Dez Reviews District 9

Now this is what smart sci-fi can be. In a summer that started with Transformers 2, at least we get to finish it off with District 9. The only big name associated with this inventive and taut sci-fi action thriller is producer Peter Jackson. But it is newcomers Neill Blomkamp (director) and lead actor Sharlto Copley (in a fantastic film acting debut) who deserve the kudos.

The story is fairly simple: a large space craft appeared on Earth and mysteriously parked itself above Johannesburg, South Africa. After finally breaching the hull, humans discover a weakened race of creatures whom they derisively call "prawns" due to their rather shrimp-like features. They are quickly herded up and forced to live in a segregated camp called District 9, where they are treated poorly, impoverished, hungry and resort to crime and violence to survive (and discover an obsession for cat food). But District 9 is a bit too close for comfort, so it is decided that the prawns will be moved to a new settlement further outside of Johannesburg. The somewhat overwhelmed Wikus (Copley) is put in charge of the operation. I don't want to give anything else away, so I'll stop there as far as the plot points go. District 9 is shot in a quick, documentary style that works very well.

Great sci-fi generally serves as metaphor or allegory for the human condition, and it doesn't take a genius to figure out what Blomkamp and Jackson are getting at here. Setting it in South Africa, they are clearly addressing the apartheid past of the region (Blomkamp is South African) as well as complicated race relations generally. It is somewhat amusing how the presence of the alien race does unite the black and white of South Africa in a common hatred of the other. There is also plenty of commentary on all-powerful government agencies using contract paramilitary forces (read: Blackwater) to do their dirty work. Amidst the pissed off aliens, the mercenaries and military interests (one of the South African government's main purposes in keeping the prawns around is they want to learn how to use their powerful weapons), there are also bands of profiteering and brutal Nigerian gangs thrown into the complicated mix. During the operation, something goes horribly wrong for the hapless Wikus and he finds himself reluctantly allied with several revolutionary prawns searching for a way to escape to their home planet. While the aliens express decent intentions to Wikus, things unfold to where, in my mind, if they are successful it is just as likely that the prawns may plan to return with reinforcements to (justifiably) whoop some human butt.

ABOVE: Wikus (Sharlto Copley) is put in charge of "relocating" the prawns from District 9 to District 10

District 9 weaves all of the elements together wonderfully. Plenty of smart political metaphor, some witty and humorous moments, but also excellent sci-fi. In the second half especially, great action and thrills are aplenty as the plot twists and the tension mounts. A minor complaint I have is, in fact, that the second half moves into action movie territory and away from some of the thought provoking material in the first half. But the action is superbly done nonetheless. I appreciate that the ending is left quite open ended, and you can imagine several scenarios unfolding after the credits roll. Hopefully, plenty to play out in a sequel...

4 out of 5 stars