I had read something a year ago about a historical reference to “District 9” aliens and how they represent some sort of immigration that happened in South Africa during the 1980s. The post two under this one already answered all my questions about that subject. I think it’s interesting how the director and writer chose to portray the aliens as giant ant-looking bugs who walk on two feet and do not speak an ounce of English. The aliens are not scary as they are just unattractive, and I like to think that if we did ever come in contact with UFO’s or alien’s in this lifetime, that this is what they would probably look like. But I definitely do not think they would be able to understand us though. It is hard to tell whether or not the aliens are good or evil, or if they could actually be both. They could potentially represent the barbaric nature in humans and our want to enslave others to do our own labor. Humans are notorious for slavery and persecution of others who we feel are different from ourselves (Jews, African Americans, etc.) The Aliens in “District 9” are segregated to camps and forced to live in filthy, run-down conditions. Wikus’ character can represent the innocence in human nature – to a point. He seems to be the only person that is willing to befriend and help out the Aliens return home (of course, until he punches Christopher).
For me, Wikus’ transformation from human to alien revealed more about the flaws of humankind than it did the troubles with the aliens in District 9. Prior to Wikus’ infection by the alien liquid, I had little sympathy for either of the characters, human or alien, in that they both seemed to be living separate lives yet wanting the other specie out of sight. As Wikus loses his connection to his former life, namely with his wife, he becomes increasingly paranoid and on run from the government. It is here that I saw the troubles with MNU and felt a touch of worry for the aliens.
ReplyDeleteWhile the aliens appear to be more violent and freakish than the Nigerians and the government, they in fact are more peaceful. Sure, they may be residing in the midst of Johannesburg with their spaceship looming over the residents, but their daily actions prove otherwise. They merely are trying to keep their own race surviving, as the Nigerians undercut the aliens’ need to trade and sell their women to aliens as prostitutes. At this point, I fault the director, Neill Blomkamp. While he may be trying to expose the apartheid and the racism that continues to be rampant worldwide with the aliens, he is in effect perpetrating this idea with the Nigerians being portrayed as evili, sadistic, and the only humans living with the aliens.