“9”

PG-13 for violence and scary images.



The film “9” is sort of a hybrid of foreign film and science fiction morality tale. Some may see an anti-war theme; others will swear there is an environmental component. Folks will argue that it is almost religious; or perhaps they will say it promotes an anti-religious message. Perhaps it is an art film; or it is just animation. It is dark; it is hopeful. It is weird; it is, well, weird.

The film is about an apocalyptic world; destroyed by war, meaning chemical weapons and conventional bombs. It looks like Europe, sometime around the 1930s. It is a mix of WWI times and the WWII era. Stalin and Hitler all rolled up into one. H.G. Wells seems to play an uncredited role in the film, particularly in the evil machines that killed all human life and hunger for more destruction.

Just before the end of all humankind, a scientist (human) builds a machine that is to bring peace to the world. The evil chancellor, however, takes the machine and turns it into a war device. When the machines turn on humans everything goes wrong. Just before the scientist croaks, he goes Geppetto on us and creates nine little creatures out of watch parts, bits of mechanical trash, and fabric — especially burlap or cotton or maybe mattress ticking. “9” (voiced by Elijah Wood) is the youngest, bravest and maybe the brightest. However it does not take long for him to make a muddle of everything. He starts a chain reaction that upsets the leader 1’s (Christopher Plummer) strategy of hiding in an old cathedral and avoiding the outside world. One of these unfortunate events involves awakening a monster machine that goes after the little sock puppets. After that happens a lot of action scenes occur featuring a she-warrior (voiced by Jennifer Connelly). One of the creatures is big and brawny as if a female ninja turtle and the Michelin man gave birth.

Despite a positive ending, this is a dark film. If you plan to take the little cracker-munchers to it, you need your noggin examined. It is for audiences that like animation cerebral.

“9” seems like an animated “short” filmed large — 90 minutes large. I thought it was worth seeing, but I would have preferred it at 45 to 60 minutes in length. This is no Wall-E. 9 is more for hard-core film fans. Tim Burton was one of the producers, and if Tim Burton stuffs your puppet, then 9 is for you — but I kind of expected the movie to be in a foreign language because these intriguing kind of art films always come from abroad, right?

Wrong.

For those of my readers who live in and around central Georgia, Madison, Georgia, to be precise, I would like to make a printed public service announcement: The Madison-Morgan Cultural Center is participating in the 2009-2010 Southern Circuit - Tour of Independent Filmmakers operated by the Southern Arts Federation. Beginning Sept. 21, some of these films entered for competition will be screened at the Center. They will range from documentaries to full length films, but all are along the line of those films one does not see broadcast on television, shown in the local cinema, or “beamed” into your home via cable or satellite. I have previewed nearly all the films that will be shown and encourage film buffs to come and see what fresh talent has to offer. And they are all in English except one little short film (among a trilogy), which is in French. Not sure why, but most of these films will be shown in the company of the filmmakers, which makes the experience more fun. You can play critic — right to their face. Now, doesn’t that sound like fun?

Don’t get any ideas. My job is taken.

Really, I am not kidding, these movies will make your brain grow. For more information, go to the Madison-Morgan Cultural Center’s Web site about the event at www.mmccarts.org/filmseries.shtml.

Enough of the commercial: Back to talking about the scrap dolls in “9”: I thought it was odd but interesting. My movie-buddy liked it more than I did and even got a little weepy at the end, which caused her to judge “9” as “sweet” while I found it (besides weird) “interesting and unique.”

“9” earns three bow ties out of five.