Neill Blomkamp’s District 9 is possibly a new era for science-fiction - politically engaged and geniously imagined. Definitely movie of the year with its non-stop action, suspense and emotional connection.
Thirty years ago, an alien spacecraft hovered over the South African city of Johannesburg. These aliens, also known as prawns, became refugees and were given their own area within the city and this area was known as District 9. Over the years the South African Government, not knowing how to handle the prawn situation, pushed the issue under the rug. District 9 was beginning to resemble the ghetto slums with increasing criminal activity and violence between the races. Time came to handle the situation. MNU a company with all the wrong intentions was given the task of relocating the prawns. While on duty in District 9 the project manager at MNU accidentally contracts an alien virus that slowly turns him into an alien. MNU is determined to capture him as he now has the power to use the alien technology. On the run with no where to go; he has lost his self identity, and the love of his life. He only has one place to hide - District 9.
Two aspects of District 9 made it stand out compared to other mainstream Hollywood films - the actors and shooting of the film.
The film starred Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope, and Robert Hobbs. - a cast of unknowns. This is usually seen as gamble when it comes to Hollywood movies but I think its definite strength. You don’t go into the movie with preconceptions from any of the actor’s previous roles or their highly publicized lives. This helps with the emotional aspect of the movie and believing the characters that are being played. Believable characters - this brings me into the shooting of the film. It was filmed like a documentary; showing news footage, interviews, and hand held shooting as it skipped back to the movie itself. The way Neil Blomkamp decided to shoot this film actually made me think twice if it was a true story. That’s why the unknown casting worked in his advantage because for a split second I thought it was a true story. Yes, even with the movie being about aliens.
By watching previews District 9 can be seen as your usual done before alien movie but the underlying principle is about racism. It shows one how we are quick to judge portraying the discrimination that can be found in our society today. An action packed sci-fi with an underlying value.
Overall, one might compare this movie to the Terminator with it’s graphics, or the movie Alien with it’s storyline but it’s incomparable. The visual graphics, edge of your seat action, and emotional aspects of the movie bring it together to put it into a class of it’s own. District 9, a must see movie.