ALIENS IN THE LAND OF OUR BIRTH

So I went to the movies last night ...

District 9

Malnourished alien captives appear in a ship over Johannesburg and are put in a concentration camp. Twenty years later, a private military company is hired to relocate the aliens to a new camp, and the lead pen-pusher in charge of the operation ends up in over his head after being infected by a mysterious alien liquid.

Not quite as “original” as some reviews claim (District 9’s basic premise owes a huge debt to Alien Nation, as  well as Cronenberg’s The Fly to an extent), but Neill Blomkamp really makes it his own tale, with heavy references to Apartheid (the camps and forced evictions are based on real-life events in South Africa) and the dangers of private militaries. It’s also morbidly fascinating to watch Wikus van der Merwe (Sharlto Copley) transform from well-meaning but clueless bigoted stooge to a desperate fugitive forced to cooperate with the aliens while still clinging on to the hope that he can somehow get his old life back.

It’s not all perfect – there are a few plot holes, and why Wikus doesn’t go to a doctor earlier is one of the biggest mysteries of the film. Also, the secret dealings of his company seem a little exaggerated, albeit no more so than sci-fi companies like OCP and Weyland-Yutani. And those of you who can’t deal with the documentary-style ShakyCam will find it hard going.

I’d also have liked it more if Blomkamp had put a little extra effort into giving us an idea of the “prawn” culture and mindset apart from the fact that they find arson and derailing trains harmless fun.

Overall, though, this is well-executed and relatively fearless SF – there’s about 20 different ways a big-name Hollywood director like (and I’m just pulling a name out of the air here) Michael Bay could have wrecked this movie, not least by setting it in a Major US City and coming up with a much different ending. It’s also an excellent case study in how to make a good, believable science-fiction movie for a mere $30 million.

District 9 stands out because it’s grim, cynical stuff informed by the all-too-real xenophobia, corruption and brutality of real life. Which means it’s not for everyone. Especially if yr Nigerian. But it’s one of the smartest and most daring films I’ve seen this year (as well as one of the few SF films to even hint at the idea of human/alien sex without resorting to Natasha Henstridge).

Aliens go home,

This is dF

VADERS IN LOVE

FUN FACT: The bridal unit and I once dressed up as Mr and Mrs Vader for Halloween. We had lightsabers and everything.

But we didn’t have those boots.

Love on the dark side,

This is dF