There is a lot to admire about this dark, smart and gritty science fiction thriller. In some ways, it deserves the accolades it is earning. Yet while I watched District 9, I thought it was a very good film of this type, but I also found it to be unpleasant and in need of more likeable characters.

It has been twenty years since the alien ship parked above Johannesburg, South Africa and humans boarded it.  Apparently this gaggle of malnourished (how would one know this?) aliens needed “humanitarian” aid. The aliens are now forced to live in what looks like refugee camps. Nigerians peddle drugs, prostitutes (I cannot figure out the logistics of sex here) and cat food, and violence between aliens and humans occurs frequently. The aliens look like a cross between a reptile and a praying mantis, although they have arms and legs and walk erect. They seems to understand a little English and humans seem to understand them (their dialogue is subtitled) somewhat. Humans refer to the aliens with the derogatory term “prawns.”

District 9 is cleverly packaged as a continuous news report on a twenty-four hour news station like CNN.  Much of the film contains interviews with experts, officials involved in the camps and people on the street. Public opinion is against the aliens. “At least they are keeping them separate from us,” observes one resident.  The corporation (MNU) in charge of District Nine is attempting to relocate the aliens, in response to numerous complaints. Hapless bureaucrat Wilkus Van De Merwe (Sharlito Copley) is tapped to head the relocation. He also happens to be married to the daughter of a high ranking MNU official. Despite initial hostility between Wilkus and an alien called Christopher, this film eventually turns into an interspecies buddy movie.

Sharlito Copley is a virtual unknown, but his performance is that of a veteran.  His Wilkus is a benign official; not very bright and lacking in compassion and original thought. He does not appear to hate the aliens; he is a nice guy following orders.  He really brings to mind the “banality of evil,” when he forces the aliens to sign eviction notices that they cannot understand, and threatens to take away Christopher’s son.  Wilkus does not relish his cruel behavior.  It just does not occur to him that he is doing anything morally wrong. He does not register as a truly bad guy, but how can you like him? Part of the problem with District 9 is the absence of truly likable characters to root for.  Copley’s excellent performance is so convincing that it took most of the film for me to care about his character. The aliens are CGI and are not very cuddly, which is the point, but also the problem for the film. We sympathize with their plight, but we really do not want to have dinner with them.

Director and writer Neill Blomkamp, along with co-writer Terri Tatchell, based District 9 on their short 2005 film, Alive in Joburg.   Advertisements for the film tout Peter Jackson as a producer, but his involvement with the film seems to consist only of giving the money to make District 9.  Even if you did not know that Blomkamp based both films on his childhood in South Africa during apartheid, the allegory is pretty obvious. There is also a horrifying scene about scientific experiments done on the unwilling aliens.  I appreciate these themes, and the way Van De Merwe overcomes his prejudice and eventually works to help alien Christopher. Van De Merwe becomes more likable but it takes a while for this to happen.  Yes, as he becomes less human, he behaves with more humanity. But as I watched this film, I could not help but think of other works, such as the films Enemy Mine, The Fly and the Star Trek episode Arena.

The acting, techniques and messages of District 9 are admirable. I continue to think about it days later.   But I wish I enjoyed it as much as I admired it.

       

District 9.  Directed by Neil Blomkamp. Sharlita Copley (Wikus Van De Merwe), Vanessa Haywood (Tania Van De Merwe), David James(Koobus Venter )and  Jason Cope(Christopher).  Tri Star Pictures, 2009.

 

Gail sees a movie appears every Wednesday.

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