autaku

District 9 has – at least from what I’ve seen – enjoyed a fairly enigmatic promotional run. Unlike so many trailers these days that seem to show you an entire plot summary in a couple of minutes, District 9‘s trailers have given away only the basic premise of the film. Luckily, it’s a fantastic premise that’s more than strong enough to carry the weight of advertisement, and this more subtle approach to promotion leaves the actual viewing of District 9 full of surprises. Produced by Peter Jackson and based on director Neill Blomkamp’s own short film Alive in Joburg, this film was born from the collapse of the partnership’s proposed Halo film, and I must say I’m glad that film fell through if this is the end result.

District 9 takes place twenty-eight years after the first contact between humans and aliens. An enormous spaceship settled over Johannesburg and… nothing happened. The world waited for some sort of contact or attack to no avail, eventually deciding to cut their way into the ship. Inside they found almost two million malnourished alien refugees. The aliens were taken to the surface and a temporary camp was set up for them to live in while the leaders of the world decided what to do. No real decision was made, and the refugee camp became a slum: District 9, fenced and guarded by a private company called Multi-National United (MNU).

And so, nearly three decades later, the film begins. The people of Johannesburg want the aliens – pejoratively referred to as “prawns” – out of their city, and MNU decides to set up a new District a few hundred kilometres away from the city to appease the (human) masses. MNU employee Wikus van der Merwe (Sharlto Copley) is put in charge of the eviction process. During one of his inspections Wikus is exposed to an unknown substance that appears to give him some sort of virus, and he becomes a walking experiment coveted by MNU as their more sinister intentions come to the fore (not that they ever seemed to have the aliens’ wellbeing in mind). The opening is presented in mockumentary style through new reports and documentary crews; it works very effectively at bringing you into the film’s world and the transition out of this style as District 9 moves into its central conflict following Wikus’ infection is seamless.

What would happen if an alien ship did park itself over the Earth? Perhaps this film isn't too far off the mark.

There’s a lot of humour in the film’s introduction, particularly as Wikus begins his evictions. It’s in stark contrast to the violence and xenophobia on display, and while there were plenty of laughs from the audience in the preview screening I attended I found myself feeling a little uncomfortable with it all. One moment something funny happens and the next someone gets shot dead. Blomkamp’s direction is confident, however, and this back-and-forth is clearly serving a purpose. It creates a unique sort of tension, and makes you question your own thought processes: should I have laughed at that? There’s an incredibly effective image of racism here, though I wonder if that might be lost on some of the popcorn crowds.

As District 9 progresses, we are shown the extremes of xenophobia more and more. The humans in this film are unsympathetic; even Wikus is regularly unlikeable, though you’ll never lose interest in him thanks to a strong performance from Sharlto Copley. The aliens are portrayed in the film’s news reel introduction as violent savages, but over time the audience is able to make up their own mind. That’s not to say that they are necessarily exonerated; there is much savagery from both races in District 9 and the film is not for the faint of heart. Bodies are torn apart, blown apart, and even the less gory scenes of execution can be uncomfortable. However, it’s never really gratuitous and is all part of the nature of the film. District 9 is, at its core, about the violence and intolerance that has shown itself many times to be a part of the human condition.

You can't see it behind all the pixels, but the term "prawn" is fairly apt.

It’s difficult for me to explain some of the film’s finer moments without ruining the element of surprise that I believe contributed so strongly to my viewing of the film. Don’t get me wrong, I look forward to seeing District 9 again and believe it will survive many repeat viewings, but there’s always a joy in the unkown and the less I spoil for you the better. I will say that there is plenty of emotion here (and not the cheap kind), including an incredibly moving final moment that closes the film on a suitably bittersweet note. Without giving too much away, the film questions whether or not the concept of humanity and actually being human are mutually exclusive and can be as touching as it is brutal.

The effects are impressive, and interactions between the aliens – created with a mix of CG and prosthetics – and their human counterparts are very convincing. The aliens themselves, as well as their technology, are well-designed; and the clinical white of the human technology offers both a nice contrast and at least a little symbolism as far as I’m concerned. District 9 is an attractive film and I’m definitely looking forward to viewing it on blu-ray when it makes its way to a home release (hopefully later this year, although of course it’s too early to talk about home release when the film hasn’t even publicly hit cinemas yet).

Wikus is a compelling character, if not always a sympathetic one.

District 9 is a very well-made film that delivers on its potential in spades. The premise that has no do doubt grabbed the attention of many cinema goers is not for a single moment wasted. It exceeded my expectations, which is not only a credit to the film itself but also indicative of the value of mystery in promotion. There’s a balance between hooking an audience and giving too much away, and I think that balance was struck effectively here. If you’re a fan of science fiction you will not want to pass this up, and it’s highly recommended viewing for everyone else too.