Flight of the Prawnchords

District 9 is a phenomenal film. A summer sci-fi movie that could have done everything wrong somehow ended up being super awesome. Over and over again the director/writer Neill Blomkamp avoided cliches and filled the movie with a genuine humanity without too much sickly sweet syrup or nonsense. It was never not interesting and there isn't a dull scene in it. A genuine masterpiece.

That's a pretty strong word. Are you sure you want to go so far, so fast? The thing just came out. Don't you want to take a minute to reflect on it before you go spouting off with such hyperbole?

Don't tell me you were underwhelmed. It was a stunning movie full of thrills and chills and bellyaches. I've reflected on it for the past two days and I'm quite confident in my reaction. It was amazing. What more could you want from a movie?

I think you know the answer.

'Splosions?

Exactly. The action in this film was superb I just wanted more of it. The trailer makes it seem like wall to wall exploding rockets and debris but there was also a lot of talking. You know how I hate exposition.

But that stuff was as intriguing and fun to watch as the mayhem. The storyline is obviously well thought out and well executed. It has the great handheld realism that Cloverfield had without all the annoying rich kids. It's allegorical without hitting you over the head. You can read as a critical attack on a number of topics and you can just as easily enjoy it as a monstrously cool science fiction gem.

There was also a lot of oozing in this film and I'm pretty squeamish. It's hard to enjoy a movie when you're watching it through your fingers.

Yeah but there's also a lot of cool weaponry and alien inventions like steering slime. I'm really surprised, wheel. I figured this movie would hit you right in the sweet spot and you'd be giving it a 10. There must be some other reason you're only rating it a 5.

If you really must know, it's because the lead actor, Sharlto Copley, reminded me too much of Rhys Darby.

Murray from Flight of the Conchords?

Yeah and I couldn't get the image out of my head and it completely ruined the experience. I kept hearing that little Kiwi voice come out of his mouth as Sharlto paraded through District 9 - the whole thing ended up being the most disturbing episode of Conchords I'd ever seen and I didn't like that one bit. "Alright, item 3. Now if one of the prawns was to have a girlfriend, would you find that...A: Very Positive: B: Positive..." You see what I mean? Absolute torture.