Media Consumes Me

If you haven’t heard the name Neill Blomkamp yet, that’s all about to change.

The writer/director of the upcoming District 9, Neill has actually been active for years. His innovative work in 3d Effects, and two brilliant short films, in fact, are what brought him to the attention of Peter Jackson (Mr. Lord of the Rings himself), who hand picked him to direct the effect heavy Halo movie, based off of the popular game.

Praise Allah that didn’t work out, as we all know what happens to 9 out of 10 video game adaptations. The resulting film, no doubt, would have been a waste of the first time director’s talents. Intent on making the best of a souring situation, the Jackson-Blomkamp duo opted for something different: a feature length version of Neill’s short film, Alive in Joburg (check it out above!).

From the minute my old roommate in college played this for me a few years ago, I was completely taken in by it. Far from torturing the old clichés of alien invasions and death ray spewing tripods, Blomkamp explored the concept of an alien collective crash landing on Earth and being marooned in South Africa. It was six minutes and twenty five seconds of exploring the practical matter associated with the situation: how can the two clashing cultures adjust and co-exist with one another?

District 9, it seems, will elaborate. The story picks up thirty years after the aliens- refugees of their dead home world- arrive on Earth and are gathered into a small ghetto in South Africa (called District 9, of course). The monitoring of the situation has been contracted out to a private company, called Multi-National United (MNU), who’s sole interest is the financial gain they will benefit from if they can learn how the alien’s advanced weaponry works.

The film is shot documentary style, and utilizes its Science Fiction vehicle to explore themes with which the film’s setting and director (a South African native) are intimately familiar. A kind of E.T. apartheid. In the words of Danny Glover: “Free South Africa, you dumb son of a bitch!”

“He saw South African society — both the good and bad of the society there — and he wanted to put a science fiction spin on what he witnessed growing up because he’s a science fiction geek,” said Jackson at this year’s Comic-Con. “I really like the idea that here was a guy who was making a movie based on life experience, not just on some movie that he was a fan of. ‘District 9′ is not reflective of any movie that I can imagine. It’s really very original, which I love about it, and that’s totally Neill …”

The film premiered at Comic-Con International, and if its response there is any indicator, not to mention Peter Jackson’s participation and support, District 9 will prove to be a disappointment free zone. So prepare yourself for something fresh this summer, and pray that all these good tidings aren’t part of some vast alien conspiracy to soften us up for eventual invasion.