10 Best Sci-Fi Movies Of The 21st Century
6. District 9 (2009)
District 9 has all the hallmarks of more hum-drum science fiction on the surface: there's extravagant alien technology, experimentation and military pressure abound. But District 9 is more than that, precisely because of how it bridges the distinct divide between alien and human by having our protagonist, peppy Wikus (Sharlto Copley) slowly transform into one of the very beings he is employed to oppress.
The encounter with the "other" has been one of the most common angles in sci-fi, as aliens provided a critical shorthand for those from other cultures. Here, the relationship between oppressive defense force MNU and the so-called "prawn" aliens who got stranded above Johannesburg is a thinly-veiled exploration of racial politics, re-interrogating ideas of apartheid. Whilst the depiction of Nigerian gangs hasn't aged nearly as well, the prawns are framed sympathetically and given emotional warmth that brings the viewer firmly onto their side alongside Wikus.
District 9 helped launch the career of Sharlto Copley, brought us a punchy, found-footage style documentary that deals with the struggle of being human and our kindness to one another as well as critically starting a discussion around racial politics. It's important to sci-fi's continued development, and isn't one to be missed.