District 9

2009
Directed By Neil Blomkamp


SYNOPSIS

Two decades after an alien mothership breaks down over Johannesburg, government agent Wikus (Sharlto Copley) is put in charge of moving the alien refugees to a new camp. Wikus is exposed to biotechnology and is slowly turning into one of the aliens. In order to be cured, he must team up with an alien and get some missing fuel to return the alien drop-ship to the mothership.

MY THOUGHTS

At it's best, science fiction is able to tackle contemporary social issues and address them in an abstract way, and bring the viewer (or reader) new insight.

The original Star Trek TV series is one great example. Because the writing was so strong, it was enough to make you forget how bad many of the sets looked, hammy performances, bad special effects. The show was able to make subtle, yet powerful, statements about racism, the Cold War, Vietnam and dozens more issues. With it's sci-fi bent and subtle storytelling, the show was able to slip this commentary right under the nose of the TV censors, who would have completely rejected the episodes and keep them off the airwaves.

District 9 boldly attempts to be relevant and meaningful in the same way... but fails. The film flaunts it's views on racism and xenophobia within the first few moments, completely without any subtlety and never lets up.
It's like being repeatedly bashed in the head by a croquet mallet. Once is enough, but it keeps hammering away until you've bled out.

The camera never passes up a chance to linger on the 'no non-human loitering' signs - clearly a take on the old 'white's only' signs in 20th century America. The film is set in South Africa, no stranger to racial problems in recent times. The alien's camp resembles any refugee camp you'd see on the news or even a WW2 concentration camp. This message would have been as easily tackled in a 5 minute short.
Especially with it's setting, no doubt the screenwriters got  help from this book:

The social commentary is grafted onto a basic action plot that's as unrealistic as any Steven Seagal movie. The wimpy, nerdy (not to mention sick and injured) Wikus is able to escape from an underground quarantine lab in "the most guarded building in the world." Unlikely.

With the entire world alerted to his escape, he is able to go into hiding. Wikus (now add malnourishment to his list of woes) and an alien return to the same heavily guarded building, break in, and take the vital fuel for the alien's ship and are able to escape again with relative ease. The authorities know exactly where they are headed yet cannot stop them. Preposterous.
This fuel that they go get is also somehow responsible for turning Wikus into an alien. How?

When things begin to look very grim, some sort of alien mechanical suit magically shows up for Wikus to wear which looks like the lovechild of Ripley's mechanical suit from Aliens and a Michael Bay Transformer. Ugh.
A 'clever' way to write yourself out of a script jam.

We're introduced to the characters and situations in a documentary style*, which ultimately feels just like the reality garbage people are force-fed every night on television. I, for one, avoid television for this reason and despise the fact its creeping into cinema. The film forgets this as the plot gets going but reverts to the documentary style whenever it slows down. (*I hate to use the term 'cinema verite' here because style and subtlety are so crucial, which are completely lacking in District 9)

District 9 never fails to cut to 'live news footage' to make a statement about the overeager news media. Somehow their news tickers are able to report things like 'massive casualties' mere seconds after an incident happens. Any reputable news source would wait to confirm information like that before putting it out there (even Fox News!) So.... is it commentary on the media... or poor writing/filmmaking? You decide.

None of the human or alien characters are remotely interesting. Sharlto Copley (as Wikus) does a decent job, but Wikus is pretty much an asshole and an idiot at the beginning of the film, so when he's infected, we don't give a crap. Every other character is one dimensional. Even Wikus' close alien ally, Christopher, isn't given much personality. It's hard to feel bad for the aliens because we never really get to know any.


The bloody action and special effects are nicely done, especially considering the film's small budget. District 9 is well paced and picks up steam, moving like a roller-coaster. But it's not enough to save the film.


It is absolutely ridiculous District 9 was nominated for a Best Picture Oscar, but then again so was Crash, which also tackled racism with the subtlety of a nuclear bomb blast.

District 9 is the type of film that morons would claim as being meaningful and important.