Angel Dust on 5/9/2009 at 05:23
Finally got around to seeing this today and it was reasonably enjoyable but could have been much much better. There were far too many plot holes, cliched characters and the main conceit of the film was not explored in enough depth. It was shot very well and the action was fantastic but there is a better film to be made out of the whole "Never mind what alien life will do to us; what will we do to them?"
Regarding Wikus: His development was handled quite well up until the moment he clobbered Christopher. Firstly he didn't start out as mouth-frothing-KKK-card-carrying type of racist and while he clearly thinks the 'prawns' are an inferior species, it's not some deep-seated hate but more that 'society trained' bigotry. Once his situation goes down the shitter, he slowly starts change his view a little. It's not some blinding change of heart, and he certainly is still thinking of himself most of the time, but there is a noticeable shift and awakening. If in the scene where he tells Christopher and his son that the new camp is actually worse you can't see that he is actually starting to sympathise with the aliens there is no helping you.
However the moment where he clobbers Christopher shatters all that good work. Actually it's not that moment exactly but everything that happens after. While I think the clobbering scene wasn't handled too well, the performance didn't really sell the irrational mindset required of the character at that point, I could believe that Wikus would do something that stupid. What I couldn't believe was everything that happened after that. It was just far too convenient.
addone on 5/9/2009 at 20:11
Just came back from watching the movie. I seem to get the feeling that the design from the aliens and the little fighting creatures were kinda based or whatever on creatures from Abe's Oddysee.
Vivian on 6/9/2009 at 10:03
Mainly based on a anthropomorphised (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parktown_prawn) giant cricket apparently. That movie was fucking awesome and the action climax ($30 million and INCREDIBLE looking) made michael bay look like bloated shit factory he is. Best film I've seen for years.
Ostriig on 9/9/2009 at 02:46
Saw earlier today. Well... yesterday evening. Fucking ace! Sure, it wasn't perfect, some issues with plot and character development, some clichés, but overall it turned out wonderfully, and it gets a heart-felt recommendation. It really felt fresh and different, and brought me into it completely. Probably one of my best cinema experiences in a long time, and a superb movie that's worth seeing and I'm sure to remember and watch again.
And yeah, on the technical side, it did look excellent, both the CGI and the filming itself as far as I'm concerned.
Shayde on 9/9/2009 at 04:26
Finally got to see it. I really enjoyed it despite a few cringeworthy moments. The whole Buddy cop "save yourself" thing made my teeth itch but otherwise I thought it was good popcorn fun. They didn't belabour the whole RSA is the only racist place in the world apartheid devils thing like I expected.
And I swear we don't all talk like Wikus.
Matthew on 17/9/2009 at 13:33
Quote Posted by Elusive Paladin
Great film. All the little South Africanisms is helping to making it a massive hit over here. Wikus lapsing into Afrikaans at random was great.
The first time one of the interviewees said 'blery' I grinned like a fool.
Saw this last night (finally), thought it was very good indeed. Villains were a bit thinly-characterised as noted by others, I didn't really have a problem with Wikus' arc or most of his actions though (including the head-smacking scene). My action-flick-loving cousin was also highly impressed, which I was afraid he would not be.
scarykitties on 18/9/2009 at 18:52
I walked into this movie wanting to love it. I left telling myself I loved it. After a lot of thought, I thought it was okay. I think it was a bit less than I'd hoped for, being a Peter Jackson fan based entirely on the Lord of the Rings series. Don't get me wrong, I think it's very well-made, and, for the most part, has some pretty solid characters and plot (I won't say perfect, as I've heard too many negative reviews that validly pointed out some odd plot holes or at least strange actions on the part of the characters, or oddly convenient happenings). I enjoyed it, but I think that it was something I'll probably only see once. It's not the kind of movie that I'll go back to repeatedly, but rather a sort of mark on my movie trivia belt.
So, much like Inglorious Basterds, it was well-made, but it wasn't quite my thing, even though I really expected it to be.
henke on 19/9/2009 at 19:18
Quote Posted by Matthew
thought it was very good indeed. Villains were a bit thinly-characterised as noted by others, I didn't really have a problem with Wikus' arc or most of his actions though
This. Yeah the way the villains(on multiple occasions) seem to try to talk the heroes to death rather than just shooting them already really snapped me right out of it and reminded me that I was watching a movie. Yeah the film has flaws but on the whole it's original and exciting enough to make you forget about them. It's far from a wasted premise.
Second best film so far this year, after Inglorious Basterds.
SubJeff on 19/9/2009 at 20:05
There is some Nigerian outrage over this game re: portrayal of Nigerians as cannibals. Its the second time in as many weeks that the Nigerian gov has complained about the image of Nigeria in the West. First one was about a "Nigerian internet millionaire" joke in a PS3 Slim advert.
In other news - I've still not got around to seeing this :(
