DISTRICT 9 (2009, Blu-ray released December 22, 2009 – MSRP $39.95)
This was a shock. I really wasn’t expecting to enjoy District 9 as much as I did. Honestly, I think it was one of the best films of 2009. And, without question, it’s one of the finest Blu-ray discs available!
My gut reaction is to avoid over-hyped films like the plague. I don’t know. Maybe it’s not rational. But generally speaking, I’m not attracted to the films that “the masses” flock to. And so it was with District 9. I actually had no desire to see it. Everyone was buzzing about it this past summer. Aside from Star Trek, it was the film to see. But I wasn’t taken in by the trailers I saw. It really wasn’t doing anything for me. But boy, did I make a bad call on this one. District 9 is one of the best films I’ve seen all year. Totally unexpected. It does just about everything right – it’s got a fun, compelling story, CGI effects that blend in perfectly to the filmed background elements and some of the best, most believable acting I’ve seen on film in ages.
What makes District 9 even more incredible is that it’s essentially an indie film (a thirty-million dollar indie film, but indie nonetheless!) Writer/director Neill Blomkamp adapted his 2005 short film Alive in Joburg, along with Peter Jackson lending his weight as producer and high-school chum, writer/director/actor Sharlto Copley in the lead role of Wikus van de Merwe to become a mass-market, sci-fi blockbuster hit. They shot on location in Chiawelo, Soweto in a handheld, documentary style on nine of Jackson’s HD RED cameras (an affordable video camera that produces professional HD footage.) The story is essentially an allegory for South Africa’s apartheid, with insectoid aliens in place of a repressed human community, filmed in an actual impoverished neighbourhood whose residents had recently been relocated. It’s so well rendered that the plight of the aliens in the film is almost tangible. It may devolve somewhat to a relatively simple chase-film toward the third act but this thing has got heart. And great performances. And action….everything, really. I can’t wait to watch District 9 again!
The disc itself is an absolute joy to behold. Damn-near perfect across the board – incredible, crisp visual presentation with a dynamic, rich and immersive DTS-HD MA 5.1 track supporting it. This is the new demo disc for your home theatre system. This is the film you want to put on to impress your pals when they come over to check out your new display.
And the power of this Blu-ray doesn’t stop at its presentation. Sony has packed this thing with some really compelling special features including one of the most listenable, informative director’s commentary tracks I’ve heard in ages. There are also 22 additional and deleted scenes (Blomkamp ended up with a lot of material on his hands as most scenes were improvised!), a wonderful, 3-part 35-minute documentary and an interactive map with enough clickable info to keep you occupied for hours. The disc is rounded out by an additional collection of featurettes covering the nature of the improvised scenes, the transformational make-up worn by Copley through the film, the design of the world and the groundbreaking special effects of the film. Oh yeah, there’s also Sony’s Movie IQ feature (you know, the always-connected feature that feeds you IMDB style info on all the cast, crew etc. while the movie plays) and a digital copy of the film for your PSP.
And just because they had a few extra GBs available on the disc, Sony has included a playable demo of the new God of War game for the PS3 and let me tell you it’s a whole lot of fun. I’m not quite sure what it has to do with the film but I’m pretty happy to play it!
Well done Sony! District 9 Blu-ray disc is one of the best Blu-ray discs of 2009! No hoe video collection should be without it.
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