Praise for District 9

I watched District 9 over the weekend. For an opening weekend, it didn’t seem well-anticipated. It was even playing in one of the smaller halls at GSC 1 Utama. I’m not sure if the Malaysian public had much awareness about this movie because of the low level of promotion, but I know buzz will grow through word of mouth.

To describe District 9 simply is to call it both Believable and Brilliant. A lot of people will classify this movie as a “sci-fi” movie, but I’d like to qualify that by adding “serious” as a prefix to that descriptor. Special effects are necessary for this movie, but they play a role in allowing the telling of the story, instead of being the focus for the movie. This is the first Star Wars trilogy, not the second (prequel) trilogy, if you get my meaning.

The story of District 9 is original and intriguing. Imagine if an alien ship arrived on Earth, and came to a stop hovering over Johannesburg, South Africa. Now imagine a million aliens on that ship, leaderless, directionless, and suffering like boat-people washed ashore on foreign lands. How would our Governments react?

Fast forward twenty years, and the aliens are now living in a slum outside Johannesburg named – you guessed it! – District 9. There are some blanks to be filled in, and it all makes a sickening kind of sense. You can believe it happening.

Which brings me to my first word to describe the movie: Believable. The movie is presented as a mix of documentary-style footage, complete with interviews of key persons and specialists, and standard-fare footage. So viewers approach District both as a movie, and as a faux documentary. It’s done very well, with smooth edits, and everything is believable. You can see yourself watching a documentary about the aliens that came to Earth, and the controversies that followed. The acting is all of the best standards, including first-time lead actor Sharlto Copley.

This leads to my second word to describe the movie: Brilliant. This truly is a brilliant film, with an original storyline, realistic characters and amazing portrayals, both real and imagined. And lest I forget, the special effects were amazing. The alien tech is on par with the best sci-fi fare out there, and the creature effects were eerily realistic.

Like any good serious sci-fi story, District 9 holds up a mirror to our own nature and forces us to examine our mores, our beliefs, our society. It is easy to feel discouraged by the depravity and shallowness depicted in District 9. And yet, in the end, we are – thankfully – redeemed. Love survives the most horrible circumstances. Respect transcends all boundaries.

I have the greatest respect for this film, and its makers. And though there could be a sequel – District 10 – I hope they don’t make it. I hope they don’t twist this story around.