When I heard there was going to be a co-production between visionary directors Timur Bekmambetov (of Daywatch/Nightwatch fame) and Tim Burton (he of Edward Scissorhands), I expected a off-beat visual feat at the very minimum. Fortunately, "9" directed by Shane Acker stays true to that promise, and delivers more. Set in a post-apocalyptic future where mankind has been eradicated by it's own means, and all that survives are nine robotic dolls. As hero doll 9, voiced by Elijah Wood, enters this world he unravels the dolls history along with the robot menace that cause the apocalypse.
Although an animated film, this is a little too dark for young kids. The world itself is very bleak, the direction very visual with the dialogue kept to a bare minimum...and loads of the dolls end up dying painfully on screen. The production is beautifully designed with a grim 1940's retro-future thing going on that recalls some War of the Worlds illustrations or even The Mutant Chronicles. The screen play explores tensions in the world between church and science, intelligence and instinct as well as the pull between fear and courage...all of which 9 and his chums are forced to choose between.
The screenplay is solid but a little unoriginal (it's an uninspired quest movie) and there's little depth in the characters (this is supposed to be for adults, right?). Still it's a refreshingly nightmarish piece of animation compared with all the kids friendly, Horton-Hears-An-Ice-Age-Ant-Bully dross that fills are movie theatres. Perhaps we should get another team up for the sequel; Takashi Miike and Alexander Aja anyone?
1 comment:
A Miike and Aja animation? I'm scared and excited at the same time!!!
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