Film Review: District 9 (Spoilers)

In 1987 Paul Verhoeven used the faux-documentary style which Frank Miller had popularised in ‘Batman: The Dark Knight Returns’ and caught everyone napping with ‘Robocop’. Nearly a quarter of a century later co-writer/director Neill Blomkamp has used the same approach to even better effect in ‘District 9′, delivering not just the most original sci-fi film in years, but a searing social commentary to boot. Blomkamp suggests that rather than ushering in an era of scientific enlightenment, first contact with extraterrestrials would probably involve very human social crises (they appear to be refugees), likely be punctuated by human jealousies, and be marred by our determination to cling to our warlike nature. Setting the scene in greater Johannesburg brings the issue forcefully home – when we have persistent inter-species jealousies and wars, where inequalities lead to minorities being  pitted against one another, why would aliens on earth be any different?

The film stars Sharlto Copley as MNU (Multi-National United) agent Wikus Van de Merwe, tasked with running the operation to move the aliens from their slum camp in District 9 to ‘greener pastures’ in District 10. Only things don’t go according to plan, and when idly handling an alien canister, Copley finds himself sprayed by a liquid which has disastrous effects. In a society which hates and fears the aliens, his gradual transformation into a ‘prawn’ brings literally everyone against him, from militant elements in the MNU to government arms dealers, to Nigerian gang members. In hiding for his life, he crosses paths with the alien whose spray caused his transformation and finds that both their futures depend on retrieving the canister. It turns out to contain the biofuel which powers the giant mothership, which has stood watch over Johannesburg for nearly 30 years, but it’s guarded by elements who would see them both dead. With most of the world (and all of South Africa) stacked against them, can Copley reverse his transformation? Can the alien rescue his people from the concentration camp being prepared?

It’s a thoroughly compelling watch, delivered with real insight and a jet black humour. Copley is incredibly well cast, showing us how casual apartheid can be and how easy the line against genocide can be to cross. His Wikus may be the hero of the faux-documentary, but he’s far from the hero of ‘District 9′. We’re asked to sympathise with his increasingly horrific predicament, but his dogged determination to think only of himself, when the alien he later partners with thinks only of what has been done to his people, leaves him very much a villain of the piece until late on. The film’s weaker moments hinge on Copley’s interaction with the film’s true villains, and some of them (the Nigerian gang leader in particular) really could come straight out of a pantomime. It would be easy to criticise elements of their characterisations, and the less-than-successful scenes do notably take place outside of the razor-sharp faux-documentary, but it’s worth remembering this isn’t a documentary, and Blomkamp uses them well to ratchet up the menace for Copley. It also doesn’t matter much when the action sequences and the CGI are so good. From the mothership to the ‘prawns’, Blomkamp does a job which would put Lucasfilm to shame, and it leaves you wondering how amazing the inevitable sequel will look, given the small (£30 million) budget he worked with here. Sci-fi has had mixed fortunes this year (‘Moon’ was a knockout, ‘Transformers 2′ was a dud), but this is a triumph from any reasonable perspective.

9/10

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