Analysing the opening sequence for ‘District 9’ Neill Blomkamp, 2009
We are immediately introduced to an interview scenario. This is interesting because we wonder who the character is. There is only diegetic sound of office workers, the cameraman and the unknown
man in the centre of the shot
We can already tell that this is an awkward character and he doesn’t quite know his way around things. We are not told his relevance
to the story but we are introduced to him first so assume that he is important. He has
a strong South African accent
The camera then cuts to a medium close up when Wikus tells us important information. He establishes the name of
an extra-terrestrial race and tells us how he is involved
We then cut to a helicopter establishing shot of the alien ship. There is a documentary like voice over telling us that the ship stopped over Johannesburg. It is not the voice of Wikus
We are introduced to the man talking and we notice in the bottom left is his name. Another character is introduced. The layout is much like a documentary so we are led to think that this is a story about
the aliens in documentary form
Classic sci fi thriller shot where the alien usually appears but it is a human, perhaps linking to the fact that we are aliens to them. We
are strangers entering their world inside the ship. Possible foreshadowing.
Solidifying the story with another establishing shot of the border of District 9 showing that it is
militarised. A key part of the movie.
Medium shot of anti alien imagery, while someone voices over saying that the Aliens and Humans are kept separate, that people like to be away from them creating tension between Humans and
the Aliens
Interviews with citizens tell us that they want the aliens gone from the planet and not a part of their
society.
In summary
The opening to District 9 is mostly establishes storyline and introduces us to the aliens. It also seems to foreshadow a lot as we get the gist that the people speaking are talking about Wikus in the past tense. This sets an interesting pretence of intrigue and mystery as to what his story is, and why he is being spoken about in the past tense.