Movie Review : District 9

In most sci-fi “alien” stories, it is the humans who go exploring new worlds. However, what happens if the aliens come to us ? In a large spaceship, which sort of runs out of fuel right above the earth ? Would it be a good or a bad thing ? Would we welcome them with open arms, ready to show them the benevolent wonders of this earth ?

South African director Neill Blomkamp’s film “District 9” is based on just such a premise. An alien race, which the humans term “prawns”, come visiting unexpectedly when their mothership goes kaput right over Johannesburg. The humongous ship remains suspended over the city for many months, immobile and without visible activity, until we humans decide to go exploring and drill into it forcibly. Out of humanitarian concern, the aliens in the ship, who resemble large insects, are brought down to earth and housed in temporary shelters right below where the ship is suspended.

The months turn into years. The temporary shelters have turned into slums, and this fenced off area is known as “District 9”. The kindness towards the aliens has evaporated, and hostility has taken it’s place. The residents of Johannesburg demand that the “prawns” be relocated to outside their city. But the prawns are reluctant to leave. Thus begins a forced relocation, led by inept (and somewhat callous) Vikus van de Merwe. Armed with firepower the evictors move into District 9, but are unaware that hidden dangers await them. . .

The film initially, is framed as a mockumentary, a narration of something that has already happened; we are introduced to the events through interviews, as though for a documentary. As the film starts to gather pace, it goes into “real time” and we view the action as it happens. This is a sci-fi tale but Blomkamp approaches it from a moral/philosophical angle. There is not much focus on the scientific aspect; it is essentially a story of avarice and fickleness. The director manages to tell a compelling story; at first the viewer stands neutral, but slowly we begin to see that the aliens, despite appearances might not be the real villains. In it’s portrayal of humanity’s disregard for others, “District 9” reminded me of Nicole Kidman’s excellent “Dogville”.

I must say that I quite liked this film. The story, although it has it’s “holes”, is interesting., and is apparently drawn to parallel the story of apartheid. Similarities have been made to “District 6” an actual slum, under the racist South African regime. Also the main character is named van de Merwe, the same name as the protagonist of the “van de Merwe” jokes, which I’m told are sort of like the “blond” jokes, but target Afrikaners. The direction and the acting is very good, especially of the lead, played marvelously by Sharlto Copley. For sci-fi lovers, who prize a good story, this is a film worth a watch.