Movie Review--District 9

"Now, to everyone's surprise, the ship didn't come to a stop over Manhattan or Washington or Chicago, but instead coasted to a halt directly over the city of Johannesburg."
--Grey Bradnam, District 9


Presented partly as a fictional documentary, District 9 thoroughly subverts the cliches of an invasive, predatory alien race attacking the earth, instead showing humans mistreating an alien group that came to earth as a band of malnourished refugees.  The obvious parallels to how some humans mistreat other persons are at the core of the film, but this is not ever emphasized in a way that pits thematic messages against quality filmmaking.  District 9's creators managed to offer one of the best contemporary science fiction examples of how to craft a cinematic world around philosophical points that need attention.


Production Values

Even though the Prawn effects look like they belong in the 2000s, which is rather fitting given that District 9 had a 2009 release date, much of the film's effects work holds up due to the excellent blending of practical effects and CGI.  Perhaps the best triumph of the effects is the Prawn mothership, a massive craft that is repeatedly shown suspended in the air.  Unlike many science fiction movies, though, District 9 emphasizes its story, characterization, and thematic strength far more than its effects.

The performances of any mockumentary are at their most realistic when the dialogue and body language seems spontaneous, and the cast of District 9 does not fail to deliver in this regard.  Lead actor Sharlto Copley had reportedly never acted in a feature film before District 9, which, if true, makes his performance all the more an achievement.  In fact, many cast members are not actors and actresses one would normally see in mainstream cinema, which could heighten the sense of realism for some viewers.


Story

Some spoilers are below.

Members of an alien species referred to as the "Prawn" arrive at earth when a massive spacecraft hovers over Johannesburg and is cut into by curious humans.  The Prawn are found in an emaciated state, and they are seen escorted to the surface below and contained in a temporary holding zone that becomes a slum.  When Multi-National United (the MNU) decides to relocate them to "better" living conditions, an employee participating in the relocation efforts accidentally sprays himself with a contraband liquid, finding himself growing Prawn-like appendages where his left hand once was shortly after.


Intellectual Content

Many humans, black and white alike, regard the Prawn as inferior, sub-human beings (a being does not have to be human to not be sub-human), making assumptions easily comparable to those behind various forms of racism.  The absence of any racist comments from whites or blacks as the majority of human characters focus on ignoring or oppressing the aliens highlights how many people in the world of the movie who would have otherwise stereotyped or targeted whites, blacks, or some other ethnicity have seemingly shifted the fallacies and biases behind racial discrimination towards the Prawn.

The cruelty of the complicit humans is soon turned against other humans, however, when the main character is exploited and pursued by his own species as he slowly transforms into a Prawn himself.  Sometimes a person does not evaluate the consistency or moral nature of their actions until they are themselves victimized, as is the case in District 9.  When someone will not autonomously reflect on their life, circumstances can always arise that make it more and more difficult to continue living in apathy.  Wikus is ironically at his most contemplative and morally concerned state when he is not even fully human.


Conclusion

Science fiction has immense potential for displaying creativity, showing thoughtful action sequences and worldbuilding, and expressing philosophical truths.  Occasionally, a film is made that succeeds in each of these categories, and it is this multi-faceted kind of quality that makes District 9 one of the best science fiction movies of the past 20 years.  While the third act embraces frenetic action, this does not undermine the emotional stakes or thematic significance established earlier in the film.  District 9 has much to offer on all fronts.


Content:
 1.  Violence:  Several scenes feature fairly graphic violence, such as a scene where a Prawn severs a man's arm onscreen in the background.  Humans and Prawn are killed with various weapons in bloody death sequences.
2.  Profanity:  "Fucking" is uttered multiple times.