District number 9

Background

On April 14, 1982, humanity entered into first contact with extraterrestrial intelligence when a gigantic spaceship hovered over Johannesburg . Nevertheless, within three months no one appears from it, and earth scientists themselves penetrate inside, cutting through the skin of the ship - inside they discover a huge number of severely depleted and sick aliens.

Aliens are in many ways similar to social insects - all aliens on the ship are primitive "workers." An interesting fact is that all representatives of the race are hermaphrodites . They are nonetheless intelligent and, in many ways, similar to humans. Their leaders mysteriously disappeared, and the aliens were left without leadership and livelihoods. The ship, which is in disrepair, gradually drops many important details to the ground - this is how the command module from which the vessel was controlled falls and disappears among the Johannesburg slums.

Aliens are taken from a ship to a refugee camp organized by the Government of South Africa , rendering them all kinds of help. However, over the years, aliens living on Earth's humanitarian benefits begin to annoy people. Aliens are called “mollusks” or “shrimp” ( English prawn ) ^{[note 1]} . The maintenance of the camp is becoming too heavy a burden for the South African government, and the management of this zone, transformed into the so-called "District No. 9", is transferred to the international company Multi-National United (MNU). Aliens received earthly documents and, accordingly, earthly names; despite the fact that they are not physically able to reproduce the phonetics of any human language, aliens over time have learned to understand people. Similarly, people for whom the phonetics of the alien language is also not reproducible, managed to master the alien language: all employees working with aliens speak English to them, and aliens respond in their native language.

District No. 9, due to overpopulation and scarcity of funding, despite the best efforts of the military and the MNU guards, is rapidly turning into highly criminalized slums that cause fear and irritation in neighboring areas. The number of aliens is growing rapidly, and their help is reduced. Because of the xenophobia of Johannesburg residents - both white and black people, united in their hatred of “shrimp” - and the banal lack of jobs in the city, aliens are not able to feed themselves; they rummage in garbage containers, take property of people, sometimes even rob and kill them and each other. The aliens' very weak notions of earthly laws and property rights have led to the strengthening in the minds of people of the image of an alien as a malicious criminal. The aliens, in turn, are dissatisfied with unemployment, the lack of assistance provided to area No. 9, including medical (earth doctors can operate and treat the aliens), unsanitary conditions, lawlessness of both the authorities and human criminals. In area 9, the Nigerian mafia is thriving, oppressing aliens. Useful for both MNU and gangsters turned out to be an unexpectedly revealed alien addiction to cat food , acting on them like a drug .

The interest of MNU and the Nigerian mafia in the “shrimp” is equally due to the prosaic desire to use alien weapons, which are many times superior to the earth in their capabilities. In the device of alien technology, the biochemistry of the aliens themselves was involved, so that almost all extraterrestrial technologies in human hands were completely useless. Having accumulated huge reserves of alien weapons, MNU and gangsters are trying to make it work: MNU scientists kidnap aliens and conduct medical experiments on them, Nigerians turn to their traditional witchcraft and ritual cannibalism , hoping to get the opportunity to use their devices by eating the flesh of the killed aliens.

The friction between humans and aliens today has grown so much that MNU decides to forcibly evict all 1.8 million “shrimp” from area 9 to a new area number 10 240 kilometers from the city, which is a tent town resembling a concentration camp .

Movie Events

The film opens with a series of “archival documentary” shootings about the arrival of aliens on Earth ^{[note 2]} . In the episodes of such a “documentary” collage , the main character of the film, MNU employee Vikus van de Merwe, who heads one of the organization’s departments, also appears. The viewer witnesses the rise of Vikus and the assignment to him of the powers of the head of the operation for the relocation of aliens - both of these service upgrades are initiated by a high-ranking test of Vikus. Since the aliens were formally regarded as South African citizens or as subjects of civil and humanitarian rights, the corporation came under pressure from human rights organizations that insisted, at least, to comply with eviction rules with prior notice ^{[note 3]} . This operation was entrusted to Vikus and his people. It was decided to neutralize the associated danger of violence between aliens and people by force cover of hired military men under the command of Colonel Kubus Venter.

