Any science fiction film can be seen as a reflection of different perspectives of real life, and they also use this as a metaphor for reality and complete a warning or redemption for people. "The Ninth District" is no exception. After watching this great movie, I couldn't restrain my excitement and trembled all over. It is different from "ET", different from "Jurassic Park" and "Future Water World", and certainly not the same as those junk movies that focus on monsters, plasma, and slime. Under the tense story of expelling aliens, it implies complex social issues such as racial discrimination, identity anxiety, and personal heroism, which are thought-provoking.
The story of "The Ninth District" is not complicated. A good earth man took an arrogant and hypocritical attitude to expel the alien races who were forced to stay on the earth, triggering resistance and fighting. He also gradually became a heterogeneous race due to exposure to special substances. As the clues gradually emerged, he was rejected and scrambled by humans, and had to flee and hide in the territory of alien races. After feeling the pain of being treated as an alien, his position gradually tilted towards the aliens. Before finally becoming "prawns", they helped them escape the earth successfully.
Like "Avatar", "The Ninth Area" is also narrating the relationship between earthlings and aliens. In "Avatar", the earthlings are the invaders, and in "The Ninth District" they are the expellers. Compared with the ultimate propositions related to aggression, such as survival, extinction, and doomsday judgment, expulsion seems to be confined to race and culture. , It seems so small.
However, this is not the case. In an industrial society, where science and technology, metals, rapid development, and equipment are alienating human nature, "The Ninth District" shows a closer reality and social significance, and a more profound and detailed description of human nature. . Because of this, "District Nine" does not have the gorgeous and magnificent special effects and vast panoramic shots like "Avatar". Instead, it uses a large number of follow-ups, surveillance videos and close-up shots. There are only a few sets of aerial shots to show the helicopter, and the rest are just It is a huge spaceship suspended above the city, suppressing the viewer's heart. The lens style is flexible and wandering, rendering a true and appropriate atmosphere for the story, easily guiding the audience into the story, and gaining more profound associations and thinking.
The protagonist Wikus has a typical middle-class status, stable work, happy family, and outstanding ability, which makes him accustomed to his superior status. The arrogance, hypocrisy and contempt of alien races, in his own consciousness, are nothing but mercy and charity for lower creatures. Although he deported in a manner that he considered restrained and polite, conflicts continued to arise. Such cases are numerous in the modern history of the world. Those outsiders always stand at the high point of civilization and morality, arrogantly treating the seemingly backward and ignorant peoples, "barbarians", "indigenous", "yidi", "frontier people". "Nigger" and these words appear one after another. When we say them, we have a natural attitude and a happy mood. But I never thought about the mood of the people who are called this way? And what kind of misunderstandings, estrangements, conflicts, and even wars will be caused by these casual words?
The director provided us with a solution of "identity conversion". In the film, Wikus enters a process of alienation due to exposure to special substances. Retribution was so fast that he quickly felt the pain of being isolated. The palms turned into scales and black body fluids, the middle-class social circle abandoned him with alienation characteristics without any consideration. At the same time, those institutions that gave him status, fame, and happiness soon listed him as a research object, not only to be manipulated like a white mouse, but also to be forced to slaughter. Humans appear so ruthless. As long as they are slightly different from them, they will completely lose their rights and status of the same kind.
The film also alludes to racial issues. The "Ninth District" where aliens live is also a black colony, and it represents chaos, crime, and rudeness in the mainstream discourse. And this is the unified attitude of Americans towards other regions. Countries in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia are just as ignorant and backward as the aliens in the film. Americans always take the look of a teacher and ask others to accept their values. , They can't wait to drive blacks, Africans, and Taliban from the earth, and build a world that fully accepts American culture.
Reality beats them hard. The tragedy of "911" tells them the thoughts of aliens. The casualties in Iraq and the economic crisis tell them that "heterogenes" are also humans, and they should be respected. In the film, in stark contrast to the cold and ruthless human beings are the aliens’ strength, wisdom, and commitment to keep their promises. They are well aware of human ambitions and express direct anger at human arrogance. However, when Wikus expressed their goodwill to cooperate, they were so enthusiastic, and at the same time they did their best to realize their promise to bring Wikus on board. Compared with their simple sincerity, human beings pretending to be sex are so ugly and vicious, so dark and cunning.
Therefore, don’t despise the beggar on the roadside, don’t discriminate against bad students, don’t shun the alien compatriots on the train, don’t show disdain to the migrant workers carrying backpacks and squeezing onto the bus, don’t hand the orchid to the "bangbang" how much. Don't think that they don't understand your contempt, your superiority, or your hypocrisy and indifference. They just disdain you. You are not qualified to pity them, and you are not qualified to discriminate against them. They just don’t conform to your values, but in this broad and rich world, your single values, your crude judgments, and individual characteristics are nothing. Treat them equally and tolerate each other’s differences. In this way, you will not Only by being retaliated can we live in harmony on this increasingly narrow planet.
The United States has always treated other peoples and cultures with this attitude. Fortunately, they have been reflecting on it. We have always treated our compatriots with this attitude. The terrible thing is that we are still getting better and better. Far.
The metal rose for his wife seemed to be a warm ending. However, the interviews of the interviewees in the film proved that they only regarded Wikus's story as a special case. The estrangement has not been eliminated, and arrogance is everywhere. After the tragedy, forgetful humans continued to discriminate and exclude. "The Ninth District" is almost the science fiction version of "The Metamorphosis." In Kafka's writing, Gregor, who became a beetle, was stunned, isolated, abandoned by mainstream life, forgotten, and finally abandoned. . The ending is so ridiculous, but the process is natural. "The Ninth District" also interprets the absurdity and practical significance of Kafka's novels from the perspective of aliens.
A few days ago, in order to protect the box office of the "Guo Zihao" movie "Confucius", the 2D version of "Avatar" was forced to go offline. Angrily, I rushed into the long-awaited theater and spent 120 yuan "a huge sum of money" to watch the 3D version of "Avatar". Sitting in my seat, I found myself betrayed just like Wikus. As my heart was filled with personal heroism to prevent hegemony and fight for equality and freedom, I was so excited that I almost screamed in the dark theater.
Written by Yaoer in January 2010
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