District+9

XXXX XXXXXX Introduction to Anthropology

1. District 9, directed by Neil Blomkamp in 2009.

2. This film contains several arguments. One such argument is the abuse of human rights; in this case aliens, Prawns, represent humans. The Prawns are taken advantage of because there is are no laws preventing such things. They are forced to live in slums because this is seen as the easiest solution. It also argues the negative impacts gangs can have in the slums. This includes taking advantage of the prawns and selling them cat food, buying weapons from them for less than they are worth, and adding violence. It also argues the immoral tendencies of humans. As exhibited by MNU, where there is power, there is corruption.

3. The film touches upon legal, political, and conflict dynamics. It shows how the law is interpreted in different scenarios in order to please those in charge. For example, it is considered acceptable to remove the Prawns so long as they sign a form, regardless of whether they understand it or not. In one case, a Prawn slapping the form away, leaving a mark is taken as a signature. The politics of the South Africa are also shown. The prawns are not popular, so the parties who oppose them are in power. MNU is one such power. There is also much conflict between the Prawns and human beings. It is the typical difference between and clash of two societies. As is many times the case in history, one society seems to dominate and conquer.

4. I found the fact that MNU turned against Wikus when he was transforming to be very convincing. It showed how far humans are willing to go for things such things as scientific advancement. The fact the Wikus was the son-in-law of MNU’s top cheif doesn’t help him. I feel like is a good representative of power hungry organizations. The experimenting on prawns was also very convincing. This is the tendency of humans. Before laws that prohibited it, humans and other species were use in scientific experimentation. This may even still be the case in some countries. This is, of course, done in secret as it was in the movie. If aliens were to land on earth, or hover above it, we would probably advocate their rights, while secretly studying them, sometimes in inhumane ways.

5. I was actually convinced by all parts of the film. If the scenario of the movie were to take place in real life, I do feel it could quite possibly play out the way it did, especially if it took place somewhere such as South Africa. The South African government didn’t rush to make laws applying to rights of the prawns. Many other countries would have similar reactions. They found a temporary solution that slowly becomes permanent, the area of district 9. I also think the motivations behind the characters in the movie are perfectly human, as are MNU’s actions, especially the cover-up story that Wikus had an alien STD. While this may not have happened in America with all our laws and regulations, the movie’s time and place and characters are convincing to me.

6. The film stresses human rights. It shows what can happen what they are neglected. People wind up in slums, where gangs take over. As it can be seen from the Nigerians, the gangs do not benefit the prawns. The gangs only take advantage and lead to worsened conditions. The movie also suggests the need for government reform, or at least less secrecy by exploiting corruption. Adding the experimentations on the prawns and Wikus’s cover-up story to the plot clearly demonstrate this.

7. I’ve heard from several sources that District 9 is an analogy to the Apartheid in South Africa. I’ve never formally learned about this or looked it up on my own. I wanted to be able to compare the two, which lead me to seek information on it. The movie also raises questions about government cover-ups and locations such as Area 51.

And for anyone who's interested in what a primatologist has to say about District 9, this is a nice blog post on the film