District 9

Rating: 9/10 (29 April 2010)

The film, District 9, is shot in a documentary style, which takes us back to 1982, when we discover that "we are not alone", as an alien spaceship hovers over Johannesburg, South Africa. The film documentary then brings us back to the present, with the last known days of the main character, Wikus Van De Merwe (Sharlto Copley), as he contaminates himself with alien DNA, begins the alien transformation, learns empathy for others who are different, and to some, becomes a hero. After the humans make the initial contact with the aliens in 1982, they are escorted off of their spaceship and confined to a concentration camp. The film then goes to show the present day and you hear the frustration and prejudice views the citizens of Johannesburg have against the aliens. This is the scene that first presented the theme of the movie of racism and prejudice. The citizens interviewed for the documentary didn't seem to know anything about the aliens, except for their preconceived notions and fear of the aliens being different. District 9 was filmed on location which made the whole experience seem more realistic. The use of natural lighting left nothing to question. You were able to view the aliens, their surroundings, and their interactions. From the interactions of the alien, Christopher Johnson (Jason Cope) with his son, I was able to see the aliens were sympathetic creatures. If the humans had taken the time to understand why the aliens were on Earth, instead of trying to exploit alien technology and weaponry, they might have learned that the aliens just want to go home. The sound of the film made it interesting for me. The narrative of the cameraman asking questions about Wikus and whether he did the right thing was interesting. I knew from that point that something must have happened to Wikus; however, I wasn't sure what he had done. The alien language was also something that held my attention. It was unlike anything I had heard. It also seemed to present a language barrier between humans and aliens, which could accountant for some of the citizen frustration. It would be hard for humans to understand the aliens if they weren't able to comprehend what they were saying. The film seemed to reiterate the fact that even though individuals and cultures may be different, we all need to take a step back and try to put our preconceived notions or stereotypical thoughts aside. It is the only way that we will be able to live together. It is sort of like the film, Crash, in which both films exploit character stereotypes and prejudices against others through their interactions. However, by the end of the film many characters were able to make a change for the better.