District 9

*****
Four Stars out of Five

Well, what started off as one of the worst summer movie seasons in history is ending with a bit of a bang. August is generally viewed (rightfully so) as the weakest of the four months that make up the summer movie season, and this year felt to be similar to ones past. The only bright spots seemed to be "District 9" and "Inglourious Basterds." However, the first weekend of August welcomed the big-screen adaptation of guaranteed suckfest "G.I. Joe," and it, surprisingly, didn't suck. It was actually pretty damn cool, even if it mostly appealed to the little five year old who still lives in me somewhere. I knew "Inglourious Basterds" wouldn't disappoint, so by August 8th, I knew the month would have at least two solid entries. I had faith that a little flick called "District 9" would make it at least three.

"District 9" was first brought to my attention about a year ago, after hearing of the whole "Halo" movie fiasco. Peter Jackson was all set to produce the movie, and Neil Blomkamp was attached to direct. Somewhere along the line, Microsoft decided to abandon the project, yet Jackson saw something special in Blomkamp. Thank fucking Christ he did. Jackson threw $30 million at Blomkamp and basically said, "Make the best movie you can with this money." Again, thank fucking Christ he did. Blomkamp seized the opportunity and made a wholly original sci-fi epic that forces it's viewers to confront issues of prejudice, hatred, and alternate point of views, all while treating said viewers to some stellar action set pieces and some of the best special effects work ever seen in film.

"District 9" opens up as a documentary-style film (don't worry, no "Cloverfield-esque" shaky cam here) introducing us to an alternate timeline in which twenty years ago, a mysterious alien ship landed over the South African city of Johannesburg. The aliens eventually exited the ship and were placed in their own area of the city dubbed "District 9." Tensions flared over the years, as several separate factions of the city took opposing viewpoints of what to do with these new "immigrants." There is also a hint of a worldwide conundrum, as powerful governments throughout the world do not know how to handle the situation. As time passes, the citizens of Johannesburg get increasingly anxious and tired of their new neighbors, nicknamed "Prawns" for their slight resemblance to the sea creature. With Distrct 9 becoming overpopulated and increasingly dangerous, a private company named Multi-National United (MNU) step in to relocate the alien race. The company's CEO appoints his son-in-law, Wikus van der Merwe, to carry out the project, and thus, sets the story in motion. Several of the "Prawns" are opposed to being herded around like cattle, and wish to stay where they are. Others are confused and obey the orders given them. Others are openly hostile and hurt the soldiers and messengers telling them of their upcoming eviction. More still, there is a small group of aliens that want to get back home and save all of their people. While informing the "Prawns" of their eviction, Wikus is exposed to alien biotechnology and the consequences of this threaten to change not only District 9, but the entire world, forever...

In my reviews, I try to leave out as much as I can in hopes of sustaining the suspense for first-time viewers. My quick synopsis above does a terrible job of setting up the film, even if it does get the basic plot beats right. The premise itself is nothing too original - how many time have we seen the story of a man who has contempt for a certain populace, only to learn the error of his ways and then embrace and defend them? It's a story that's been told a hundred times before, but Blomkamp does such a tremendous job of building up this world that it is easy to forgive the familiarity. "District 9" looks like a real place, and the way that it is shot makes us feel as if it is. The characters behave like you would expect somebody to in similar circumstances, and it's hard not to identify with Wikus.

Wikus is played by newcomer Sharlto Copley. When I saw "newcomer" I don't mean he's been in a few indie flicks here and there, or he's been on some TV show for years. No, this guy has never acted professionally before, but you wouldn't know it based on his performance. I generally hate stupid cliches like stating someone's performance is a "tour de force," but I'm hard-pressed to find a better phrase to describe it. When we are introduced to Wikus, we see him as a dork, a fellow who was just lucky enough to be sleeping with the boss' daughter. His incompetence is on display from the moment we meet him; in the early scenes, he shares quite the resemblence to Steve Carrell's Michael Scott on "The Office." He's a man who is pretty unaware of his surroundings, and clearly thinks he knows more than he does. However, Wikus seems like a real person, someone who has faults, but is still lovable. Copley's ability to play an everyman is what the film hinges on - if we don't care about Wikus, we don't care about the movie. Through the changes he undergoes throughout the film, we learn to care deeply about him and the trouble he finds himself in. There is one scene in particular in which Wikus learns he can never be with his wife again. This scene really tug at my heart strings, and it's because of Copley. He doesn't say anything, but the tears in his eyes, and the pain subtly hidden behind them is palpable. At that moment, you want to cry, to change this poor man's life so he can go back to his plain, uneventful life.

While the dramatic weight is thrusted upon Wikus' back, the reason many will seek this movie out is due to the aliens. Thanks to superb special effects, and Blomkamp's deft ability to create an entire world within just minutes of screen time, the audience believes these creatures exist. They look great on the screen, and they speak in clicks and clacks that we don't understand. They move like you would expect something that looks like this to move. They behave like any sentient creature would in their situation. It is an amazing accomplishment to create an alien race that feels realistic, and Blomkamp does it with aplomb. The main alien character, Christopher Johnson, and his son are sympathetic characters. Christopher loves his son, and his people. He wants nothing more than to end their suffering, and he's willing to sacrifice his life to do so. Christopher is an intriguing character, and my only complaint about him is that I didn't get to know him well enough.

There are several great set pieces that push the story forward, including a climactic battle between Wikus in a robotic suit and the MNU soldiers in pursuit. Blomkamp's creativity and orginality again elevate these sequences above standard action fare. Blomkamp has created an entire arsenal of weaponry belonging to the aliens, and they do not disappoint. Expect a lot of exploding bodies here.

Overall, Blomkamp is a breath of fresh air. He's something new, and I hope he doesn't get pulled into the typical Hollywood bullshit for his next project, or any time in the future. One wonders how this concept would have played out in the hands of somebody else - it would have probably taken place in LA or New York, and been dumbed down to the level of retardation. Thankfully, Blomkamp understands that movies don't have to be stupid to be fun. They don't have to be boring to be interesting. "District 9" is one of the best movies I've seen all year, and it is easily the best sci-fi movie I've seen in ages. I can't even remember the last sci-fi movie that impacted me as much as this. See this movie! It's everything you could ever ask for in a sci-fi flick!