Fesh, original Sci-Fi

Rating: 8/10 (11 January 2010)

Neil Blompkamp is a director and writer to make note of. District 9 is a potent brand of gritty political realism with a most refreshing and original sci-fi twist.
The aliens who are referred to as 'prawns' in District 9 are not pleasant, charming or remotely attractive in fact they are rather grotesque beings. What Blompkamp has done by creating this against the grain extra-terrestrial is provide the possibility that aliens do not have to be wise etc and this is a welcomed novelty. Furthermore, to a certain degree are we meant to feel pity for such creatures if they act so horridly? District 9 follows the exploits of Wikus Van Der Merwe an overly bureaucratic field agent working for Multi National United (MNU), a private company contracted to ensure that the 'prawns' who are languishing in District 9 are taken to new camps in District 10. The best way I can describe Wikus is as a dislikeable David Brent whose eccentricity rather grates. In fact the way he teaches a trainee field agent to deal with 'prawns' and the way he interacts with them is rather repulsive at times. Blomkamp intentionally projects Wikus in this light and that impresses me, no stereotypical hero here. Although, come the end I am unsure what Blompkamp wanted his audience to feel with Wikus I didn't particularly feel any empathy but lukewarm attachment.
The 'prawns' are well developed in appearance if a little, if you forgive the pun 'under cooked' and you empathise with Christopher Johnson and his son (who is rather adorable in a weird way). Much of the aliens predicament is left for us to extrapolate what we want, I feel this is just right, we do not need to be spoon fed all the details. Blompkamp also offers a little witchcraft, which is prominent in South Africa, and this helps propel the story although a little uncomfortably.
The action is brought to us in the slums of Johannesburg, the defintive setting for the themes raised, and evident feel of the squalor, poverty and segregation is brought most vividly to life. The cinematography and editing is mixed well to bring that documentary feel with the necessity of cinematic action. The first twenty minutes do go past quickly almost in a blur as the documentary is cut and edited to bring us to the forefront of the current circumstances. I did feel a little discombobulated by this but District 9 managed to stamp its authority on this set-up pretty impressively as the film progressed.
District 9 is one of the most original sci-fi films in recent years it touches on obvious issues but the manner in which it is done is beguiling and refreshing. Not many films can be as entertaining as District 9 and deliver a serious message with such vibrancy as this little treasure.