Common Sense Media Review
By James Rocchi
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Sci-fi stunner is smart but gory; way too violent for kids.
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District 9
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 57 parent reviews
Parents say the movie presents a thought-provoking narrative intertwined with themes of oppression and xenophobia, primarily reflecting South African experiences. However, it is laden with extreme violence, intense gore, and strong language, making it unsuitable for younger audiences, with many reviews suggesting that it is appropriate for mature teens and adults only.
- violence abundance
- strong language
- thought-provoking themes
- adult-oriented content
- unsuitable for kids
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
Based on 128 kid reviews
What's the Story?
Set in an alternate present, DISTRICT 9 takes place in South Africa, where, 20 years ago, an alien ship came to rest in the skies above Johannesburg -- with more than a million workers and near-slaves aboard. Now, after two decades of uneasy co-existence, the local government is moving the alien "Prawns" from their ramshackle slums in District 9 to a new camp 200 kilometers away. But as part of the forced relocation, a government bureaucrat discovers that District 9 has secrets of its own.
Is It Any Good?
Produced by Peter Jackson, District 9 is a rarity -- a lower-budget science-fiction film with amazing effects, thrilling action, and, most importantly, emotional and intellectual depth. Turning the plight of marginalized groups into science fiction is nothing new, but District 9's dark vision of the apartheid years is somehow brain-bendingly exciting and painfully real.
Director/co-writer Neill Blomkamp makes a few mistakes -- some of the character arcs have a few rough edges, and the film's middle section is a bit interminable -- but, at the same time, District 9 is a welcome antidote to "science-fiction films" like Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (which, of course, have no science in them whatsoever). The movie's willingness to take on complex political and moral questions is an equally welcome change from the bloodless, thoughtless gloss of big-budget action films like G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra. And, of course, it's just plain exciting -- full of action, comedy, eye-popping effects, and tricky stunts. District 9 is a bloody, brutal action-science-fiction allegory served up rough and raw, but that's what makes it worth getting excited about.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the movie's extreme violence. Is it meant to be realistic (in that, yes, high-tech alien weaponry could be this horrible) or is it just eye candy for action fans? Does it have more or less impact than the violence in a movie like G.I. Joe?
How does the movie's news footage/documentary-like style compare to that of other large-scale sci-fi films? Does it seem more realistic? Does that make it scarier?
How does the movie's setting echo the real-life conditions of poverty and prejudice during South Africa's apartheid era? Even though it's a sci-fi film, what messages does the movie send about that period?
Can you think of other sci-fi movies (or other types of media) that have tackled tough political ideas through metaphor and fantasy?
Movie Details
- In theaters : August 14, 2009
- On DVD or streaming : December 22, 2009
- Cast : David James , Jason Cope , Sharlto Copley
- Director : Neill Blomkamp
- Studio : Sony Pictures
- Genre : Science Fiction
- Topics : Activism ( Civic engagement , Racial justice ) , Aliens , Dystopia , History ( War: Other ) , STEM ( Science ) , Space
- Run time : 113 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : bloody violence and pervasive language
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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