District 9 is definitely unique, has its share of flashy action sequences and is not without problems but it’s far from shallow or gimmicky. This was easily one of the best movies I saw last year and, despite its minor shortcomings, I think it’ll be considered a sci-fi classic in years to come. It’s so weird (in a good way) that you can’t help but appreciate the fact you’re seeing such an original idea get the budget and support it deserves.

The film is set in an alternate reality and begins with documentary footage describing an alien spaceship that stalled over Johannesburg, South Africa in the 1980s. Nothing emerges from the ship and so the South African government sends a team to explore the alien craft and, after cutting their way in, they find it’s filled with a million alien creatures languishing in their own filth. They’re malnourished and in need of attention so the government sets up a temporary camp to help the remaining ones and so it can decide what to do with them. Initially, the government gives them basic rights as it would to immigrants but little else is done for the welfare of the new species, and the temporary camp soon becomes a militarized slum (District 9).

Skip forward about 20 years and, amid mounting public pressure, the government takes action and sets up a new area for the aliens (now referred to by the derogatory term “prawns”). It enlists the help of private military corporation Multi-National United to evict the colony and assigns Wikus van de Merwe (a junior alien affairs worker) the responsibility of overseeing the operation. Since the government legally needs the signed consent of the aliens before moving them, it’s his job to get their signature and deal with any unruly aliens. Unfortunately, things don’t go as planned and Wikus (played by Sharlto Copley) is forced to face up to some ugly realities.

The story, special effects and message are all great and the parallels to apartheid-era South Africa are clear, especially considering that director Neill Blomkamp based it on his experiences growing up in Johannesburg. It switches between “documentary” footage and the actual feature film to give it a sense of authenticity and there’s also a great sense of humor, which caught me off guard but didn’t seem out of place.

What I loved about this movie was how realistic it felt. I know that sounds crazy but most contemporary alien films have a showdown between the two species and it’s either us or the aliens as the aggressors. This movie treats the aliens more as a different race than as hostile visitors. Initially, there are no fireworks, no display of superiority; instead the showdown is in the form of a bizarre refugee crisis as South Africans begin treating their unwelcome neighbors with extreme prejudice.

The movie changes considerably during the last half hour and the pacing isn’t consistent but the action sequences will keep most viewers engaged. At times, some of the characters become caricatures of what they are meant to represent but this is a science fiction movie, after all. All in all, though, these are minor complaints in a movie this unique.