Dvd
9
9 is a pet-project of up-and-coming director Shane Acker that is sure to be as personal as it is technically impressive. Based on his Oscar nominated short-film, it's set in a post-apocalyptic world devoid of humans, but there the similarities to Wall-E end. Produced by Tim Burton and Timur Bekmambetov – the man responsible for vampire fantasy Night Watch – the film oozes techno chic in each of its animated frames.
When 9 (voiced by Elijah Wood) meets a group of rag-doll creatures similar to himself, he discovers he is a natural leader. He offers assistance to his new companions, helping to defend them from a harsh, futuristic environment of garish insect-like beings. The voice cast also includes John C. Reilly, Martin Landau and Crispin Glover.
Starring Elijah Wood, John C. Reilly, Jennifer Connelly, Martin Landau, Christopher Plummer, Crispin Glover
Directed by Shane Acker (feature debut)
Written by Shane Acker, Pamela Pettler
Produced by Tim Burton ('Nightmare Before Christmas', 'Corpse Bride'), Timur Bekmambetov ('Night Watch', 'Day Watch')
Science Fiction, Fantasy, Drama, Animated, Adventure | 1hr 19mins | Rated (M) | Contains content that may disturb | Origin: USA | Official Site »
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The Talk
6 votes / No comments
Flicks review
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3
A feature length version of his 2005 Oscar-nominated animated short of the same name, writer-director Acker's (an animator on The Return of the King) 9 boasts breathtaking animation and impressive sound design. The dark, dystopian visuals will excite fans of the Terminator and Matrix series, while also evoking memories of Coraline and Sid's room from the original Toy Story.
The film’s lack of a light touch, however, ensures this is not really a tale for littlies. Plotwise, 9 is a bit frayed around the edges with the mystery at the heart of the story surrounded by a succession of chase and fight sequences. There are some nice parallels to 1930s Germany in the backstory though (perhaps the film should have been called ‘Nein’), punctuated by the haunting use of Judy Garland's version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow.
Like its recently-released alphabetic namesake, 9 also boasts a fantastic cast. Christopher Plummer, John C Reilly, Elijah Wood and Martin Landau, are joined by Jennifer Connelly and Crispin Glover for what would be an indie-film lover's dream team. And they all imbue their sackboy-esque characters with distinctive personalities.SHARE:
The people's reviews
6 reviews
Press Reviews
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Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)
The best reason to see it is simply because of the creativity of its visuals. They're entrancing.
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Empire (UK)
3
The apocalyptic 9 offers innovative images of a broken Earth inhabited by woven warriors battling machines. But it’s more style than substance — this mechanical tale needs a human touch.
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Guardian (UK)
1
Now, like post-apocalyptic wombles or borrowers, the mites scurry and scamper about the wrecked landscape in a manner that I can only describe as uninteresting.
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Hollywood Reporter (USA)
9 never adds up to much. It's a dark adult film that gives itself over to the chases and frights of a kiddie movie.
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New York Times
Every effort to expand the range of feature-length animation beyond the confines of cautious family fare is to be welcomed, and budding techno and fantasy geeks are likely to be intrigued and enthralled.
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NZ Herald (Francesca Rudkin)
3
9 began life as a short film, winning creator Shane Acker, then a student at the University of California, a Student Academy Award for animation. Now, with the support of film-makers Tim Burton (Alice in Wonderland, The Corpse Bride) and Timur Bekmambetov (Nightwatch) as producers, Acker's turned his post-apocalyptic adventure into a full length feature for sci-fi loving adults.
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Total Film (UK)
3
Great material, credible producers, top voice talent and gorgeous visuals, stitched together to make a patchwork that’s less than the sum of its parts. Striking and ambitious, but worn at the seams.
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Variety (USA)
3
Design aspects are arresting and the filmmaker's abilities are obvious, but the basic survival story remains slight, just as the general setting, no matter how artfully imagined, is by now pretty familiar.
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viewNewzealand.co.nz (Matt Turner)
3
The animation is visually striking throughout but the film's imagination only stretches as far as the production design and the overly bleak plot fails to engage on an emotional level.
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