9

I was looking forward to seeing 9, as I had already seen the original short film (also called 9) and wanted to see what they could do by expanding upon the story. Well, after seeing this full-length film, I can certainly say I liked the computer generated animation....as for the story, well, it left a bit to be desired. And the problem is that I can't strongly recommend the film, but if you don't see it in the theater, then you'll probably like the film less because the graphics are THE film.

The story is set in an alternate reality. While some of the features look very much like Earth, many of the details are different. There's been a war raging and tanks are definitely of the WWI variety while airplanes are of the WWII style--yet there are also very modern holograms as well. As for the leader, there is some similarity to a fascist dictatorship, but this guy sure ain't Hitler, Mussolini or Franco. It's like Earth, but not our Earth. Oddly, while I could accept this, in this alternate reality there apparently IS a Judy Garland and the song "Over the Rainbow"--an odd blending of the real and the fanciful.

Most of the story, you have no idea what led to this ruined world that is now devoid of all life--no animals, no people...not even bugs. Slowly, some of the details of this apocalypse come out...but never is there ever a full explanation as to what happened and why--just a dribbling of information here and there. What you positively know is that instead of living beings, there are a group of very small and oddly designed burlap covered dolls--with very high tech eyes. Why these dolls are there and their purpose is unknown to them, but some are just happy to hide and avoid the hellish mechanical creations that inhabit the rubble as well.

As for the burlap creatures, this is a shortcoming in the film. While 9 is the "designated hero", he and the rest of them really don't have any personality and a few of them seem like story clichés (such as the "strong and plucky female"). So, when one dies you are left wondering what made that one any different than the one that was killed moments earlier or you are left feeling a caricature died--not something tangible. No real character development occurs nor are their motivations particularly clear throughout the film. Nor, for that matter, does the story answer many questions at all. So, provided this doesn't bother you and you don't mind a vague story with vague characters, you'll enjoy the film very much--it certainly is a visual delight. If you demand clarity, then I suggest you see another film.

Much like Shane Acker's short (of the same name), this movie almost REQUIRES multiple viewings for the viewer to really soak everything in.

The first time I watched the film, my initial criticisms were "That was too short" and "There wasn't not enough emphasis on characters/story". However, after watching the movie a second time, I realized that I had missed a TON of information on my first round. Upon asking other friends what they thought about the movie the second time around, I discovered that they felt the same way.

The first time I watched the film, I felt like everything flew by. It was visual overload, and it just had bad pacing overall. However, on my second viewing of the movie, I noticed that things seemed to go by much, much slower. The pacing seemed better. I noticed character and plot subtleties that I simply did not catch the first time I watched it. I connected more with the stitchpunks, and I understood the story better. The visuals weren't just "Ohhh, pretty!" anymore, they had greater symbolism, and depth.

The movie is, indeed, about 20 minutes too short. Certain characters needed more screen time, and certain points in the plot needed more emphasis. HOWEVER, I found that I enjoyed the movie drastically more when I saw it a second time. I plan on seeing it a third time later this week.

This movie reveals new surprises every time you watch it. If you have seen it once already, and didn't think it was that great, I strongly suggest dropping the $8 and giving this movie a second chance. You may be surprised how much your opinion changes.

9 is better than average... but only barely.

The movie is carried by a unique visual style and a great sense of "place." The sack-men (and woman) are refreshingly odd and fun to watch. The post-apocalyptic city is consistently beautiful and dangerous. Desolate without feeling dull.

Unfortunately, the story and characters ARE dull. Not crushingly so... but enough to frustrate. Frequent, obvious plot holes and violations of established world-rules pulled me out of the movie over and over again. Tired clichés abound. I wasn't able to shake the feeling that I'd seen and heard this all before.

And that's a shame because there's a lot of potential here. If only the writer had taken more chances. Why not challenge the audience and defy expectations? Why make a movie that's too scary for kids but too simplistic for adults? Who is expected to enjoy it?

I would watch another Shane Acker movie if one is made (hopefully after he's picked a target audience). But 9 is not a classic.

... that said, it's probably worth watching on the big screen just for the sights and sounds.

I don't know how much of a market there is for animated films like this but as someone who appreciates good artwork and computer animation, I enjoyed it. Yeah, the story is only so-so but the characters keep your attention - both good and bad guys, and it is deceptively involving.

The "good guys" in here are burlap-looking sewn puppets. Why they are who they are is explained near the end of the movie. The "bad guys" are the machines. Yes, this is familiar "Terminator" country, theme-wise, but the machines in this movie are brutal and scary. This movie is definitely not for little kids!

If you keep your expectations in the "fair" range, and watch it on Blu-Ray, you should enjoy it. As mentioned, the story draws you in. On the other hand, if you are looking for something fantastic, you might be disappointed.

This film at it's core explores the idea of humanity and what it means to be human. It does this by exploring themes such as friendship, curiosity and discovery, family and the fundamental question we all ask "why am I here and what is my purpose?" What makes the film so unique is that it projects these onto the main characters which are small ragdoll like automatons who have been set with the task of undoing the wrongdoings of their creator. This film has heart and on a first viewing the core themes and story may be lost by the stunning visuals of the characters and the environment they interact within. So I recommend at least watching this film twice to really appreciate all it has to offer. This film is set In a post apocalyptic setting yet it still manages to feel so unique. The closest I can think as far as cinematography is The Book of Eli, yet this is much more menacing and darker. Although wrapped up like a children's film with the animation, it definitely is for a more mature audience.