District 9 left me with very mixed thoughts
The film District 9 that came into cinemas during the end of the summer is about aliens landing in Johannesburg around 30 years ago. They are allowed to live on earth but only in camps around the city. Cheryl Philips categorises the film as a 'socio-politically incorrect, semi-cerebral plot of subterfuge based blatantly on South African apartheid in a Benny Hill-style remake of City of God', in this week's Pambazuka News.
While I was offended by District 9's blatant stereotypical racist expression, I liked the film's documentary-style cinematography, which leads you to believe the story.
Visually the travelogue-type camera work of the cast documenting the project in hand works with its dodgy ‘keep your hand steady’ visual approach. This brought me right into the set. My son (who is 16) liked the special effects and wished the film was in high definition (HD). However, I personally was disappointed with the special effects; they were not worth going to the big screen for. The sound effects did work, as the sound quality was very good. I liked the innovative documentary-style of filming, which was worth watching. My son liked the fact that there were no big-name stars in the film and therefore that there were no egos or heroes pre-determined by stardom.
What was interesting was how straightaway aliens were no longer termed aliens but given the derogatory name ‘prawns’. The subliminal use of hip-hop music and the few items of clothing worn by the aliens coax the viewers into feeling that the aliens have a ‘black’ culture about them. So it came as no surprise that their only allies were stereotypically ‘corrupt Nigerians’! Is it meant to show black-on-black crime?
The ghetto-style plot along with the scenario of the bloodthirsty corrupt Nigerians was tiresome. Their portrayal as dribbling, sweaty, decaying, ugly, loud and dumb men with a sprinkling of high hoes was more than my spirit could bare.
I’m still left slightly confused at the fact that the aliens who seemed to be highly intelligent and resourceful with such sophisticated technology then acted so ravenous over cat food. Somehow this theme seems familiar; no matter how intelligent you are, if you do not conform to the Western idea of 'normal' you will be an outcast and viewed as a social problem. My son also asked how the team of men understood what the aliens were saying?
When the team went to District 9 again there were lots of subliminal messages to decode and filter. Each alien was given a Western name to remove all past identity and impose government ownership. The pulling of plugs to abort babies alluded to population control. Although the team went in talking about the law and human rights the aliens were allowed no civil liberties and everything they did was a crime!
The media handled it all in true media fashion and my son also commented on the use of dirty tricks to frame people by misrepresenting the truth. DNA was the currency and genetics were what was being traded in this film, a medical apartheid at any cost. Science was calling the shots and determining what was normal for the aliens, based on a Western construct.
To sum up, the film was a socio-politically incorrect, semi-cerebral plot of subterfuge based blatantly on South African apartheid in a Benny Hill-style remake of City of God.
This film, if nothing else, should make us all ask the question: When we do get visitors from other countries or indeed other planets, how are we going to receive them? Is it always going to be about DNA and control via war and oppression?
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