District 9 analysis
District 9: Scene Analysis The 2009 film, District 9, directed by Neill Blomkamp is a direct comparison criticizing the actions of the South African apartheid, about a community of aliens from another planet whose mother-ship has broken down over the city of Johannesburg in South Africa and is forced into living on another life forms territory until they can fix their ship. The Aliens, after the government of South Africa put them under control of the power-abusing corporation of MNU, were viewed as a threat to society and contained in a slum outside of town in hope of separating the aliens from the rest of society. Blomkamp’s film uses a simple yet conclusive theme: What goes around comes around, which comes into play when one of the corrupt officials who discriminated against the aliens unexpectedly transforms from the dominant race into one of the outsider’s.
The film depicts racial profiling and an abuse of power, which directly resembles the actions of the South African Nationalist Party in the mid to late 1900’s. The corrupt government force of MNU in District 9 viewed the aliens as worthless beings who have no right to be a part of their community, as the South African Nationalist Party viewed the black community of their country during the apartheid. An article written by Stanford University students analyzes the South African apartheid stating, “Strategists in the National Party invented apartheid as a means to cement their control over the economic and social system. Initially, aim of the apartheid was to maintain white domination while extending racial separation. Starting in the 60 's, a plan of `Grand Apartheid ' was executed, emphasizing territorial separation and police repression.” (Chokshi) The laws conducted during the apartheid touched on every aspect of social life, including the prohibition of inter-racial marriage. Blacks during the apartheid were viewed as worthless “Aliens” to the rest of the white community and were treated as if they
The film depicts racial profiling and an abuse of power, which directly resembles the actions of the South African Nationalist Party in the mid to late 1900’s. The corrupt government force of MNU in District 9 viewed the aliens as worthless beings who have no right to be a part of their community, as the South African Nationalist Party viewed the black community of their country during the apartheid. An article written by Stanford University students analyzes the South African apartheid stating, “Strategists in the National Party invented apartheid as a means to cement their control over the economic and social system. Initially, aim of the apartheid was to maintain white domination while extending racial separation. Starting in the 60 's, a plan of `Grand Apartheid ' was executed, emphasizing territorial separation and police repression.” (Chokshi) The laws conducted during the apartheid touched on every aspect of social life, including the prohibition of inter-racial marriage. Blacks during the apartheid were viewed as worthless “Aliens” to the rest of the white community and were treated as if they
Cited: Chokshi, Monal. The History of Apartheid in South Africa. Stanford.edu. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2013. . District 9. Dir. Neill Blomkamp. Sony, 2009. DVD.