Numéro 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.

The first time I heard about 9 and found out that Tim Burton and Timur Bekmambetov were co-producing it, I was absolutely on board to see it. Anything that the guy who directed such quirky masterpieces as Beetlejuice, Batman, Mars Attacks!, Ed Wood, and Sleepy Hollow got behind had to be worthy of my time. And then you add the genius of Russian director Timur Bekmambetov to the mix and to me it was a no brainer. I was going to see this movie. Burton AND the guy that has brought us such visually complex and action-packed fare as Wanted, Night Watch, and Day Watch supporting a movie? It had to be good.

And it was. Director Shane Acker borrows maybe a little more than he should have visually from other such apocalyptic films like Terminator and even Wall-E, but it doesn't end up hurting the film by any means. The scenery and landscapes of the film are beautifully crafted and set everything up for a certain feeling of loneliness and hopelessness. It's more graphic and suspenseful than any children's or youth feature you would take your kids to, so definitely don't let the fact that this is animated fool you. This is not for the little ones.

The voice actors all put their best foot forward and deliver. You've got Elijah Wood as 9, once again convincingly leading a group of survivors in what seems to be an unwinnable war against a much larger foe than they could be expected to defeat. You've got Christopher Plummer playing 1 as an interesting paranoid "keeper of the secrets" which reminded me of the Dr. Zaius character in the original Planet of the Apes films, if you've seen any of those. Legendary actor Martin Landau plays 2, who is a scientist and fixes 9. Then there's Jennifer Connelly, who plays the strong-willed and rebellious 7 who has left the core group of "stitchpunks" to get away from under all of 1's rules. Last but not least, you've got Crispin Glover playing the slightly obsessed and seemingly crazy 6 who has been drawing strange symbols since the big war between the humans and machines.

The film had an interesting plot that got a bit more complex in the end. Part of the complexity had a spiritual vibe to it that I didn't necessarily care for. It just seemed almost out of place and like the director was stretching for something that would make the film more "sophisticated." I was not disappointed in the movie by any means. It was a visually striking piece of film. It was action-packed and fun without dumbing down the story or sacrificing it. If you're into sci-fi, apocalyptic thrillers, and animation I would highly recommend this.

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.

As a long-time fan of animation, I like to believe (misguided or not) that I have high standards and am not easily impressed. But this creation blew me away, so much so that I felt compelled to write my first ever review on this site. Please forgive me for the abundance of clichés that may follow.

9 reminded me strongly of my favourite short-work, Joacquin Baldwin's award-winning Sebastian's Voodoo. The detail, backgrounds, colours, forms, the dark 'grubbiness' of the overall look, the minimal but meaningful character expressions and sublime use of light and shadow were pure heaven for the eyes.

Imagine, if you will, a strange but beautiful lovechild of The Borrowers, Voodoo, Alien, Corpse Bride and War of the Worlds; and you have 9.

The atmospheric score and use of imagery from various real political movements and historic events added to the post-apocalyptic, almost Gothic feel. To prevent it from becoming too heavy, it is interwoven with a deliciously subtle humour and creativity - such as the use of ordinary household objects as weapons and items of clothing. You can tell that Tim Burton had more than a sprinkling of input.

Yes, the storyline is simple (which is why I am puzzled that so many viewers found the ending difficult to grasp) and the characters could have done with more development. That said, I immediately fell in love with 2, 4 and 5 with no knowledge of their past - a difficult task to achieve. And it would be hard to create nine full-blooded personalities with back-history involved in a complex plot in only 80 minutes.

Which brings me to timing and the only reason I knocked a star off - I felt it ended too quickly and I just did not want it to.

It is a rare sort of exquisite film-making that makes you want to serve it on a plate and eat it raw, enjoying every last mouthful. Then savour it all over again because you know you've missed so much in all the glorious detail.

It is a film that stays with you long after it ends. I would urge anyone with a love of the unusual to experience it.

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.