#9 (2009)

#9: Directed by Shane Acker. With Christopher Plummer, Martin Landau, John C. Reilly, Crispin Glover. A rag doll that awakens in a postapocalyptic future holds the key to humanity’s salvation.

“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 canu0026#39;t strongly recommend the film, but if you donu0026#39;t see it in the theater, then youu0026#39;ll probably like the film less because the graphics are THE film.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe story is set in an alternate reality. While some of the features look very much like Earth, many of the details are different. Thereu0026#39;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 ainu0026#39;t Hitler, Mussolini or Franco. Itu0026#39;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 u0026quot;Over the Rainbowu0026quot;–an odd blending of the real and the fanciful.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eMost 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.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eAs for the burlap creatures, this is a shortcoming in the film. While 9 is the u0026quot;designated herou0026quot;, he and the rest of them really donu0026#39;t have any personality and a few of them seem like story clichés (such as the u0026quot;strong and plucky femaleu0026quot;). 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 doesnu0026#39;t bother you and you donu0026#39;t mind a vague story with vague characters, youu0026#39;ll enjoy the film very much–it certainly is a visual delight. If you demand clarity, then I suggest you see another film.”