District 9 & All The Stars
“Tell me what you gon' do to me
Confrontation ain't nothin' new to me
You can bring a bullet, bring a sword
Bring a morgue, but you can't bring the truth to me
Fuck you and all your expectations
I don't even want your congratulations
I recognize your false confidence and calculated promises all in your conversation
I hate people that feel entitled
Look at me crazy 'cause I ain't invite you
Oh, you important?
You the moral to the story, you endorsing?
Motherfucker, I don't even like you
Corrupt a man's heart with a gift
That's how you find out who you dealin' with
A small percentage, who I'm building with
I want the credit if I'm losing or I'm winning
On my momma that's the realest shit”
District 9 is the place where alien refugees have sought asylum in South Africa under the thumb of white South Africans. A 90 percent rotten tomato earned thriller, many critics and moviegoers appeared to thoroughly enjoy the film. I, on the other hand, give it a thumbs down, splat, 0 out of 10 would recommend. While many people commented on the great imagination, effects, and originality of the film, I think they have completely missed it. It is clear that there is a social commentary of some degree. We can see anti-immigrant, anti-asylum sentiments, racism, and elitism as apparent themes. However, in executing these themes and the plot, I think the film strictly reinforces problematic tropes that work in opposition. While the film takes place in South Africa, there are no South African characters ( as in Black, any white South Africans are a result of colonizers and will be referred to as such) with development. They merely serve as prop characters to add or propel the main character, lanky and foolish Wikus. Black South Africans are portrayed as primitive and queer. As mentioned in discussion class, why is that they are the only ones who are intentionally seeking out to have sex with the giant aliens? What does this say about them? If South African people are not being portrayed as scary thugs, they are serving as guardians and workers of Wikus. He is described as a kindred spirit, but he is anything but. Rather, he acts through interest convergence theory wherever he goes. He lacks a moral compass and partakes in the violent raids of district 9. He criminalizes them in his speech and actions and threatens to take away one of the alien’s child when he unsuccessfully tries to force his hand at their removal. Wikus’ attitude does not change until he begins to suffer the consequences of his colonizing ways. As he begins to turn into one of the aliens after touching things he has no business with, the company he works for blacklists him and decides to use him as one of their experiments, just as they were doing with the other aliens. Wikus has a sudden change of heart that led many viewers to feel sorry for him. WELL, I DO NOT.
You reap what you sow and how foolish can you be to be surprised when the shady company who uses you as a pawn to do their dirty work would turn on you when the opportunity presented itself? Values and morals are very telling. Wikus was problematic from the jump and that is something that many critics seem to gloss over *insert tea*. Now Wikus wants to work with the alien and praise him, but only after he learns that the alien can make him human again. TRIFLING. This does not undo the dehumanization that has taken place and led to the death and violence against the aliens.
Wikus character very much so reminded me of the verse from All The Stars by Kendrick Lamar ft. Sza. Wikus is not the white savior he is painted out to be, “I recognize your false confidence and calculated promises...I hate people that feel entitled, oh, you important? You the moral to the story you endorsin?...Corrupt a man’s heart with a gift That’s how you find out who you dealin with”. This verse perfectly describes the privilege and entitlement that has spoiled Wikus. And throughout the story, we are able to see what the aliens are really dealing with. It calls out and brings into question whether his sacrificing of his life makes him the moral of the story...It does not! It was predictable and the bare minimum of his humanity. Wikus is an embodiment of all things problematic, so “fuck you and all your expectations, I don’t even want your congratulations”.
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Aysia-Marie Perkins
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