During a search of one of the houses, a secret laboratory is discovered, where Vikus accidentally finds a technological artifact of aliens - a small metal cylinder. When trying to open the cylinder, Vikus sprays himself with the black liquid inside. After some time, in an incident with an alien and the owner of the house, Vikus injures his left hand, on which a bandage is applied to him. Upon returning to the city, Vikus experiences symptoms of severe malaise ^{[note 4]} . Being sick, Vikus gets to the hospital. When opening the bandage on the left hand, the doctor discovers that the hand was transformed into a three-fingered paw of an alien. Vikusa is forcibly and without explanation transferred to the MNU laboratory.

Subsequently, it becomes clear that such a transformation is caused by contact with the liquid contents of the container, meticulously assembled from the details of an alien technology ^{[note 5]} . Forcibly, contrary to the will of Vikus, while testing his ability to control alien weapons, MNU specialists discover that the transformation of Vikus has enabled him to use alien technologies, including against the aliens themselves. Guided by expert advice on the earliest possible study of the nature and mechanisms of such biological transformation, the MNU management decides to open Vikus as soon as possible and remove the mutated tissues, cells and organs that are the key to billions in profits. When trying to conduct an anesthetic-free vivisection, Vikus manages to break free and escape from the laboratory located at the headquarters of MNU.

MNU is organizing a campaign to capture him. In order to prevent people from helping Vikus, the media say that Vikus van de Merwe is a sexual pervert and, after having sex with strangers, has acquired a dangerous and contagious disease. His photographs are also broadcast everywhere. Desperate Vikus is hiding where they will not look for him - in the area number 9 ^{[note 6]} .

When trying to hide from helicopter raids, Vikus bursts into the house to an alien Christopher Johnson and his little son. Begging to hide it, Vicus loses consciousness, and Christopher notices a mutated hand. Having concluded that such a metamorphosis could only be caused by a lost artifact, Christopher decides to shelter Vikus. Christopher subsequently tries to find out from Vikus the location of the container with the liquid necessary for the functioning of the command module, and which has been collected for 20 years from the remains of various alien machines and artifacts. Christopher promises to Vikus that with the help of the aliens of medical equipment located on a ship hanging above Johannesburg, he will be able to stop the transformation and reverse the process, making Vikus human. However, this is not possible without a liquid container, and the container remained in the MNU laboratory.

After Vikus discovers the extensive death of his body tissues and their substitution with alien tissue, he offers Christopher his help in returning the artifact. He turns to the Nigerian mafia for weapons. The head of the mafia, paralyzed by Obesanjo, having seen the mutated arm of Vikus, is imbued with envy and orders to chop off this hand in order to eat and acquire such a hand himself. Vikus, however, accidentally manages to take over alien weapons from the arsenal of bandits, and, threatening them, he retires with weapons for himself and Christopher. Together they burst into the headquarters of MNU and penetrate into the laboratory, where during the shootout, the guards who opened fire to kill are killed. Christopher, however, from the sight of the opened bodies of aliens is horrified and trance , but Vikus manages to force him to come to his thoughts about his son. In the end, they manage to break out and return to area No. 9 with the container. The military, led by Colonel Kubus, chase after them.

Preparing the command module of the alien main ship hidden under the ground for takeoff, Christopher informs Vikus that, contrary to this promise, to return to Vikus the appearance of a man first, he decided to first fly to his home planet for a rescue mission for his fellow tribesmen. He reports that he cannot allow torture and medical experiments on his fellow tribesmen and that the flight for the rescue mission will take three years. In desperation, Vikus stuns his alien companion and himself, with the help of Christopher's little son, lifts the command module into the air. Arriving military capture Christopher. A missile launcher at the border of District 9 knocks down a module already in the air, and Colonel Kubus captures Vikus (Christopher’s son is hiding inside the module).

