District 9
Overview
District 9 is a 2009 science fiction action film directed by Neill Blomkamp, based on his short film Alive in Joburg. The film is set in Johannesburg, South Africa, where a massive alien spaceship has hovered over the city for 20 years. The aliens, derogatorily called "prawns," are malnourished, sick, and stranded. They are kept in a slum called District 9, which is run by a private military corporation, Multi-National United (MNU). The film follows Wikus van de Merwe (Sharlto Copley), a meek, bureaucratic MNU agent who is tasked with evicting the aliens from District 9. He is exposed to a mysterious alien fluid, and he begins to transform into an alien. He is hunted by MNU, which wants to dissect him to find out how the alien technology works. He is helped by a alien named Christopher Johnson, who has been trying to repair his ship for 20 years. The film is a found-footage-style documentary, using news reports, interviews, and security camera footage. It is a brutal, violent, and often darkly funny film. It is also a powerful allegory for apartheid, racism, and the exploitation of refugees. The film ends with Wikus fully transformed into an alien, and with Christopher promising to return in three years to cure him. District 9 was a critical and commercial success, earning over $210 million on a $30 million budget. It was nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Visual Effects. The film is a landmark of science fiction cinema, a smart, thrilling, and thought-provoking film.
