On the face of it, this film seems to be your average alien film, a huge spaceship has stopped over a large metropolis, aliens come out and havoc ensues. Instead that's not it. For one, that large metropolis isn't Manhattan, or London, it's Johannesburg, and instead of the South African inhabitants running scared and trying to attack the aliens (who of course, would be trying to take over the world), they live in harmony together. That is, until they get fed up of living with them and demand they're moved from the shanty town homes in District 9, to District 10, a more secure unit, further away from the city and civilisation. Wikus Van De Mewre has been put in charge of a government team set to extradite the aliens. During his duties, a freak accidents ends up contaminating him, which after a few grizzly scenes of him sneezing up black blood, begins to transform him into the first alien/human hybrid. Naturally the government are interested in him, not only because he's the first hybrid of this kind, he can use the aliens hi-tech weaponry which until now, no human could use.
The first hour or so of the film is gruesome, and not very nice at all - I was definitely close to leaving but am glad I stuck it out. The film picks up momentum and manages to change from a mocumentary to a more familiar, action film look. This allows the viewer to see bits that a film crew would not be able, and allows the film to flow a lot more coherently. It's pretty powerful and scary at times, but as far as your average alien/sci-fi film goes, there's a lot more to enjoy for the average fan. The film also resonated with
Clemens von Wedemeyer's recent exhibition at the Curve Gallery at the Barbican. In the exhibition Wedemeyer discusses the plight of the
Tasaday with Cannibal Holocaust director Ruggero Deodato. As with the film, the role of the savage is questionable, is it the wild, ferocious cannibals living in the jungle or the film makers who rape and beat them? Within District 9 are the savages the aliens or in fact the human race who desire to get away from them?
