Extended Movie Review: 9
Do not be fooled by the genre of the movie; just because it is an animated film does not mean that the movie is aimed at children. In fact, the movie was commercially promoted as a mature movie, yet many parents brought their small children to see the movie for a family night’s out. Cue traumatized screams when The Seamstress appeared on the screen. I do not like to put down children’s mentality and imagination, but unless your kids can handle seeing little ragdolls hounded relentlessly by horrifying mechanical monsters with often terrifying outcomes, I would not suggest the movie for children under 13.
Having said that, 9 is a brilliant achievement in the animation field. There is nothing new and fresh about 3D animated movies anymore; in fact, Hollywood kept churning out more and more generic 3D movies that they all began to blur into one another. Yet 9 managed to stand out with its brilliantly detailed animation and excellent character designs of which I have not seen since Finding Nemo. There is so much heart and spirit that is put into those movies that you just know they were the makings of a great movie. The details of the stitchpunks are amazing; halfway through the movie I was thinking to myself how uncomfortable it is to wear those sacks, before realizing that I was actually thinking about a sentient sackdoll. Likewise, the scenery is dark and menacing, yet familiar and haunting at the same time. Moreover, in keeping with the original short story, the stitchpunks are hounded by the mechanical monsters at every corner, and the action sequences are simply amazing and intense. The explosives and actions in the movie can even rival those summer action blockbusters.
However, the real charm that makes the movie so unforgettable is the characters. From the individual stitchpunks to the humans (in flashbacks) and to the monsters, each character takes over the screen when they appear. For the stitchpunks, we have the titular character 9, the innocent and determined hero; 1, the well-meaning self-proclaimed leader who is blinded by fear; 7, the agile, rebellious fighter, and 2, the gentle mentor and inventor. We also have the charming, timid 3 and 4, who do not speak but voraciously records the world; 6, the artist and prophet of the group; and 8, the big lump of muscle who guards them from harm. But the one who really captures most audience’s heart is 5, the gentle and unwavering supporter of 9. Despite his constant fear and trepidation (not that I can blame him, given the horrifying monsters lurking around), 5 stands fast behind his friends despite his fears. On the other hand, the designs for the monsters are the makings of a real nightmare. At 24 years old, not many creatures can frighten me anymore, and rarely do I find movie monsters that scare me. But the monsters in 9 is truly horrifying and evil, especially The Seamstress.
The music of the movie also makes 9 unforgettable, which is unsurprising, since they were composed by Danny Elfman - the man responsible for the music in The Corpse Bride and Nightmare Before Christmas - with Deborah Lurie. The theme score is haunting and beautiful, while the action scores are fast and strong. Undeniably the best track is the final one, aptly named “The Release”, and is both heartwarming and heartbreaking, making the ending of the movie particularly beautiful and gut-wrenching. I would also commend on the studio’s choice of trailer song, “Welcome Home” by Coheed and Cambria. The guitar and violin of that song is absolutely amazing and downright badass epic.
Notwithstanding my obvious love for this movie, I can understand if not everyone feels the same way. 9 is a very difficult movie to slot into categories neatly; too scary for children, but not complicated enough for adults. The plot is hardly original; how many post-apocalyptic movies do you need anyway? And despite the movie’s great assemble of characters, their developments seems to get shunted aside in favour of non-stop action sequences. Oh, those action sequences blow you away, true, but I feel like the creators missed the opportunity to really flesh out the characters with more interactions and drama. Furthermore, the mechanization of The Fabrication Machine eludes me: why does it hunt the stitchpunks? Why does it need the talisman? Considering the fact that the movie takes about 72 minutes, I wish that Acker puts more effort in explaining these elements.
Despite being a less than a perfect movie, its brilliant designs and animation, as well as charming, lovable characters make 9 a unforgettable movie. Anthony Lane of The New Yorker said, "Here's the strangest thing of all: it works." It really does; it worked so well for me, and it may work for you too. While other blockbuster movies will fade into the back of my mind, 9 continues to haunt me long after I finish watching it. Acker says that he wanted to explore the new dimensions of animation, “It can be dramatic, it can be frightening, it can be dangerous, it can be horrific in some sense, and so I’m trying to push animation out into a new territory.” And he certainly did a good job. The rich visuals, haunting themes and imaginative settings will make 9 an unforgettable viewing experience for animation lovers.
