Movie Battle: District 9 Vs. Elysium

Today I’m comparing two movie by director Neill Blomkamp. He hasn’t directed many movies, but these are his two most well-known and successful ones: District 9 Vs. Elysium.

CAST

District 9: There is only one actor in this movie worth mentioning, Sharlto Copley. Untill then an unknown South African actor. Copley’s performance is solid and believable.

Elysium: Matt Damon is the star and as always he does a great job. Since the Bourne-trilogy he’s a respectable action hero as well as the solid actor he already was. Jodie Foster is a convincing bitch, but her accent is a bit weird. I don’t know what it is, but it sound like something she made up herself. But again, like in “District 9”, Sharlto Copley steals the show. What a badass he is in this movie.

STORY

District 9: It’s a very original story, also written by Neill Blomkamp. I think it’s one of the better realistically looking sci-fi movies of the decade.

Elysium: Again a pretty original plot. Off course there are other versions of this, the poor world versus the rich world, but they way it was executed was very well done.

EFFECTS

District 9: The prawns look very realistic, though the effects are very subtle. I think that’s what’s so great about “District 9”, it’s never over the top.
Elysium: Bigger material used here, a lot of special effects, but it still has that gritty look. Blomkamp used the ‘shaky cam’ which is always a nice thing in action movies. It feels more real, like you’re really there. Again, it never looks like too much.

WINNER

They are both great, but I choose “District 9”. I think it’s the more original one of the two and this is a movie I could watch more than once.