District 9 – Alex’s Review

District 9 You know what. I love cinema. I think cinema is greatest thing that mankind has ever produced. I think when used correctly cinema is the highest form of art that exists on this planet. Nothing gives me greater pleasure than watching a director so dedicated to his craft that he comes up with something truly remarkable.

Ladies & Gentlemen I give you Neill Blomkamp.

A 29-year-old South African who became friends with Peter Jackson and in doing so got him to produce a Sci-Fi masterpiece.

Blomkamp impressed Jackson so much that he hired him to direct Halo. A film based on the hugely popular computer game available on the Xbox. Unfortunately the budget for Halo spiralled way out of control and the film was shelved. It’s a very similar story to the problems that the Bioshock production has encountered.

Anyway with the Halo film gone Neill Blomkamp pitched the idea for District 9 to Peter Jackson. District 9 is itself based on a short Blomkamp had directed some years earlier called Alive In Joburg.

Alive in Joburg depicted the social struggles between humans and aliens in the city of Johannesburg using documentary style footage. Needless to say Peter Jackson was hooked and gladly signed on as producer for District 9.

District 9 is essentially a science fiction social satire. The fact the Neill Blomkamp based the script on his own childhood growing up in South Africa during Apartheid is no real surprise at all. It highlights everything that is wrong with human beings.

It shows anger, ignorance, violence, racism and prejudice but with one key twist that makes the film truly original and special.

The story revolves around an alien spaceship that is stranded above Johannesburg. The extra terrestrials inside become refugees in the city and are placed in an area called District 9. This area is reminiscent of the slums that are common around poor parts of Johannesburg and even look strangely familiar to concentration camps.

The aliens are mistreated and violently abused by the human population. 20 years on and a law is passed where the aliens are to be removed and put into another area far from the city to live in small tents. The film is shot like a documentary. We get to see fake interviews with politicians, doctors and even the general public. The aliens are referred to as ‘prawns’ because of their appearance. This is a derogatory term used in exactly the same way as a human would when he or she is racially abusing someone else.

This is when we meet Wikus Van De Merwe played by Sharlto Copely. Wikus works for a munitions company called Multi-National United. He is put in charge of evicting the aliens but as we follow him being typically violent and abusive to the aliens he is accidentally exposed to a strange alien chemical that begins to change him into the very thing he hates most. He starts to become a ‘prawn’.

Now with the humans hunting him he must team up with two aliens to stay alive and in doing so he learns a few lessons along the way.

Honestly District 9 will leave you breathless. The minimal special effects blend seamlessly with live action. They aren’t overbearing in the slightest. It is like they actually belong in the shot. This is a far cry from the over-the-top CGI extravaganza that Michael Bay serves us in Transformers. This could very well be a real situation.

The way Blomkamp manages to bring so much depth and emotion to an alien race is astonishing. In particular the curiously named Christopher Johnson and his small son. I have never cared about two aliens so much before. I don’t even care as much for E.T. as I do for these two.

District 9 The amazing thing is that these two aliens portray so much love and affection that it really highlights how detestable humans can be.

It’s a true testament to the script and of course the special effects team who have really outdone themselves here.

It’s also an amazing performance by amateur actor Sharlto Copely. His journey from bumbling ignorant racist buffoon to unlikely hero is joy to behold. The fact that it takes such extreme circumstances to change his whole perception on life makes him even more human.

It’s the age-old problem really. If the pain and suffering isn’t happening to you then all is well in the world.
The action is directed with such style. You won’t even pause to take a breath during some of the major set pieces. Neill Blomkamp does a brilliant job at showing us all the carnage of battle as limbs get torn apart and blood splatters all over the camera.

Are there any faults? Well inevitably yes, but nothing major.

Some of the interview scenes work against the film. They essentially slow the action down without elaborating on the story or telling us more about the characters.

The film also suffers when the documentary style shots disappear for awhile making way for conventional cinema. This makes the film slightly unbalanced.

The main problems consist of certain plot points throughout the film. Within District 9 there is a group of Nigerian gangsters who exploit the aliens by selling them food in exchange for alien technology. The leader of this group is obsessed with the aliens and wants to harness their power for himself. Throw in some voodoo magic and you pretty much end up with run-of-the-mill conventional bad guys. For a film that is trying so hard to break all the rules this seems a little bit disappointing.

Remember how bad Tommy Lee Jones was as Two-Face in Batman Forever? This is essentially the same thing.

These are minor problems in an otherwise outstanding film. We really have been spoilt recently with Inglorious Basterds and now District 9.

This film can stand proud among other major Sci-Fi films like Blade Runner, Alien and Aliens. Before going to see it everybody seemed to be saying that District 9 is this years Cloverfield. Not at all, Cloverfield is good but this is stunning!

Oh and one more thing. Somebody give Neill Blomkamp some money because on this form Halo would be amazing!

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