"Greatness lies not in being strong, but in the using of strength." - Henry Ward Beecher
As I did with my previous duel article, involving Angelina Jolie and Megan Fox, I am here today to do a comparison of the films Avatar and District 9, which I think are the top sci fi films of the year and probably two of my favorite this year. Now where my Fox/Jolie duel was basically for my own pleasure, this is really just to help me clarify which film I think surpasses the other in greatness.
It is hard because they are both so geniusly crafted and done with such devotion that I really can't find too many problems with either. I guess I'll be making my decision based on which film I enjoyed more. So let's go.
SPOILERS
STORY:
The story of both Avatar and District 9 are very similar to each other. Each involves the lackey of cutthroat bureaucrats who goes native and buddies up with the aliens and eventually goes against his own people. The movies just take that story, which has been done many times, and do something very new with it. But the films go in different directions when dealing with the occupation element. In Avatar humans have set up shop on alien turf, whereas in District 9 the aliens' mothership stalls over Johannesburg, South Africa of all places. But it's okay because in both cases the aliens get the short end of the stick. I liked the grimy, in the trenches, semi-mockumentary thing District 9 has more then Avatar's straight, self discovery approach. And though I like the idea of Wikus van de Merwe joining the aliens reluctantly and out of desperation, I like Avatar's more because Jake Sully goes there for to explore and gets more involved. Plus the story of Avatar builds up tension between the humans and aliens and when the action breaks out it is presented very delicately whereas in District 9 all of the action is released to close to the end and, though very cool, it all happens too fast. Unless District 9 has a sequel, I think Avatar has a bit more to explore and enjoy. So where District 9 is a grungy and versatile sci fi drama, Avatar is a beautiful and gripping experience.
So in the story section, Avatar wins.
HEROES:
In Avatar, the hero Jake Sully is encouraged to join the aliens and learn from them as a form of strategy. I liked Jake, he seemed to be a jarhead who grew out of his gung ho military persona quickly after his injury and got real about things. Plus after seeing him in a wheelchair, I couldn't help but share his joy as he got into his avatar body and could run again. But to boot he was a trained and compassionate warrior, who knows what is right and wrong and knows especially which side he should fight for. In many ways he is a true and likeable hero I didn't really have a problem with, aside from moments of overconfidence and totally cocky attitude. Jake was just cool.
In District 9, Wikus van de Merwe goes to the aliens as a last resort in fear of what his government will do for him. He also has a sympathy vote even bigger than Jake because Wikus is literally falling apart. After being infected by an alien chemical, he starts becoming one of them which is not as fun a process for him as it was for Jake. Wikus is a bit more of a realistic character. His personality shifts often and you feel different about him in just about every new scene. Wikus keeps you on your toes. I think it's cool though how in just a few short days he goes from a nerdy pencil pusher handing out alien eviction notices to being a mutated badass fighting against merceraries. Plus Sharlto Copley, the actor who plays Wikus, is just a terrific actor.
It is kind of funny how in Avatar the hero is a brave and heroic ex marine but in District 9 the hero is an infuriating and scared cubicle worker. Still I think Wikus wins here because his character is far more compelling and is completely multi-dimensional; he's just interesting to watch. So District 9 wins.
ALIENS:
Avatar and District 9 both have incredible aliens. Both films are like the study of a specific species from the Star Wars universe anway. And these are probably some of the most fascinating of all alien races I've ever seen depicted in science fiction films ever. And they both show up in the same year.
For Avatar we have the Na'vi, the only humanoids on the moon Pandora. Watching Avatar, you go in depth and learn all about the Na'vi's culture which is really quite amazing. In appearance, the Na'vi are over ten feet tall, their bodies are very much reminiscent of human's, they have four fingers, blue skin (no Smurf jokes please), golden eyes, a tail, and feline characteristics. And somehow these big, blue cat people are made believeable. Their culture and lifestyle is very similar to pre-colonial Native Americans. These blue skins are very elegant and beautiful, just like their home. Some can speak english which is good when dealing with others. All Na'vi seem to be very stubborn and follow a code of honor. Their society is very united and peaceful, though they can be fierce when neccesary. Na'vi weapons are traditionally bows and arrows, daggers, and spears. They are very graceful, lovely people that you really care about.
There is a great number of animal life in Avatar that are really cool. They are so many and so cool that I can't just go into detail on them, besides it's better if it is a surprise. I call these the Pandoran equivalents because of their resemblence to earth animals. My favorite however is the legendary flying creature called The Toruk.
District 9 has over a million aliens dropped off in one of the worst places on earth. South Africa. A place chockful of racism, apartheid, civil war, crime and poverty. No real name was given, but the aliens were nicknamed Prawns, because they are bottom feeders. In appearance Prawns are the exact opposite of the Na'vi. They are, as Roger Ebert put it, a cross between a lobster and a grasshopper. It is assumed that any form of leadership died onboard the Prawns' ship of some sort of disease. The aliens who survived, found malnourished, seem listless, of low intelligence, and with little understanding of their own technology. A main concensus was that the surviving aliens were drones or workers. Though some intelligent Prawns are still around. But in terms of personality the Prawns reminded me of, well, most humans. They are like loathsome, bitter homeless people. Watching them at first is like watching an episode of Cops. Prawns are physically powerful and agile and have advanced, coveted weaponry at their disposal but are still nevertheless oppressed, brutalized and manipulated very easily. They reproduce asexually and lay eggs, but it is known that they can have sex with others, even humans. They also have an intense obsession with cat food.
The only animal seen in District 9 is a slimy insect-like creature. It looks like a larvae version of the Prawn. The locals call it Muti. They are used in sort of cockfights where one is pitted against the other. It looks like a scorpion and centipede hybrid. In a deleted scene, it is noted that if eaten, Muti holds certain medical properties. It is very bluntly stated that it can cure "everything but AIDs". This could be a delusion, as many of the voodoo practicing Africans believe that eating a Prawn's limbs will grant them alien power (crazy fuckers).
So there are the aliens. But which did I like more, the enchanting and lethal warrior tribes of the Na'vi in Avatar or the darkly comedic and disgustingly fascinating lower middle class type Prawns in District 9. Though the Prawns are interesting and an easy source of sympathy, they are almost a complete mystery for the whole film. I guess that was kind of the point, god knows there were enough explanations as to why they couldn't give us any information about their species. But a little more exposition and backstory would have made them a bit more interesting or who knows, maybe a little less. The Na'vi however are given much depth and backstory to take in. They are a people to be admired and looked at with wonder. You are right there experiencing and learning their lifestyles and it is very brilliant stuff. The Na'vi are honorable and amazing people who you care about and respect. While you may care about the Prawns (at least these Prawns) and think they are amazing, you will never think they are honorable and you will never respect them. Na'vi are just too intoxicating, so Avatar wins in the alien section.
This concludes part 1 of my analysis of Avatar and District 9. I will continue with a followup in the above post.
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