I am not sure the fascination with aliens that make them
such popular movie fodder. No one has every really seen one regardless of what
your checkout lane gutter mags tell you. Each filmmaker has the opportunity to
create his own brand of extra terrestrial and who are we to argue its
authenticity? But the key is not the alien itself but the story around it. In
the new film, District 9, director Neill Blomkamp and producer Peter Jackson
bring to the screen what I would consider an amazing looking film though one
that still has an end result geared for a niche audience.
Honestly, District 9 comes closer than any film before it in
the way it documents how life would exist if aliens invaded our planet. And it does so by removing the invasion factor
all together. Most films start by the appearance of ginormous ships positioning
themselves in chess like maneuvers or sitting silently as we attempt to make
contact. Then we American's due what we do best with cultures we don't
understand; we try to blow it up. But District 9 simply treats the space
creatures as if they are here out of no desire of their own and we need to try
and exist as best as possible. The film does its back-story and then proceeds
to show the conditions now, 20 years later, when things just aren't working out
between the humans and the "Prawns"; a name given the aliens.
We find the aliens living in large, guarded, refugee slum
camps where they have created their own society and social structures. When a
representative (Sharlto Copley) from Multi-National United (an organization trying
to find the key to utilizing the alien weaponry they brought with them) goes
into the camp on a fact finding mission he is exposed to a substance that
begins to alter his human form. This transformation makes him an alien in both
worlds and he has to fight for his life while trying to find a cure. Befriended
by one of the smarter and more sophisticated Prawns he strikes a deal that will
help save them both.
A few things make this film unique. For one the aliens do
not arrive in NY, LA or Washington
DC. The film is set in
Johannesburg South Africa. This allows for a
more believable approach and a visual surrounding that is more conducive to the
refugee notion of the film. It is not high tech glamour and special effects. It
is a humanistic approach to the alien genre. The second is the guerilla style
filmmaking that gives it a documentary feel. Though that has been overdone
lately from Hollywood,
District 9 makes it work brilliantly. It is dirty, grimy and full of questioning
aspects. There is an underlying tension that is always there. It isn't scary or
thrilling just a creatively creepy.
Granted this is still an alien film and the sci-fi aspect of
it does exist. But if you allow yourself to watch it from the creative side you
will enjoy it regardless of its storyline. I appreciated the film a lot more
than I liked it. At times I think it tried too hard. The things I wanted to
laugh at were intended to be serious and I had a hard time supporting anyone
character. District 9 is rated R for bloody violence and pervasive language. It
is not a kid friendly film in the least. And to be honest one that not everyone
will enjoy. I give it 3.5 out of 5 fancy feasts. If you like your aliens eating
Reece's Pieces then you are in for a different breed of space traveler. So says
Matt Mungle
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