The movie has breathtaking visual sequences but is a little too familiar and thin in plot and character department to elevate it much beyond its animated forebears.
Comment
09/19/09
9 (2009)
57
%
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:161
Fresh:92
Rotten:69
Average Rating:5.9/10
Consensus: Although its story is perhaps too familiar and less complex than some might wish, 9 is visually spectacular, and director Shane Acker's attention to detail succeeds in drawing viewers into the film's universe.
Theatrical Release:Sep 9, 2009 Wide
Box Office: $31,691,649
Synopsis: A new era in animated storytelling begins on 9.9.09. Visionary filmmakers Tim Burton (The Corpse Bride, Charlie and The Chocolate Factory) and Timur Bekmambetov (Wanted, Nightwatch) join forces to... [More]
Starring: Elijah Wood, Jennifer Connelly, John C. Reilly, Crispin Glover
Director: Shane Acker
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Reviews for 9
Creates its environment through suggestion and hinting around... outstandingly creepy.
09/17/09
Shane Acker brings a lot of visual panache to his film 9. Unfortunately, it's all one flavor of panache, housed in a film that's entirely in one tone.
09/16/09
a weird and wonderful but narratively lacking post-apocalyptic fantasy
09/16/09
the plot unfortunately calls to mind an unholy recombination of Terminator 3: The Rise of the Machines times the third Ice Age installment.
09/13/09
Rich in concept and atmosphere, there is a childlike innocence to the story, but the metaphysical ending grows too cryptic to completely satisfy.
09/13/09
there's a lot more to the film than just a sanitized cartoon
09/13/09
Because '9' runs only 79 minutes, Acker almost gets by on the intricate and distinctive visuals.
09/12/09
9 is The Terminator on ritalin. It is loaded with adult themes but really aimed at kids. And %u2014 ironically %u2014 it is the perfect flick for a nine-year old boy.
09/12/09
Acker does himself no favors with rote anti-dogmatism and vapid characterizations. Despite that, though, his little creations remain oddly compelling.
09/12/09
Tim Burton protege Shane Acker has proven a better student of the letter of his mentor's work than the spirit.
09/11/09
The fact that 9 looks so breathtakingly vivid and alive is reason enough to catch it on the big screen.
09/11/09
Imagine the Terminator series done with sock puppets. 9 isn't necessarily an original story, but the detailed visuals are incredibly creative
09/11/09
Undermined by a pedestrian end-of-the-world storyline and by characters with zero personality.
09/11/09
While 9 boasts gorgeous images, it runs out of story all too quickly.
09/11/09
A creative animated film set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland where a courageous soul goes on a quest to discover meaning.
09/11/09
9 does a good job of mounting its post-war, post-human world, but the emphasis on noisy action sequences and fingers-on-a-chalkboard brutality leave storytelling behind.
09/11/09
Go home, turn your computer on and go to the 9 official website. Watch the trailer and then you will have seen the best parts of the film.
09/11/09
Yet another nightmare post-apocalyptic world is imagined with a wealth of technical brilliance and a dearth of thematic originality...
09/11/09
Beyond the impressive visuals, there isn't much.
09/11/09
Latest News for 9
November 29, 2009:
Win Tickets To The Tim Burton-produced 9
Win one of 20 double passes to '9' the debut feature animation for director Shane Acker -- produced by Tim Burton. More...
September 10, 2009:
Critics Consensus: 9 Looks Great, But The Plot's Weak
This week at the movies, we've got post-apocalyptic conflict (9, with voice work by Elijah Wood and Jennifer Connelly); Antarctic intrigue (Whiteout, starring Kate Beckinsale... More...
September 08, 2009:
Shane Acker and Elijah Wood Interviews at Comic-Con 
More...
September 04, 2009:
9 has an impressive pedigree behind it in the guise of producers Tim Burton and Timur Bekmambetov (Wanted, Nightwatch) and the trailer looks intriguing enough despite the cutesy sackcloth characters.
More...
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