9 Film Review

9, directed by Shane Acker and produced by Tim Burton, is set in a post-apocalyptic planet earth where all life has been exterminated after a Terminator-esque battle between humans and artificially-intelligent machines. The film follows “9”, a small rag doll character and the viewer is immediately thrown into the action where 9 meets another rag doll named 2, who is then immediately snatched by a mechanical beast. It’s not long before 9 meets a whole group of rag dolls and leads them to save 2 from “the beast”. Whilst they eventually save 2 and destroy the beast, 9 inadvertently awakens The Brain, a soul-feasting fabrication machine that begins building other malevolent machines. The film then unfolds in the standard adventure plot-line, with the rag-tag bunch trying to destroy the evil machines and unbeknown to them, save the potential for life on earth.

Whilst having a fairly predictable storyline, the cast is superb with Elijah “Frodo” Wood voicing 9 and a similarly recognisable cast playing the other characters. The animation itself is beautiful, with the characters and the planet creatively conceived and the script offering entertainment for both adults and children. Whilst older children would enjoy this film, since it isn’t too patronising, the tone of the film is generally quite dark and hence perhaps unsuitable for younger kids. Whilst not original, the theme follows that of technology going too far and how unchecked industrial progress may have grave consequences. Eventually the film ends with the sentiment that life itself can be the saviour of the future and the planet can be given a second chance. Whilst part of me felt this slightly cheesy conclusion was a bit too obvious, perhaps its time to start getting our ethical points across in a more obvious way, because at the moment, people still aren’t getting it.