Favorite Performances: Sharlto Copley as Wikus in District 9
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I wanted to title this entry “Favorite Peformances: Sharlto Copley as Wickus in District 9, or How to carry a film on your shoulders without looking as if you are trying” but brevity is the source of wit so I just decided to leave it as you see above.
It’s always wonderful for cinephiles (and non-cinephiles actually) to witness a star making turn by an actor. Whether they be transcendent such as Vivien Leigh in Gone with the Wind or heartfelt as Gabourey Sidibe in Precious, there is something to be said about sitting in a theater or watching a film on DVD and being wowed by the acting taking place. That happened to me last year when I was watching District 9. I love a good science fiction movie and was completely entranced by the Apartheid-esque storyline involving Aliens. Often times sci-fi movies, to their detriment, eschew the human element in favor of technology and/or spectacle *cough transformer 2 and gi joe cough* But District 9 managed to be what sci-fi is truely about: human emotion and cool special affects.
This movie would have been nothing however, without the revelatory turn of Sharlto Copley.
Let’s be honest for a second, it takes serious mental stability to be able to do a sci-fi movie. All of the green screen and explosions, not to mention the CGI; could you imagine having to come to work everyday and talk a CGI alien out of their shack? And then make us feel as though these aliens were human too?! That’s what I loved the most about Sharlto’s take on the role. He fully embraces his characters flaws and unwavering humanity. We see that though he has experience in dealing with aliens (his ability to understand them) that he’s scared. Wickus is also foolish to a fault, his character’s fatal flaw, which is what send the story in motion. How could a character such as him possibly believe that the aliens would be better off in some tent town? And why in the world would you mess with alien science experiments?
But we begin to forget about his flaws and focus on his soul as he descends into becoming what he has most interacted with, *spoiler alert* an alien. That hospital scene where he sees an alien arm where his human arm should be is one of the greatest moments in cinema (where was the Oscar nom for makeup?) and he plays this so well it made me want to check on my arm to make sure it was still attached. He is then tortured and used by the government, who has been actively trying to figure out how to use alien weaponry. He eventually teams up with an alien and his son in hopes of being able to reverse the process. You can see the desperation on his face, in his voice but you can also witness the compassion and general remorse he has for his actions. Watching him go from governmental pawn to tragic hero is something to behold.
The first time I watched this movie was without the subtitles and was constantly confused about what the aliens were saying. But when I saw it the second time on DVD it blew my mind as to how complex the interactions between humans and aliens were. I was even more amazed at Sharlto because the movie blossomed into something far more human when he was on the screen. I felt as though I was in the film right along with Wikcus. Even though what happens to him by the end is truly horrific, Sharlto is incredibly valiant in this role. We the audience never lose sight of hope, even as their escape attempts are thwarted. Sharlto did a masterful job with this film and its one of the best lead turns of the last few years.
I loved that we were treated to another one of his performances in The A-Team, which deserved better than a $26 million opening weekend (curse you Jaden SMith and Jackie Chan lol). That aside, I look forward to witnessing what I am sure will be an amazing career.
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