Sci-Fi : High Budget Or Low Budget ? (serenity mention)

So this week District 9 is finally released in the UK, the South African sci-fi comedy-drama that’s about to pass $100million at the US box office. And it hasn’t just struck box-office gold : it’s also a critical hit, with over 80% acclaim on Metacritic and Rotten Tomatoes, as well as, of course, 4 stars in Empire. And the whole thing, with its near-flawless effects and entirely convincing CG (even in close-up) was pulled together for a paltry $30 million, about the price of the average Hollywood rom-com. Without stars.

This got me thinking two things. Number one:can you imagine what this guy could’ve done with an eight figure budget on Halo, on which he worked for the guts of two years before the plug was pulled ? And number two*, is low-budget sci-fi actually at an advantage ?

Stick with me for a minute : the demands of low-budget sci-fi demand that you exercise creativity in your approach, discipline in your storytelling and restraint in your casting. It therefore rules out three of the biggest problems in movies : a by-the-numbers attitude (The Island, perhaps), an all-over-the-place plot (we’re looking at you, Transformers : Revenge of the Fallen. And Terminator Salvation come to think of it) and a diva-ish big star who changes the role to suit - or on whose behalf the studio changes the role (we’re looking at you, I Am Legend).

Low budget sci-fi in the last couple of decades has brought us, off the top of my head, Right At Your Door,Cube, Pitch Black, The Terminator, Cypher, Serenity, Moon and Equilibrium (well, I liked it).

I’m not saying that big-budget is bad - you’ll look a long way to find a bigger fan of Independence Day or Terminator 2 or Star Trek. But maybe there’s something to be said for reining it in and forcing filmmakers (esp. Michael Bay and McG) to occasionally make a film for under $100 million. Judging by District 9, they don’t need those extra millions for effects, so maybe we should demand more for less. At least once in a while...

*and possibly contradictorily...