I know to a lot of people District 9 is just a movie. And I respect that. I totally get how it maybe didn't connect with audiences like it did with me on a personal level.
I was 15 when the movie came out. I saw it with my dad. Afternoon showing. I hadn't been exposed to many 'creatures being nice' movies. It was a concept I thought about, but I had only seen horror monsters tearing people up. I had only seen aliens abducting people and doing bad stuff. And I walked into the cinema, thinking it was going to be a horror sci-fi movie. With evil aliens.
Of course, after 20 or so minutes, I realized wow. No. This is completely different. And the style of it was so unique. It felt real. I had never seen a movie that made humans the bad guys essentially.
As the movie went on-I kinda forgot I was in a theater. Once Sharlto Copley began to turn into an alien (or prawns as the racist term) I really was so invested. Yes, I was invested in the human element. How a prejudice guy could turn to tolerate 'the other'. That element was just so dramatic and so perfectly done. It reminded me of how I felt about learning the history of slavery. Of course, I was never 'for it'-but I remember how saddened I was learning about how America was essentially founded on blood and torture. I couldn't fathom hurting another living being and forcing them to work. So, that made me quite invested in the film. So, the movie re-enforced my deep feelings of being anti-racist and wanting to fight for equality.
I was maybe more fascinated with Christopher and his son. The bond they held. How a father and son were stuck in a terrible environment. How these bug-like creatures had families and friends. How all they wanted was to be accepted. How we basically just looked at them and threw them away.
The scene when Chris discovers that MNU (the corporation responsible for putting the aliens into slums) has been experimenting on his own kind-almost brought me to tears in the theater. I couldn't imagine seeing that kind of thing.
I loved the idea of a human and alien working toward a common goal. Moving past their differences and wanting to make the world a better place. A lesson I think we all can take from in today's political climate. To fight against the millionaires who hoard crap for themselves and fight for higher minimum wages. To not look at humans as 'upper class' or 'middle class' but to all rise up and fight the true evil ones. The pharmaceutical companies who charge too much for meds. To fight against our unfair healthcare system. Instead, we fight ourselves while those at the top shrug and laugh.
Those concepts of 'working together to fight a bigger evil' really happened for me because of District 9. The movie inspired me to be vocal about treating others unfairly. To vote. To donate. To listen to those who feel marginalized. I have District 9 to thank for bringing all those important life lessons up.
My dream is to one day meet the director and just tell him how much his movie touched me. And as for the sequel? I am so, so ready. I know I'll be an emotional wreck when I see the trailer.
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