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.jpg) “District 9” is one of those films where I was slack-jawed and in awe throughout. I sat there, in total disbelief from what I was seeing. I have this reaction with two different types of film. The first type is the sort of film so monumentally bad that it defies explanation. I also have this reaction to a film so mind-boggling great that my mind has no choice but to be dumbfounded and try to soak in every frame. “District 9” is this second type of film.
At this point in time, I’ve seen Neill Blomkamp’s directorial debut two times and I’m still having trouble coming up with words to describe how “District 9” totally floored me. It’s a film that tries to say a lot and ends up saying a lot more. It’s a movie that is expertly executed at every level. It’s a film that is simultaneously terrifying and heartfelt, gruesome yet beautiful. It’s a film that raises issues to make the viewer think, but yet has enough action to rock your socks off. It’s a bench-mark setting picture.
Set in the future, the film revolves around the blistering performance of newcomer Sharlto Copley. He plays Wikus Van De Merwe, a worker for Multi-National United. MNU is the world’s largest arms manufacturer. Years ago, an alien spacecraft became stranded above Johannesburg, South Africa. The homeless alien beings now occupy a section of the city known as “District 9.” The alien beings are outcasts and unable to hold jobs, so District 9 quickly devolves into a slum. The people of Johannesburg do not want the aliens near their city any more. In an act of nepotism, Wikus is given a job he cannot succeed at performing; moving the alien beings from D9 to a new camp farther away from the city. It’s an impossible task, but Wikus’ wide-eyed optimism allows him to think that this will be a walk in the park.
At this point, I will stop describing the plot of the film, as to know too much will ruin the surprises that happen along the way. I will say this, though. “District 9” is as good as it is because of Sharlto Copley’s performance. Wikus is a joke, a blubbering buffoon of a character when we meet him, but throughout the film we see all hope and joy drain from him. Just when I felt like I had him nailed down, Wikus showed me something different. He’s not a character that lives in black or white. Everything about Wikus is a shade of grey. He’s the most challenging, honest and complex character to come out in a film this year and that’s all because of Copley. In his first feature film, Copley shows the complexity and brilliance of a much more experienced actor. His personal hope and failure, mixed with his contempt for the creatures is tangible throughout the film. We can see the mix and range of emotions on his face. His anger, sadness and his hope are all there, making the character one of the most compelling I’ve seen in a while.
Mixed into all this is WETA Digital. These masters of special effects have created the second most compelling character in the film; Christopher Johnson. He’s an alien being who doesn’t speak a word of English. He’s created entirely inside a computer, although you’d be hard pressed to figure that out by watching the film. He fills a space, he as a weight to him, he feels and emotes just like Copley’s character. He doesn’t stand out as a special effect, but neither do any of the computer effects in “District 9.”
Something about the film’s mix of documentary style cinematography and WETA’s effects make the film’s CG creations feel real. The effects never stick out and mix in with Blomkamp’s camerawork to create an environment. This film has some of the most convincing effects I’ve seen in a while. Even the brutally disgusting make-up effects are convincing, making the resulting film more magical than most films. There is a wow factor to “District 9” that you don’t get in other films these days.
This film isn’t for the faint of heart. The movie is frequently violent with a lot of blood and gore, but they are never the focus of the film. This film is all about Wikus and his journey.
“District 9” is one of the best films of the year, hands down. Neill Blomkamp’s masterful storytelling mixes with a star-worthy performance from Sharlto Copley to make a film that left me awestruck to the amount of imagination and creativity on the screen. This film is incredible.
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