District 9 is a science fiction film satirizing the devastating effects on South Africa of Apartheid. The film centers in Johannesburg, switching regularly between present day and flashbacks to the 1980’s. It is filmed in a mockumentary style, with a shaky hand held camera that follows our main character, Wickus around. It’s designed to look like very raw footage; at times, mud splashes onto the camera. Watching the film is quite a nauseating experience at times, mostly due to all the sickness and gore but also due to the general atmosphere. The film is always moving, very tense and whenever it calms down, the action quickly starts back up again.
Wickus’s character, especially at the beginning of the film, at times underplays the situation; this provides comic relief and introduces the sympathetic aspects of Wickus’ character. Some of the earliest scenes of the film alternate between Wickus getting a job promotion, which feels falsely lighthearted, and subsequent scenes such as an intense interview, obviously shown in retrospect, with someone saying something like: “He was an honest man, and he didn't deserve any of what happened to him.” There’s a lot of subtle foreshadowing at the beginning. The rest of the film is mostly fast action with little left to the imagination. Yet it is still always disorienting; we’re constantly wondering: “What’s going on.” At times, the film can be genuinely confusing and moves a little too quickly. It doesn’t end with a definitive conclusion, and there are many questions left unanswered. But, it does wrap up nicely and leaves room for a thrilling sequel, which is in the making.
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Lucy.
Still from the film:
