Movie Review: 9.

“9” is having a bit of an identity crisis. It takes liberally from several obvious sources but promises something that we haven’t seen all year. “9” promises an adult experience that is both suitable for kids but assessable for adults, but does it keep all of its promises or is “9” a long countdown to the final curtain. Will, what seems like, a highly inventive premise, some striking visuals and a overall attack on the senses lead to a film that feels overdone or will you be underwhelmed by this visual opus.

Academy Award-nominated for his groundbreaking animated short of the same name, filmmaker Shane Acker makes his feature directorial debut with this expanded version of his acclaimed post-apocalyptic fable. In a world parallel to our own, the worst has happened, and humanity is in danger of extinction. From the ashes of destruction emerges a courageous rag doll named 9 (voice of Elijah Wood) whose unique leadership skills could prove the key to survival for those who have not yet perished. “9”’s story is easily its weakest point, it so blatantly rips off several of the year’s big summers movie making it unapologetically unoriginal. The story is tried and tested material but it never really gels; thanks to a plethora of clichés and woeful dialogue. “9” is a very good example of how great visuals can overcome lazy writing.

The films vocal talents are all over the place. Some hit all the right notes and tones delivering convincingly genuine moments while others feel disconnected and practically sleepwalk through their roles; the biggest offender being Jennifer Connelly who is, undoubtedly, a fantastic actress who really doesn’t seem to care about her character, her and several other characters almost seem throwaway. For all of my criticisms there is some truly delightful moments. Christopher Plummer is always fantastic and really stands out here and the films protagonist does an adequate if unremarkable. The real standout however is Crispin Glover who is perfectly cast as the, almost psychotic, “6” who bring mystery and intrigue to this otherwise toneless tale.



And suddenly the movie catches its stride, the direction for the film is fluid and wonderfully paced, flitting form one set piece moment after another. Some seem ready to prematurely harass Shane Acker with criticism but truthfully, he does an above average job on the direction. What’s welcome is the decision to make this incredibly short. At a mere 79 minutes “9” never outstays its welcome, which could have been easily done with writing this poor. My only complaint would be with how paint by numbers it can be, sure it all flows smoothly and there are very few hiccups to be had but when a film looks and feels this generic sometimes that can work against. this minor bug aside; the direction is first-rate.

If there’s one place “9” hits it out of the park, it’s with its visuals. From the very first scene “9” drips with atmosphere, the backdrops conveying an overwhelming sense of dread and despair. This is a mere rest stop when compared to the astounding array of visual delights that await you. The films creature affects are out of this world mixing a steam punk aspect with the dregs of a post apocalyptic future, everything looks overwhelmingly mechanical; and that’s just how it should. On the audio end everything works a treat. The creature roar and bellow with a convincing amount of clarification and the sound effects are wonderfully woven into the film. “9”’s presentation is near immaculate. You can deny the sheer amount of effort that the filmmakers have put into this powerhouse of effects, it’s just a shame the rest of the movie couldn’t keep up.

Verdict: Its very rarely a film with such potential is squandered by lazy writing and dire dialogue. The visuals are a sight to behold and you may want to see this out in a cinema if only for that. “9” looks and feels like a first effort, which it is understandably. It’s clear that Shane Acker has a lot of potential and he really gets a chance to show off his skills here. He, however, is crippled by just how bad some of this writing is. I would recommend a trip to the cinema for the visuals alone but “9” really doesn’t live up to its promises!

Story: 5.2
Acting: 6.4
Direction: 7.3
Presentation: 9.0

Overall: 6.9/10