You are 100% correct with your post. I was already upset enough with the other aspects I did not have the heart to add the aspect of the 'interaction only for material gain' so prevalent in todays society. Thanks for adding it !
I saw the movie some time ago and recognized the implications of what it depicted. However, I also feel that the movie accurately emphasized man's propensity to dehumanize or destroy anything that it does not understand, perceives to be different, or cannot control.
And as we all know our propensity for this type of violent behavior increases in direct proportion to the amount of personal, technological, or financial gain that may be achieved from said behavior.
This movie actually comes at the right time--because even though it is just a movie--it should serve as a reminder of what to expect if we ever make contact with another race of beings. And by that I mean I'm sure there will be groups who will attempt to influence the outcome of such a meeting if for no other reason than personal gain.
I finally had a chance to see the movie on Wednesday and I left the theatre speechless.
There are two reasons for this ;
The first is the fact that I was filled with pride at the grand scale of this South African production. We do a lot of movie and advertising productions in South Africa and I know they offer good value and professional service to international production companies, but never before has anything on this scale or of this quality been done. I am going to send a letter to my government encouraging them to consider tax rebates for these productions in the same way Canada has done as I think we deserve a bigger piece of the pie after this movie !
The second reason I was speechless was with shame. The South African writer of this movie took all of South Africas deepest and darkest 'secrets' of our past, dirty laundry we would rather not confront, prejudices, bigotry and shameful abuse of human rights and translated it into a panavision-technicolour-surround sound assault on all South Africans. This is not something you would be aware of or maybe even realise if you are not South African. You probably felt twinges of discomfort or guilt while watching the movie for any unkind word or action you have ever perpetrated against another human. Maybe even for any unkind or intolerant thoughts you may have had. I on the other hand, cringed with embarrasment to have so much of our dark past held up to the light and scrutiny of the world.
I applaud the man that did it, the creator of this show, because in doing so he made me rethink and review our past and possible future in a different light. His assault on my sensibilities made me realise how easily this could all happen again, when human rights cease to exist for humans- nevermind for creatures that we may not consider human.
Is this an insight into mankinds true psyche ? Would we react in this way to the arrival of aliens if they were not the perfect saviours so many hope they may be ? If they were weak and needy and not as technologically advanced as us (yet we ignore the fact that they have the advanced technology to get here in the first place)? Would we ignore the obvious and delegate the refugees to a life of misery and abject poverty because they are of no use to us ?
As an idealist I would pray that this was not the case, as a realist I know we already do this to our own people who we perceive in this light.
It was a strong and undeniable message for all of us, appropriate as we start our PTP journey towards unity !
Or maybe the question we should be asking after viewing District 9 is - How would aliens view us in our present state on this planet ?
-- Edited by Chandre on Tuesday 8th of September 2009 06:04:02 PM