Vikus and Christopher are being driven outside of District 9 on MNU armored vehicles. However, Nigerians from the Obesanjo gang are attacking and abducting Vikus. Christopher's son on the command module activates ship control systems. A ship hanging over the city sets in motion and flies toward the command module. The launch of the ship’s systems causes the combat readiness of alien technological artifacts, including the exoskeleton previously purchased from aliens in exchange for cat food. The exoskeleton recognizes the mutating Vikus as "his own", attacked by "strangers" people, and protects him by shooting people and killing, including the head of the criminal gang Obesanjo. The freed Vikus uses a combat exoskeleton to escape from the environment. Throwing Christopher in the hands of Colonel Kubus, he escapes, but, having thought better of it, returns and enters the battle with the military. Under his cover, Christopher gets to the command module; the military still manages to severely damage the Vikus exoskeleton and injure himself. Christopher gives the floor to Vikus that he will return after three years and, together with his son, successfully takes off and dock the module with the ship. The surviving colonel is trying to kill Vikus, who mutated even more than before, but Vikus is protected by the alien slum dwellers, tearing the colonel apart and eating him. After the death of Colonel Christopher activates the ship and flies away, and the inhabitants of Johannesburg enthusiastically watch him.

The film ends as it began - with a series of “documentary” interviews discussing the events that occurred: Vikus van de Merwe was never found - perhaps he flew away on a ship or fell into the hands of any corporation or government; the aliens resettled in area No. 10, whose number has already increased to 2.5 million, live in the same poverty and a state of mutual intolerance with people. To the “widow” of Vikus Thane van de Merwe, a strange gift is thrown under the door - a rose, collected from metal scraps; she does not believe that this is a gift from her missing husband, although she knows that he always preferred to make them by hand. In the last frames of the film we see Vikus, who became an alien. He stands in the junkyard of District 9 and picks up another rose.

Background

Director Peter Jackson, after the release of King Kong , planned to create a film based on the Halo video game universe. He decided to shoot the adaptation together with the novice director Neil Blomkamp. But due to lack of funding, the film adaptation of the game was frozen. Jackson and Blomkamp soon began discussing alternative projects and ultimately agreed to make a film on Blomkamp’s short universe, Surviving in Jobburg ^{[note 9]} . Blomkamp, ​​who had previously shot commercials and short films, understood that "District 9" would be his first feature film and debut in a big movie, so he took the shoot seriously. The script was co-written with Terry Tutchell , and it was decided to shoot in the Republic of South Africa (South Africa), where Blomkamp was born and raised ^[3] . In the script for "District 9," Tatcell and Blomkamp tried to describe in detail the atmosphere of the film, while choosing character traits and moments (which the creators found interesting for the viewer) that explain the film’s universe in detail.

Filming

The QED film company agreed to fully finance the production of an independent film, signing in 2007 a refusal to rent a film in the United States ^{[note 10] [note 11]} . After that, in 2007 , American distributors and QED entered into a deal for the distribution of rental paintings in conjunction with Sony Pictures under the auspices of TriStar , thereby allowing the rental of paintings in North America (and other English-speaking countries), Korea , Italy , Russia and Portugal ^{[ 4]} .

Filming took place in nature in Soweto (settlements on the southwestern outskirts of Johannesburg) during the riots in Alexander, Gautengi and other South African villages between local residents of South Africa and Africans born in other countries ^[5] . The places that served as the prototype of district No. 9 were real impoverished neighborhoods, from which people were forcibly relocated to state-subsidized dwellings ^[6] .

Blomkamp said that not a single film influenced the concept of his film, but noted that “ hardcore sci-fi / action ” films of the 1980s, such as “ Alien ”, “ Aliens ”, Terminator , Terminator 2: Judgment Day , Predator , and Robot Policeman had an indirect effect on District 9. He commented:

I don’t know if the audience of the film feels it or not, but I wanted the film to have that harsh sense of the 80s; - I did not want it to feel glossy and light.

Original text

I don't know whether the film has that feeling or not for the audience, but I wanted it to have that harsh 1980s kind of vibe; - I didn't want it to feel glossy and slick.

