District 9Follow

That's technically what a virus does, isn't it? Injects it's DNA into the cell and causes the cell to create copies of it, and destorys the cell.

Haven't they been studying genetic modification using viruses as the delivery system?

In fact, isn't that the whole premise behind the movie I Am Legend. They developed the virus to change the DNA, and there was a bad side effect, and the virus spread, changing everyones DNA.

If your DNA matches, then the virus wouldn't have any effect on you. If you weren't, then it would change you. Seems a pretty much what this "fluid" does.

Edited, Aug 23rd 2009 11:47pm by TirithRR

SpoilerPrawn technology is alien technology, but physics are the same here on earths as they are on prawn world in the movie. It's advanced technology, not magic.

We can all agree that the fluid is designed to operate (or facilitate operating) prawn technology yes? It was not originally designed to mutate humans into aliens; we can all agree on that as well right?

Stable, controlled mutations are very difficult to achieve, whether you're alien or human in the District 9 universe. They cannot be realistically achieved accidentally. Typically if a substance mutates your cells, and it wasn't explicitly designed to mutate them in a very specific way, then your DNA would fudge up. You might start growing an arm from your chest, your t cells might reject your organs, or something else very unstable would occur.

What you're seeing here is the equivalent of tossing a bunch of stones up into the air and them landing on the ground in such a way as to spell "LOL." It's possible, but incredibly unlikely. In order to spell "LOL" on the ground with stones someone would usually have to deliberately place or aim them to achieve that exact result. What is the likelihood of an accident creating such a pattern?

Monsieur CestinShaman wrote:

Spoiler I'll also have to pitch in for the 'why' argument. Allegory has said that there must have been some kind of disaster to make them come here. What if something happened on the way? They're exploring/whatever and something happens, they de-activate their stealth systems and make haste to the nearest planet - Earth.

Spoiler That is fairly possible, though I believe they're choosing to stay here after the arrived at earth, since the ship was fully capable of returning, leans in favor of a reason for evacuation. Still the problem isn't that there couldn't be a reason for their ability to return to make sense, but that there wasn't any reason hinted at to explain the situation. This isn't an inconsistency, but it is poor writing.

It's incredibly unlikely yes, but not impossible. Guess what? THIS IS A MOVIE, THEY GET TO HAVE INCREDIBLY UNLIKELY THINGS HAPPEN.

SpoilerThat isn't the problem, the problem is that something that was designed to be a fuel or pwoer scource also happens to mutate humans.

"Hey alien scientists. We need a fuel that is light, compact, highly stable, and sustain a ship for long flights. Also can you make it turn aliens species into prawn?"

Seee the issue? When alien scientists were designing the fluid, their only probable intent was for it to operate alien technology. Designing it for the dual purpose to operate alien technology and mutate humans is ridiculous, which means the mutating humans part was accidental, which is also ridiculous.

Why is it so hard to see that the movie just stuck out its middle finger and said "Because I said so b*tch." That's what happened.[/spoiler]

And that is called bad writing. When things occur in a plot for no reason, make no sense, or are inconsistent with other elements you have deus ex machina or plotonium.

There are elements to like about District 9; the plot isn't one of them.

Edited, Aug 24th 2009 1:37pm by Allegory

BUT IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE, FFFFFFFFFFFFF- (Refer to this. #26.)

We should get the admins to change Allegory's title to Prawn Scientist.

SpoilerTry tightly coiled geneseed wrapped around a radioactive core. It would necessarily be a high-energy product, such that it could be used as fuel, as well as an effective bio-transmuter, by effectively launching genetic fragments into the other organisms while simultaneously breaking down their original structure. In addition, if it's development was the result of bioengineering rather than mechanical, then it is very likely that geneseed would be introduced since it would be part of the organism. You'd just need to develop an organ that would ingest material, process it, and toss out a radioactive slurry. It would be akin to bioengineering natural human oils to be produced in a higher quantity and quality in order to create synthetic combustible fuel (Just move the technological gradient upwards).

This could likely work, but I doubt their writers would have half an idea of what was going on.

Edited, Aug 25th 2009 9:24am by Timelordwho

I'm focusing on it as an example. Some people here are adamantly intent on believing there is nothing unrealistic (as qualified many times) or inconsistent in this movie. I picked two examples that happened to scream out at me. They certainly aren't the only flaws, just the ones I'm attempting to convince others exist. I was silly to attempt to continue this argument for so long.

Similar to my feelings. I don't feel I wasted money. I never thought about walking out. I enjoyed it, but I can separate my enjoyment both either liking or believing a film is good. District 9 can be an enjoyable film, but it is not a very good one.

I would agree with this synopsis, seems to make the most sense.

Spoiler Not much information about the whole why and who is given at all in the movie, not really a problem, but it does leave a lot of room for discussions. I do wonder how the prawns will return in 3 years, to take revenge or just to get the survivors back?


I doubt a sequel would work, it's just not necessary too. We know he's mutated completely, but has retained his human emotions and in a couple of years the prawns will be back.

It was unfortunately those stereotypes used in the movie though, humans are completely unwilling to to accept something that is alien to them, favouring abusing them and trying to get all the technology they can off of them and then just kill them.