A quick review of 9

Today I went to see the movie “9” with eight teenagers. As I’m sitting there with these eight teenagers, I’m asking myself, “Are you crazy.” All through the half-hour of commercials and trailers they are joking and laughing. I’m wondering if I’m going to be able to enjoy this movie with all of these young people making noise. Well, once the movie started, all of my fears were put to rest. These kids didn’t make a peep during the movie. 9 had them riveted.

Before I talk about the movie, I want to rant a little bit. I can’t tell you how much I hate the commercials that they show before movies now. There were over twenty minutes of commercials, and about ten minutes of trailers. I don’t mind movie trailers, in fact, I usually enjoy them. It is just getting ridiculous. The commercials have just gotten out of hand. I’m sorry, I really do understand the need to make money, but give me a break. They charge crazy amounts for movies today. Then if you want to have popcorn or drinks, you really will get hosed. I shouldn’t have to sit through all of these commercials too. OK, enough with the rant.

9 is a post-apocalyptic story about a group of stitched together numbered rag dolls that a scientist managed to give life. Humans are gone. Only the ruined landscape, the rag dolls and the evil machines remain. The machines turned on the humans and there was a terrible war. The story follows #9, a “stitchpunk” creation as he encounters others of his kind and the terrors of this ruined world.

The animation is stunning. 9 is both dark and beautiful. Speaking of dark. This is not a movie for young children. It gets very intense and scary. 9 is full of action and violence. Characters die. I can’t recommend it for anyone younger than a teenager.

For the teenagers I was with, and me, it was a very enjoyable experience. The characters have personality, the villains are scary, and the imagery is fantastic.

9 is directed by Shane Acker. It is an expansion of his Academy Award-nominated 2004 short film of the same name. Screenplay by Pamela Pettler. The cast is great, Elijah Wood, Jennifer Connelly, Christopher Plummer, Crispin Glover, Martin Landau, Fred Tatasciore, and John C. Reilly.

I really enjoyed 9. It ranks among the best animated movies I have ever seen.