- Interview with VFXWorld Magazine ^[7]

Из-за большого количества ручной съёмки, необходимой для фильма, продюсеры и съёмочная группа приняли решение снимать фильм с помощью цифровой камеры RED One . Оператор Трент Опалоч использовал 9 цифровых камер RED One, принадлежащих Питеру Джексону для личных съёмок ^[8] : «„Район № 9“ был снят на камеру RED One с использованием объективов с фиксированным фокусным расстоянием build 15, Cooke S4 и зум-объективов Angenieux. Кадры, стилизованные под документальное кино и снятые на камеры CCTV, снимались на цифровые камеры Sony XDCAM EX1/EX3-HD» ( англ. "District 9" was shot on RED One cameras using build 15, Cooke S4 primes and Angenieux zooms. The documentary style and CCTV cam footage was shot on the Sony EX1/EX3 XDCAM-HD ) ^[9] . После съёмок пост-продакшн команда предупредила, что большинство материала, снятого на RED, можно обрабатывать в день примерно за час-полтора. Однако после первых пяти часов работы по обработке отснятого материала, место в 120 терабайт данных было заполнено, и требовалось пополнение дискового пространства ^[10] .

Внешний вид пришельцев мира «района № 9» был создан за счёт специальных эффектов Weta Workshop , а разработкой дизайна занималась компания Image Engine . Сам Бломкамп, во время работы над визуальными эффектами, задал дизайнерам критерии внешности инопланетян. Он хотел, чтобы они выглядели насекомоподобными, но в то же время прямоходящими. Режиссёр желал, чтобы аудитория сблизилась с инопланетянами и это должно быть связано с дизайном:

К сожалению, они должны были быть похожими на людей, потому что наша психология не позволяет нам по-настоящему сопереживать с кем-то, если у него нет лица и антропоморфного тела. Так, если вы видите некое существо с четырьмя ногами, вы думаете, что это собака; так уж мы устроены… Если вы делаете фильм об инопланетянах, угнетающих или агрессивных, и вы не хотите сопереживать с ними, то вы можете сделать их и не антропоморфными. С творческой точки зрения это я и хотел сделать, но учитывая сюжет, я просто не мог так поступить.

Original text

Unfortunately, they had to be human-esque because our psychology doesn't allow us to really empathize with something unless it has a face and an anthropomorphic shape. Like if you see something that's four-legged, you think it's a dog; that's just how we're wired... If you make a film about an alien force, which is the oppressor or aggressor, and you don't want to empathize with them, you can go to town. So creatively that's what I wanted to do but story-wise, I just couldn't.

— интервью журналу Variety ^[11]

Бломкамп изначально добивался того, чтобы Weta Digital занималась дизайном существ, но компания, в это время, была занята визуальными эффектами для « Аватара ». Затем он решил выбрать компанию, находящуюся в Ванкувере, где, как он предполагает, будет снимать свои фильмы в будущем. Там он нашёл компанию Image Engine, которую посчитал «немного азартной» ( англ. a bit of a gamble ), поскольку она, следуя намеченному курсу, превозносила проект как большой, художественный фильм ^[7] . Все инопланетяне в фильме сделаны на компьютере (по технологии CGI ), за исключением тел, лежащих в медицинской лаборатории. Кроме того, все они были сыграны одним человеком — Джейсоном Коупом, который несколько раз появляется в фильме в роли одного из сотрудников MNU ^[12] . Weta Digital были созданы основной корабль и модуль управления, а студией The Embassy был создан экзоскелет. Zoic Studios занялась 2D технологиями ^[7] . В документальных записях спецэффектами занимались MXFX ^[13] .

Музыка к фильму была написана канадским композитором Клинтоном Шортером ( англ. Clinton Shorter ), который провёл три недели, приводя в состояние готовности звуковое сопровождение. Нил Бломкамп хотел, чтобы саундтрек к фильму был «грубый и мрачный» ( англ. raw and dark ), но чтобы он сохранял африканские мотивы. Это была трудная задача для Шортера, он считал большую часть африканской музыки оптимистичной и радостной. Шортер не мог получить тяжёлое звучание африканских барабанов, и он использовал сочетание барабанов тайко и синтезированных инструментов для достижения желаемых результатов, при этом основные элементы африканской атмосферы были переданы в вокале и перкуссии ^[14] .

