So, name a movie that is a mix of mockumentary, thriller, action, sci-fi, and political commentary? Can't come up with one? Well, in case a random question like this pops up in Jeopardy, the answer is District 9. Resembling nothing that was shown in the trailer, District 9 is a crazy-different way to look at cinema and the genre of science fiction. The movie itself is split into two major parts: starting off as a subtle hilarious mockumentary, but then quickly shifts in tone when the stakes are higher and danger is rounding the corner. This unique approach to telling the story about aliens stranded in Earth being shunned from human society will whether totally impress you or bore you to death, its very hit-and-miss. Even if the beginning isn't your cup of tea, stick around, because the true insanity starts once the events behind the camera start unfolding.
District 9 involves a man Wikus (Sharlto Copley), in charge of attempting to peacefully relocate the alien species currently inhabiting Earth. With the entire army behind him, he sets off to District 9 to warn the aliens to move without conflict, or problems will occur. In the midst of the relocating and checking for any illegal activities and supplies, he becomes exposed to their biotechnology, resulting in him becoming a fugitive and in grave danger of losing everything he had worked for. At the same time, some of the aliens may be making process towards ending their alienation (pun intended) with the Earth. Based off of a short film directed by the same man helming this visual roller coaster, District 9 is a major allegory to the issues happening in Africa and the Middle East. Yes, there is a political slant involved, but it never distracts from the original story.
The script is quite clever, but it's the directing and visual style that absolutely stands out. The first half of the movie is in a documentary format full of interviews and backstory as to how the scenario (and now issue) has come at hand. In this same documentary format, we enter the District 9 world, and see the poor condition the aliens were living through. We also see the corruption, greed, and evilness that occupy the same area. The camera vibrates, moves, and breathes just like a documentary, and the footage of the aliens intertwining and interacting with humans looks downright realistic to the core. Special effects and special directing can be attributed to this incredible accomplishment.
Acting also enhances the documentary feel, as a good portion of the dialogue in the beginning is improvised on the spot, giving it an even greater feel that these events can be unfolding thousands of miles away. Everyone reacts to the CGI aliens with accuracy and realism, almost as well as Jurassic Park (which remains the best film in terms of the actors interacting with the special effects). Unlike in most sci-fi flicks, there is a good bit of emotional sentimentality, especially that of Wikus and his wife.
The second half is where the entire movie turns around and becomes something totally different. In a style akin to From Dusk Till' Dawn (which turned from suspense to full-out vampire horror), District 9 starts off as a politically-motivated mockumentary with humorous undertones to a heavy action thriller with science fiction touches left and right. This will whether enhance the movie for you or totally turn you off from it. The shift in style never really changes the tone and theme of the movie, so it was a seamless transition (unlike From Dusk Till' Dawn and Pineapple Express), and one that feeds the action-starved viewers sitting through the first half. We wondered where the R-rating came from, and it wasn't until the action began dominating that we didn't see it.
Neill Blomkamp directed the documentary footage well, but truly showed his skills when the action increased, especially considering the low budget. The weapons were impressive, the shootouts were tightly-edited, and the film never drops in suspense and thrills until the very end of the film. With very little time to breathe, you see blood spill to the screen, you see bodies flying everywhere, and you see that with a limited budget, you can still deliver very impressive visuals. While the ending came up a bit fast considering all we went through, it was a crazy ride from start to finish, and one you cannot claim you've been through before.
Bottom Line: District 9 is the cure for the common sci-fi. This film will become a major influence to studios everywhere, because it was a visually stunning film, and it comes with a budget of less than 35 million—which is less than a quarter of the budget of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. Blomkamp's first film was a success because of his ability to blend special effects and capture the emotions of the actors and actresses involved without going over-the-top. The first half gives the film a small sense of realism, and the second half gives the film a dosage of adrenaline that propels the movie through around half an hour of relentless action. As long as you don't mind the total shift in genre and style, then you are in for an exhilarating two hours.
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