9 - Theatrical review

Welcome to a world where no humans exist due to a war with machines. (Yes, another film with the backdrop of artificial intelligence destroying mankind.) In this world, the only objects alive are nine toy-size dolls made of mechanical parts and covered by burlap material. Among the destruction, there are other mechanical monstrosities roaming about, all of them surviving on the scraps of debris left behind in a ruined city that looks something closer to Berlin in 1944. All of these mechanical creations come from a scientist (voiced by Alan Oppenheimer) who had every intension of ending the war with machines, but failed. It would appear the road to hell truly is paved with good intensions.

It is up to nine toylike dolls to survive in a world that resembles parts of "Saving Private Ryan" meets "The Matrix" meets "The Terminator" franchise. Odd combination to be sure, but you really need to put the brain aside to comprehend the style. The extinct humans themselves are more of a representation to the Nazis of World War II, as well as the overall atmosphere blending with a mechanical, dark future. In this case, it's difficult to distinguish if it is a future and much easier to digest as pure fantasy or an alternate reality.

Going into "9" I did my best to stay clear of buzz and reviews so I could just get my own perspective. Five-minutes into the film I sensed someone was out to steal the mind and technique of Tim Burton. To my surprise, Tim Burton just happened to be one of the executive producers. Nevertheless, the real credits of this dark and creative world go to the director, Shane Acker, and to the screenwriter, Pamela Pettler. Nevertheless, it does appear the story could have easily been lead and guided by you-know-who.

The filmmakers manage to bring aboard a wonderful cast of voice talent: A stubborn, fearful, and obviously older character known as #1, voiced by Christopher Plummer. Martin Landau voices the character of #2, who is also assumed to be much older in age. John C. Reilly is the voice of #5, a fearful little character influenced by the main lead, #9, who is voiced by Elijah Wood. I'm sure many fans of Wood know him best as Frodo from "Lord of the Rings." The truly bravest character that is already fighting the leftover scraps of A.I. machines is the character #7, voiced by Jennifer Connelly. You would almost assume #7 might play into some kind of love interest, but don't get your hopes up as the movie never really develops a heart. Not to mention, of all the toylike dolls the scientist created, why was #7 the only one to at least seem female?

"9" begins as we watch #9 come to life in a war-torn world where all humans have been exterminated by machines. #9 ends up meeting some colleagues in his adventures and the messages of fear and bravery are exchanged through much of the narrative. Along the way, there is plenty of eye-popping action but ultimately the story is about how #9 accidently turns on a machine known as "The Brain." (This machine was also developed by the departed scientist with every intension of ending the war; however, corrupt, Nazi-like leaders use it as a weapon.) As with many films that deal with A.I., the machine becomes self aware and sets out to destroy anything left alive in a fashion similar to the machines of "The Matrix" or "The Terminator." There are differences, however, which I dare not give away. Nonetheless, the plot goes on as the toylike characters are chased down in constant peril, trying to survive in a world closer represented by early century settings rather than a near future.

The one question I kept thinking of as the story unfolded: If the machines eliminated all the humans on the planet, then who turned "The Brain" machine off in the first place? Then again, why in most films that challenge the theory of A.I. do we assume the machines will become so self aware that they will exterminate mankind? Why do the machines not see how truly illogical it is to destroy something into extinction? I mean, in this film they have killed off all humans; now what do they do? Do they sit around drinking lubricant cocktails and talk about the glory years of eliminating humans? Perhaps they sit around playing card games or a good game of shuffleboard. One thing is certain, with all the humans extinct, then what purpose do the machines have for existing themselves? Food for thought, I'm sure, but they are questions that are rarely answered in films like these.

The Good:
The style, while it's not exactly pleasant, is quite interesting to look at. This is certainly a film that has Tim Burton's stamp of approval written all over it. One could almost assume he was the writer and director of it, but his colleagues do a fine job in delivering the method. Not to mention, the actors do have the right touch in delivering the voices of each character. They all have their own brand that is somewhat familiar but manages to set the proper tone for the given environment. Nevertheless, it is the look and atmosphere of the film that is the big winner here. In some ways, it's like the dark side of Pixar's "Wall-E."

The Bad:
As much as I enjoyed the way the movie looked, I can't say the overall story is anything original or that there were underlying messages we have not heard before. The big letdown is that the tale lacks any heart or soul. By the time we get to anything heartfelt and meaningful, the film's credits begin to roll. Then again, if the film's overall message was to tell us that "The world is what you make of it," then need I mention it's a message that has been in countless movies before. Therefore, what we have is yet another film that plays on approach more than essence. Sadly, you can see the narrative has potential, but it fails to connect with the human heart.

The Ugly:
"9" is what I like to call a "Blender Movie." What I mean by that is it steals methods, styles, and plots from other film creators and then places them in a blender and hopes nobody will notice. It is an ugly attempt--if not trick--to just get you to enjoy the ride. It may lack originality, but what's truly ugly is if this film does well at the box-office, it will only trigger more films of its kind to surface. For that matter, "9" is already an offshoot of film genres before it that deal with the same subject matter. The merchandising alone will certainly appeal to a younger audience that enjoys delving into the dark side; think of Sid the bully kid in "Toy Story." Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Closing:
"9" is certainly imaginative enough to look at if you enjoy a darker side of life. I will mention it is not a movie for very young children as there is an ugly degree of violence, thus the PG-13 rating. Although the film is of mediocre quality, it is worth looking into at least once. It's not a complete disaster in any way, but as some youngsters like to say, "I wasn't feeling it." Still, coming in at around eighty minutes, it's hardly painful, either.