivered in a kind of mix between documentary, live action, and handheld camera style (think Cloverfield). It's quite an interesting mix I thought, but it won't appeal to everyone. You also won't like Wikus for quite some time. He's almost a complete anti-hero in fact. You sympathize with his plight, yet he does things that still make you angry and wonder how thick the guy actually is.
You'll also wonder who exactly to sympathize with overall. Christopher and his son of course because they seem to be the most intelligent prawns in the whole lot. The rest don't seem to be as smart and do kill people and not always in self defense, yet at the same time they're treated very, very poorly like abused animals, tricked by gangs and their weaponry pilfered by the big MNU company. Quite a unique situation.
There are some weird plot holes and questions. We never know why the prawns stopped on Earth in the first place or why they were in such bad shape when they got here. Another is why they didn't fight back using all their superior technology (and it is) and weaponry or at least show the humans they weren't going to be pushed around. The suggestion is perhaps these are just workers, but Christopher kind of makes that an awkward point. Just weird little things that you won't think about later (...except now you've read this, so you probably won't).
Despite all this, it's a good movie because it brings in so many different elements and executes them very well. There's more than one obstacle to get across, it points out a unique situation in terms of race relations, the special effects are very well done, the acting is impressive, and the soundtrack is top notch. It's a solid science fiction film with plenty say and plenty to enjoy.
I have to add, and I'm sorry but I just can't help it, that I'm glad that for once the United States isn't the big bad guy in everything. Or involved at all, for that matter (at least, that we can see). MNU is not our company, our military isn't policing everything, and in general the US isn't mentioned at all. Fantastic. What can I say? I'm sick and tired of our military being shown as trigger happy brutes and our country being the one screwing everyone over. Now I don't mean to start a debate. I'm just glad that for once a movie has left us out.
Good stuff. Not for everyone, but hey, it's worth a try.
Actual rating: 4.5 stars.
NT
Recommended:
Yes
Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Good for Groups
Suitability For Children: Not suitable for Children of any age