Having said that, 9 is a brilliant achievement in the animation field. There is nothing new and fresh about 3D animated movies anymore; in fact, Hollywood kept churning out more and more generic 3D movies that they all began to blur into one another. Yet 9 managed to stand out with its brilliantly detailed animation and excellent character designs of which I have not seen since Finding Nemo. There is so much heart and spirit that is put into those movies that you just know they were the makings of a great movie. The details of the stitchpunks are amazing; halfway through the movie I was thinking to myself how uncomfortable it is to wear those sacks, before realizing that I was actually thinking about a sentient sackdoll. Likewise, the scenery is dark and menacing, yet familiar and haunting at the same time. Moreover, in keeping with the original short story, the stitchpunks are hounded by the mechanical monsters at every corner, and the action sequences are simply amazing and intense. The explosives and actions in the movie can even rival those summer action blockbusters.
However, the real charm that makes the movie so unforgettable is the characters. From the individual stitchpunks to the humans (in flashbacks) and to the monsters, each character takes over the screen when they appear. For the stitchpunks, we have the titular character 9, the innocent and determined hero; 1, the well-meaning self-proclaimed leader who is blinded by fear; 7, the agile, rebellious fighter, and 2, the gentle mentor and inventor. We also have the charming, timid 3 and 4, who do not speak but voraciously records the world; 6, the artist and prophet of the group; and 8, the big lump of muscle who guards them from harm. But the one who really captures most audience’s heart is 5, the gentle and unwavering supporter of 9. Despite his constant fear and trepidation (not that I can blame him, given the horrifying monsters lurking around), 5 stands fast behind his friends despite his fears. On the other hand, the designs for the monsters are the makings of a real nightmare. At 24 years old, not many creatures can frighten me anymore, and rarely do I find movie monsters that scare me. But the monsters in 9 is truly horrifying and evil, especially The Seamstress.
The music of the movie also makes 9 unforgettable, which is unsurprising, since they were composed by Danny Elfman - the man responsible for the music in The Corpse Bride and Nightmare Before Christmas - with Deborah Lurie. The theme score is haunting and beautiful, while the action scores are fast and strong. Undeniably the best track is the final one, aptly named “The Release”, and is both heartwarming and heartbreaking, making the ending of the movie particularly beautiful and gut-wrenching. I would also commend on the studio’s choice of trailer song, “Welcome Home” by Coheed and Cambria. The guitar and violin of that song is absolutely amazing and downright badass epic.
Notwithstanding my obvious love for this movie, I can understand if not everyone feels the same way. 9 is a very difficult movie to slot into categories neatly; too scary for children, but not complicated enough for adults. The plot is hardly original; how many post-apocalyptic movies do you need anyway? And despite the movie’s great assemble of characters, their developments seems to get shunted aside in favour of non-stop action sequences. Oh, those action sequences blow you away, true, but I feel like the creators missed the opportunity to really flesh out the characters with more interactions and drama. Furthermore, the mechanization of The Fabrication Machine eludes me: why does it hunt the stitchpunks? Why does it need the talisman? Considering the fact that the movie takes about 72 minutes, I wish that Acker puts more effort in explaining these elements.
Despite being a less than a perfect movie, its brilliant designs and animation, as well as charming, lovable characters make 9 a unforgettable movie. Anthony Lane of The New Yorker said, "Here's the strangest thing of all: it works." It really does; it worked so well for me, and it may work for you too. While other blockbuster movies will fade into the back of my mind, 9 continues to haunt me long after I finish watching it. Acker says that he wanted to explore the new dimensions of animation, “It can be dramatic, it can be frightening, it can be dangerous, it can be horrific in some sense, and so I’m trying to push animation out into a new territory.” And he certainly did a good job. The rich visuals, haunting themes and imaginative settings will make 9 an unforgettable viewing experience for animation lovers.