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9: rag dolls encounter the apocalypse
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In Shane Acker’s feature debut 9, creatures that resemble rag dolls fight through a post-apocalyptic universe in which man-made machines have turned against their creators. If you don’t think this sounds like a children’s movie, neither did the MPAA ratings board, which slapped it with an unwarranted PG-13 I hope won’t keep children - or their parents - out of theaters. Despite dark themes and constantly clashing metal, 9 is both funny and human, a simple story of morality that plays out in a grave and graceful world of abandoned castles, nameless heroes and discarded records (in one rare moment of stillness a spooky rendition of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" plays).
Elijah Wood voices 9, a scrappy creature who escapes from a machine intent on crushing him only to be held hostage by despotic leader 1 (Christopher Plummer) who solemnly scratches off the numbers of the lost members of his tribe, because finding them is just too dangerous. When 9 convinces 5 (John C. Reilly) to venture out into a wasteland and rescue their captured friend, 2 (Martin Landau), the duo meet plucky 7 (Jennifer Connelly) who, unlike 1, prizes heroics over safety. But in trying to quiet a moderate but frightening machine, 9 ends up awakening another, much more lethal one – and puts 1 and all his other friends at risk.
There are only so many doll-versus-machine fights one can watch, and 9 does occasionally become monotonous. But Acker, expanding on an award winning short of the same name, shows a real gift for the genuinely thought provoking, scary stories kids don’t see enough of – yet there’s nothing about the frights that feel unwarranted or exploitative. The animation is lively and wonderful. With their zippered stomachs and button eyes, 9 and his cohorts are more expressive than many of the flesh and blood action stars I’ve seen lately onscreen.
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