‘District 9’ mixes brains, big bugs

Sci-fi thriller or sly commentary on refugees, globalization and Apartheid? In theaters Friday, District 9 may be a little of each. Produced by Lord of the Rings’ Peter Jackson and shot documentary style, this is a global drama about a group of aliens–who are seemingly benign, though they bear a remarkable resemblance to Arnold’s Predators—that are forced to live in a well-guarded slum in Johannesburg, South Africa. As world leaders debate what to do with these unexpected visitors, and how to learn the secrets of their advanced technologies, one man is infected with an alien virus that may hold the key to the mystery of why they are here and what they want. With no movie stars to speak of, District 9’s stars are the aliens, and the surprisingly realistic world they inhabit. Rated R. (Photo courtesy Columbia Pictures)