District 9

Director: Neill Blomkamp
Cast: William Allen Young, Robert Hobbs, Sharlto Copley
DVD release: 30 December 2009
Rated: M

Alien-nation

When I first saw this film, I approached it with absolutely no expectations or pre-conceived ideas. I knew Peter Jackson had something to do with it, and I could tell from the poster it was a sci-fi flick, but that was about it. What District 9 delivers however is one of the most inventive and remarkable sci-fi movies of recent times. More importantly, it delivers a message that should resonate with a wide range of audiences.

Despite Peter Jackson's involvement (and money) as producer, this is a South African film with a mostly South African cast and an international crew (there seem to be a lot of Canadians). Writer-director Neill Blomkamp made a short film based on the same idea, and District 9 is the expanded version of that concept.

The film is set in present-day Johannesburg but provides us with an alternative history by way of background. Twenty years ago, a huge spaceship arrived and stationed itself over downtown Jo'burg. Nothing happened - no one asked to be taken to our leader - so the authorities decided to break into the vessel to see what was going on. What they found was a ship full of malnourished alien "refugees". Brought down to Earth, the aliens - whose physical resemblance to the sea creatures earns them the nickname "prawns" - are housed in a slum community known as District 9. But now the humans have had enough and they want them removed to a remote tent city far from the urban area.

The task of leading the team evicting the aliens falls to Wikus (pronounced Vick-is) Van Der Merwe (Sharlto Copely), a low-ranking bureaucrat within MNU (Multi-National United), the company given the task of "managing" the aliens. While MNU seems to have little interest in their welfare, the company however stands to make billions if it can unlock the secret of alien weaponry, which was specifically designed to only work with alien DNA. But one of the "prawns" has a plan which involves collecting a precious liquid. When Wikus raids the alien's shack to evict him, he's exposed to a small amount of the liquid; with disastrous results.

The film cleverly examines how we deal with "outsiders" - refugees and others who are different from "us" - in the context of a genre film. Of course, being set in South Africa, the film's parallels with apartheid are also inescapable. But this is no preachy "message flick". It's also a taut action thriller, a sci-fi drama and even a love story of sorts. Review continues below

This is one of those comparatively rare examples of a great script finding its way into a pure genre picture. That it works is a tribute to the sheer inventiveness of Blomkamp and his screenwriting partner Terri Tatchell. It wouldn't have worked quite so well however without some truly exceptional special effects work from David Barkes and his SFX team. Their rendering of the aliens themselves and, in the final third of the film, their spacecraft is something to behold.

The other thing that makes the film is a brilliant performance from Shartlo Copely as Wikus. Despite undergoing the most horrific on-screen transformation since Jeff Goldblum in The Fly, Copely manages to be completely convincing and to give Wikus a real humanity. Since much of Copely's interaction is with one of the aliens, some of the other humans don't get much of a look-in. One who does is David James as the brutal MNU para-military leader Venter.

Even for those who aren't die-hard sci-fi fans, District 9 offers plenty. This is a nicely constructed film - taut, intelligent and gripping. While many will be attracted by the sight of Peter Jackson's name on the marquee, this is far more than simply a vanity project for Jackson. You can see why Jackson would have been attracted to this; but with the help of the clout he undoubtedly brought to the project, District 9 just happens to be one of the most memorable sci-fi movies of recent times.

David Edwards

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