The First 9

This afternoon, I watched the last movie I'll see this year. (Not that this is actually that big a deal; I'll probably watch another tomorrow.) It was 9 -- not the musical currently in theaters, but the animated feature from a few months back. It's set in a post-apocalyptic future where machines have ravaged the world and turned it into a barren wasteland. The heroes of the tale are a series of animated (in the other sense of the word) dolls trying to avoid the mechanical beasts still roving the landscape.

I found myself reacting to the movie in a very similar way as I did to Avatar. Specifically, it looks absolutely incredible. The visual design of every element of the film is breathtaking, from the backgrounds to the characters, and every little detail in between. Visually, this movie might even be a greater triumph than any of Pixar's films, including Up; at the least, it works at the same level of quality.

But unfortunately, it falls short in other areas. Though the characters look fantastic, they aren't developed or real enough to really pull the audience into the emotions of the story. And that story is pretty standard fare, never surprising and moving simply through the paces we all expect from this kind of film. It's only unusual in that it is an animated movie that is utterly unsuitable for children; 9 earns its PG-13 rating, and is far too scary for any young child I know.

There's a good voice cast assembled here, featuring Christopher Plummer, Martin Landau, John C. Reilly, Jennifer Connelly, and Elijah Wood. But the words are just a little too flat on the page for them to do much in lifting them off.

It may not sound overall like I'd give it a rating as high as B-, but that's where I'm placing it. The movie isn't bad by any stretch, but its visuals are the main draw. If creativity on that level captures you, then you'll want to see this movie. If you've got a Blu-ray player, you'll probably want to see this movie. Otherwise... you might want to pass.