Exploring Cultural Differences in “District 9”

Produced by Peter Jackson, District 9 is a dark movie that examines what happens when two cultures collide. The alien species, or prawns as they are called by humans because of their crustacean-looking bodies, have a ship that hovers above Johannesburg, South Africa for 20 years when the film opens. They seem unable to operate their ship, and are stranded on Earth. Living in tenements below, they scavenge what they can. They love raw meat and strangely enough, cat food. MNU, a military contracted private corporation, "keeps the peace" between aliens and humans. This means all kinds of maltreatment and abuse, carried out with military precision. The filmmakers have said that the story is not a political statement, but it's hard to hide the fact that those in power have abused those who are weaker in the film.

The story plays like a reverse colonialism scenario. The aliens, who have traveled from some distant planet, have landed on a spot on Earth and have taken up residence. Instead of taking ownership and invading, like many other alien films, they are destitute and must rely on the help of humans. They seem as though they don't even know how to operate their own technology very well, causing the question to be asked: Did a "higher" intellectual class exist before some mutiny on board their ship?

For the past 20 years, interactions between the aliens and the humans have allowed the two species to be able to understand the other's language, although misunderstandings are frequent. It's easy to sit in an ivory tower and judge the humans for their poor treatment of a helpless group. Ask yourself these questions: What would I do in the same situation? What policies would I enact to ensure the safety of humans while also aiding the aliens? What would I do about communication? Those are not easy to answer.

As you might have guessed, after 20 years, the aliens start to fight back. They are tired of the oppression that is undeserved. They just want to go home. An especially bright alien enacts a plan to reach the mothership in order to leave Earth. The closing scenes are incredibly graphic as humans explode when the alien weaponry is used. It's ultra-realistic, and the CG animation of the aliens, as well as the special effects of explosions, spaceships, and robots is impressive as the plot unfolds. Half the movie is shot like a documentary, the other half like a true sci-fi movie. Most of the cameras used are handheld, lending a very intense, in-your-face experience.

What a great experience it is!