Рекламная кампания

Вирусный маркетинг фильма начался ещё в 2008 году на фестивале San Diego Comic-Con International ^[15] , а его первый трейлер был показан в июле 2009 года. Перед мировой премьерой фильма компания Sony запустила рекламную кампанию под названием «Только для людей» ( англ. Humans Only ) ^[16] . Она включала в себя элементы игры в альтернативной реальности . Официальный сайт фильма являлся некой «кроличьей норой» в мир фильма. При входе на сайт необходимо сделать выбор между версией сайта для людей и версией сайта для «не-людей». В зависимости от сделанного выбора, показываются разные версии сайта. На нём были средства оповещения о событиях в Йоханнесбурге (иногда о создании фильма), каналы новостей, рекомендации по поведению, а также тексты норм и правил поведения в районе № 9. Другие сайты, созданные для фильма, имели похожую задумку, в том числе сайт МНМ с таймером обратного отсчёта (счётчик отсчитывал часы, оставшиеся до выхода фильма на экраны) ^[17] ; и противоположный блог «моллюска» по имени Кристофер, в котором он пытается донести правду о происходящих событиях в районе № 9 ^[18] . На официальном сайте фильма была возможность сыграть в онлайн-игру, в которой игрок мог выбрать между человеческой и инопланетной расой. Смысл игры был в том, что люди пытаются ликвидировать инородных пришельцев, а те, в свою очередь, пытаются избежать поимки и ликвидации ^[19] .

Помимо этого, кампания «Только люди» в поддержку фильма включала размещение постеров фильма, похожие на щиты, фигурирующие на протяжении всего фильма, на автобусных остановках и зданиях крупнейших городов. На постерах говорилось, что эти города предназначены лишь для людей, помимо этого на них был номер телефона ( 866-666-6001 ), по которому предлагалось позвонить в случае нарушения запрета. Однако на них не указывалось название фильма, а присутствовала ссылка только на официальный сайт.

Слоган фильма в российском прокате «Им здесь не место», тогда как англоязычный слоган звучит «Вам здесь не рады» ( англ. You are not welcome here ).

Сюжет и название фильма являются отсылкой к режиму апартеида в ЮАР и «шестому району» в Кейптауне . В 1966 году «шестой район» был объявлен зоной «только для белых», и 60 000 человек были насильно разлучены с родственниками и друзьями и переселены в Кейп-Флэтс ^[20] . Фильм также отсылает к современному выселению и принудительному переселению в новые пригородные гетто после апартеида в Южной Африке, а также к сопротивлению его жителей ^{[21] [22]} .

Фильм показывает бесчеловечность в ироническом контексте: Викус становится всё более гуманным во время превращения, когда он становится всё меньше похожим на человека ^[23] . На протяжении фильма он начинает понимать положение пришельцев, и в конечном итоге помогает им бежать с планеты.

«Район № 9» был признан одним из 10 ведущих независимых фильмов 2009 года Национальным советом кинокритиков США. Фильм получил четыре номинации на премию «Оскар», 7 номинаций на награды британской киноакадемии, 5 номинаций Гильдии кинокритиков и одну номинацию на премию «Золотой глобус». Он выиграл в 2009 премию «Брэдбери» от писателей-фантастов Америки ^[24] .

Правительство Нигерии потребовало прекратить показ фильма из-за негативного образа нигерийцев, который, по мнению властей, был создан в картине. Министр информации Нигерии Дора Акуньили заявила, что нигерийцы в фильме изображены «каннибалами и преступниками», а нигерийские женщины показаны как «проститутки, которые спят с пришельцами». Она добавила, что попросила кинокомпанию Sony , ответственную за создание фильма, принести официальные извинения перед народом Нигерии ^[27] .

• День независимости (1996)
• Война миров (2005)
• Скайлайн (2010)
• Инопланетное вторжение: Битва за Лос-Анджелес (2011)
• НЛО (2012)
• Притяжение (2017)

• — официальный сайт Район № 9
• «Район № 9» (англ.) на сайте Internet Movie Database  
• Район № 9 (англ.) на сайте allmovie  
• «Район № 9» (англ.) на сайте Rotten Tomatoes  
• Район № 9 (англ.) на сайте Metacritic