9

Universal

R1 DVD

From visionary filmmakers Tim Burton and Timur Bekmambetov (Wanted) and director Shane Acker comes this eccentric and unusual visual feast. Featuring the voices of Elijah Wood, John C. Reilly, Jennifer Connelly, Crispin Glover among others it weaves a strange and wonderful tale which is both enthralling and captivating. Never one to shy away from darker themes Burton had made sure the film also has its measure of insightful themes and reflective content. This is not “Disney” animation filled with wonder and colour, this is a melancholic post-apocalyptic world where the difference between the new world and the old is nine rag tag dolls.

Humanity has reached its zenith and fallen, a scientist has created the ultimate machine, one which will make other machines and herald a new age of peace. As with all ground-breaking inventions it has been taken over by the military and is now a weapon of war in the hand of a Nazi like dictator. “The Machine” however is not simply a piece of tech, the scientist made it self-aware and soon it turns against its controller and by default, mankind and the war between machine and man reduces the surface of the world to dust and destroys all traces of the human race.

As the days of man are numbered, the scientist realizes the error of his ways and using an “alchemical” device transfers his soul into nine small rag dolls. Each reflects aspects of his character and are stitched together from all sorts of odds and ends, cloth, clock parts, lens and zippers. As the last one is made, number 9 he dies.

When Number 9 awakens (Elijah Wood), he wanders into an alien world, attacked by a giant cat like robot he is defended by another doll and meets a group of dolls trying to survive in a hostile world.

The doll community is having a hard time of it as monster machines still roam the planet and their own society has developed a hierarchy which seems as oppressive as the one it has replaced. Number 1 (Christopher Plummer) is arrogant and controlling as the leader and dominates the others through Number 8 (Fred Tatasciore) the military doll. Number 1 follows the path of least resistance and they live in fear hidden inside a broken down building.

Number 9 is not convinced by their pacifist stance and decides to go after the doll who saved him but was captured by the monster call. While he rescues his friend, he makes a fatal mistake, he places a device that he found inside his chest in a larger machine and “The Machine” comes to life. Now these small dolls must do battle for the very future of humanity and their survival hangs by a thread.

This is a visually stunning film with lots of superb character development, fascinating themes and a bleak view of the future. Each of the voice actors do an excellent job and the dolls shine as real personalities.

The imagery of the film is loaded with reflections on fascism, WWII and a world where technology and the machine has replaced human compassion. These themes are presented in both animation and comic book manner and while a bit heavy handled communicate well. At time the films is uneven with a slight overemphasis on the whizz bang battles against the monster machines but this is a minor quibble.

9 is an unusual animated feature in that it while it certainly has its emotional moments, it is not the sort of sentimental and mawkish animation that is ever so popular. It is dark, melancholic and even the ending leaves us to ponder what the future may hold.

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This review will appear in Volume 3 No.1 of the digital and print edition of Synergy Magazine.

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