CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF THEMES IN THE FILM ‘DISTRICT 9’
Life as we know it has a history that structured today to be what it is. Understanding the result of a culture adopted in the past is made possible through art imitating life. Society of many countries is set-up in the perspective of colonizers and the effect they had on the host nation. The film District 9 is art imitating the life of what came to be South African society. The alien-like film by Neil Blomkamp uses art to explain contemporary themes of racism, settler colonialism, and alien identity. South Africa is famous for the impact colonization had on the nation with apartheid and xenophobia the most common results of settler colonialism in the nation. Neil Blomkamp illustrates how a postmodern culture is shaped through his film District 9 with every frame of the film revolving to form a general storyline of how South Africa came to be. Films play an important role in identifying and educating the target audience of how societies and cultures are borne. District 9 provides a theme-based film that illuminates the society and culture that dominates South Africa resulting from historical experience.
The most constant theme in District 9 is the theme of racism that is depicted in the form of segregation that aliens receive. Having grown up during the apartheid era in South Africa, Neil Blomkamp expresses his experience and artistic talent by employing a segregation approach for aliens. The kind of racism that dominated South Africa for most parts of the second half of last century is one that involved the colonial settlers segregating the hosts into a township and making the best out of the situation (Wagner, 2015, p. 44). In the film, the government relocates aliens from District 9 into a pathetic segregated town. The film has scenes of prejudice against Nigerian immigrants implying the birth of xenophobia in South Africa. Segregation practices by white settlers in South Africa are the mother of apartheid in the country.
Science fiction films have the vivid characteristic of using aliens in their set-up. Alien technology, alien behavior, and alien identity are what comes to divide the films (Kaye et.al, 199, p. 4). Alien identity as a theme in District 9 is critically used to define aliens as individuals from other states or countries who have unknown intentions and who must receive different treatment as compared to others. Neil Blomkamp who grew up in South Africa is fully aware of the social system in South Africa and uses District 9 to express his understanding of aliens by the citizens of South Africa. Through segregating aliens, the government expresses their fear of ‘cannibalistic aliens’ and therefore decide to expose to worst conditions to be rid of them. Through the use of Nigerian immigrants, Neil Blomkamp only shows how saturated South Africa is with ‘aliens’ who have in turn triggered xenophobic attacks from the host nation.
Settler colonialism which involves the intention of replacing colonized territory with a new society of colonial settlers was a type of colonialism that was instituted in South Africa. The white settlers arrived in South Africa and segregated the nationals in poor conditioned places so that they can occupy the better places. Neil Blomkamp imitates the same institutionalization in his alien-like film District 9 (Veracini, 2011, p. 356). Application of the theme of settler colonialism is perfectly executed as it imitates the kind of treatment that South Africans received when white settlers invaded the country.
Understanding history and having a reminder of what happened to shape our societies is important in life. Contemporary filmmakers make a better part of their lives to explain why in our societies today. The film District 9 clearly explains the society and culture that South Africa has today by employing the same societal themes but in a science fiction alien-like set-up. But, how can we move past such a tormenting culture? Who are the real Aliens?
Works Cited
Kaye, Heidi, and I. Q. Hunter. “Introduction–Alien Identities: Exploring Difference in Film and Fiction.” Alien Identities: Exploring Difference in Film and Fiction (1999): 1-10.
Veracini, Lorenzo. “District 9 and Avatar: Science fiction and settler colonialism.” Journal of Intercultural Studies 32.4 (2011): 355-367.
Wagner, Keith B. “District 9, race and neoliberalism in post-apartheid Johannesburg.” Race & Class 57.2 (2015): 43-59.