Rakka

Dir: Neill Blomkamp

2017

****

I like Neill Blomkamp and I stood by him through 2013's Elysium and 2015's CHAPPiE - which I thought was brilliant actually. I don't want a samey Alien film a samey AI film or just another action film. Blomkamp always brings a real human element to his sci-fi films that give them the edge over other contemporary films in the genre. You may not like Die Antwoord but the fact of the matter is that Ninja and Yo-Landi Visser brought something new to the table, they felt authentic and real, and they were the right kind of performers instead of just beautiful actors made to look like cyber-punks. I thought it was great anyway, a future cult-classic, mark my words. So when Blomkamp was announced as the new Alien director I was pretty pleased. Alien was Ridley Scott's baby, fair enough, if he wasn't finished with it then so be it but Prometheus was stupid, he should have left it there and, in the fine tradition of Alien films, a new director should have been handed the baton and Blomkamp was, in my opinion, the right director for the job. What's done is done. Blomkamp clearly hasn't got the alien thing out of his head though and his short film Rakka feels like a 'Look at what you could have had' tease. While the concept doesn't strike me as particularly original, its realism certainly hits home - disturbingly so. A hostile alien invasion, if it were to ever happen, would be unimaginably horrid and Rakka goes a long way in visualizing just how horrid it could be. It's pretty dark. Computer games have been playing with this idea for some time and it looks as if film is about to catch up somewhat. If you're still not sure whether Rakka is Blomkamp making comment on his Alien dismissal then the inclusion of Sigourney Weaver might just convince you. Again, her appearance makes the story feel somewhat unoriginal but I would argue that Rakka goes some way in give the audience something new as well as a bit of what the fans want, and indeed, expect. I was thrilled, I want to see the feature length version and lots of sequels. I'm not sure which direction these shorts will go or even if another short is expected (I think I read somewhere they'll be more) but I certainly like what I see. It certainly feels like an introduction into something that could be big with many possibilities so I await the next instalment with enthusiasm.

CHAPPiE
Dir: Neill Blomkamp
2015
*****
Neill Blomkamp's previous films; District 9 and Elysium both have had their share of praise but both have suffered an unfair share of criticism. Both District 9 and Elysium were about political and social unrest (apartheid being the most obvious) and both were a breath of fresh air. I would argue that good sci-fi should always be intelligent but it's not often that the big action blockbuster is remembered for it's social or political statements. CHAPPiE's initial and mostly negative reviews suggest to me that the kids don't want clever blockbusters, or is that unfair of me? Firstly, I think that CHAPPiE has been massively misunderstood thanks to its fairly poor marketing. It's not a new RoboCop, it's nothing like Short Circuit or WALL-E and has little in common with I, Robot.  It's not really about the idea of robotics or artificial intelligence (in fact it's more to do with natural ignorance). It's a sci-fi civil rights film. CHAPPiE is anyone who has ever been oppressed and who has overcome adversity. How artificial intelligence is created isn't important, the fact that it exists is. It's harder to believe that there are certain people around the world who are thought of as having inferior intelligence because of their skin colour etc but alas it is true. CHAPPiE is one big beautiful metaphor that is never preachy (the fact people seem to have overlooked this only goes some way in validating this). Many issues are raised, questions asked rather than answers given and emotional and political ideals explored. It is also one of the most touching films I've ever seen. I say it's nothing like Short Circuit or any other film of its ilk but those films made me sad while watching as a child because of the emotional manipulation. CHAPPiE challenges this, has real depth to it and is somehow justifiably emotional. The cast is eclectic and brilliant, the visual effects are impressive and the conclusion was perfect. An intelligent, exciting and original sci-fi film, I was utterly impressed.

District 9
Dir: Neill Blomkamp
2009
*****
Neill Blomkamp's 2009 debut; District 9, made a huge impact on its release and changed the genre of sci-fi films. Intelligent Sci-fi is now popular again and for that alone I thank Mr. Blomkamp. It's certainly not the first intelligent sci-fi film but it's probably the most important since the original Godzilla. Blomkamp's message is blatantly political, social and racial, unlike Godzilla though, it's focus is not so much on fear (The hydrogen bomb) but of segregation, racism and conflicts of power - realism not paranoia. It's about Apartheid, not only because it is based in South Africa but because it makes it that little more poignant. He would tell you otherwise, so would I if I was him, he shouldn't have to explain himself though as the writing is on the wall, and for those who can't read, enjoy the excellent sci-fi adventure anyway. It's E.T. in the real world, just as heartbreaking though because it does seem so true to life, it's hard not to see this a possibility should it ever really happen, we do it to ourselves already. Brilliantly written, visually stunning, Sharlto Copley's Wikus Van de Merwe is the centuries first great cinematic hero and the conclusion is perfect. A great film.

Elysium

Dir: Neill Blomkamp

2013

****

I'm not sure how much longer Neill Blomkamp can deny that his films aren't about segregation but I'm not sure why he has to answer anyway, as it's seems perfectly obvious that District 9 and Elysium are and what is wrong with that? The sad truth is that any film maker who makes political statements in their work will come under pressure of scrutiny and judged on a level that is often unfair. I wonder whether it is this political talk that was responsible for the fact Elysium was critically panned on release or because it is essentially the same story as District 9 albeit without the cool looking Aliens. It's not perfect and no, it's not as good as District 9 but when reviewing it purely on its own merit I can't really knock it. The idea is sound and the effects are amazing, the sudo-science let it down as do some of the performances but on the whole I think it has been unfairly overlooked as one of 2013's better films.