When you think about it, it's strange that we don't see more real sci-fi films done in animation. After all, the genre relies heavily on imagination, and there is no film media that allows more imagination than animation. The opening moments of 9 brought this thought into my head. It's a stunning, almost dialogue-free sequence, as a strange little creature is brought to life in a desolate world that seems abandoned and dead at first. He quickly discovers that there are others like him. There are also giant robot monstrosities known as "the beasts".

The creature in question is a strange little rag doll like being that awakens in a lab, unaware of who or even what he is. The only clue to his creation is the number "9" written on his back. He cannot speak, but he does have a strong curiosity, which leads him to venture outside the window of the lab, and into the wastelands of the Earth outside, which have been ravished by war. 9 soon learns that he is not alone, as there is another being similar to him, roaming the ruins. He bears a "2" upon his back, and seems wise in the ways of the world around him. Unlike 9, he can speak (his voice is provided by Martin Landau), and is soon able to fix 9 so that he himself can talk as well, his voice supplied by Elijah Wood. Before 9 can learn much information, his friend is carried away by a large mechanical robot that carries the helpless 2 off into an unknown region of the land.

We learn through the background story what happened to this world. A war raged between humans and machines, and in the end, all living creatures were wiped out. The only survivors are the remains of the mechanical army, and a small group of nine doll-like creatures that were created by a scientist as the last chance to carry on humanity. 9 discovers that there are others like him, living under the guidance of the elder 1 (Christopher Plummer). 9 tries to convince them to venture out into the world to find what has happened to 2, but the elder will not hear it, preferring the safety of hiding. Fortunately, 9 finds some brave allies willing to venture into the wastelands of the Earth, including the kindly 5 (John C. Reilly) and the brave and adventurous 7 (Jennifer Connelly). Together, they will discover not only the truth behind the machines, but also about themselves, and the purpose that they were created for.

The opening momets fueled my imagination, and excited me for what was to come. While the movie constantly held my interest, the story itself and the characters seem somewhat undernourished. 9 is barely over 70 minutes long - nowhere near long enough to fit in all the intriguing ideas that the opening moments promise. The screenplay by Pamela Pettler (Monster House) seems to constantly be content to skim the surface. We learn just enough about the backstory, the characters, and the situation to go on, but I still wanted more. In a way, this just shows how involved I was. I wanted to know so much more about this world and the things that inhabit it. I especially liked the little creatures, my favorites being 3 and 4, twin beings who are mute, but can communicate through film clips, newsreels, and documents about the world's past that they store in their memory.

One advantage to the film's short running time is that it constantly seems to be moving, and never once slows down. There are a number of impressive action sequences where the little beings must out-think and sometimes outrun the giant robot monstrosities. These sequences are skillfully staged and edited, and are surprisingly intense for an animated film. (Most likely the key reason it is rated PG-13, as the movie itself is pretty tame overall.) The movie itself is a visual wonder, especially for an independently made animated film. Director Shane Acker (who based this movie on a short film he made years ago, and was nominated for an Oscar) creates a believably bleak atmosphere for the world itself, but it is continuously crisp, and never murky or blurry. As for the characters, although the doll creatures all look similar, they are different enough so that we can tell them apart without the numbers on their backs. The talented voice cast also help distinguish them, and although there are some recognizable names in the cast, they play the characters appropriately low key and don't draw attention to themselves. This allows the characters to come to life on their own, instead of us focusing on who's playing them.

Shortly after the movie ended, my opinion seemed to be on the fence. I had admired much of it, but was also annoyed by the fact that I was left wanting a lot more when it came to detail and storyline. Looking back on 9 now, I seem to mainly remember the positives over its faults. I remember the wonder I felt during the opening moments, and the excitement during the first robot attack, and the rescue attempt on 2 a little later on. Even if the movie did eventually frustrate me in some ways (some of the action sequences seem to come too soon after one another), I was never bored, and constantly engaged. Sounds like a recommendation to me. If anything, it gives me a lot of hope for Acker's next project. He obviously has a lot of imagination and the skill. All he needs is a fleshed out story, and a studio willing to take a chance to truly let him show what he can do with a big budget.
One final observation: This is one of the few times I would actually be open to a prequel story of some sort. If not a movie, then maybe a novel or comic book. I was intrigued by what little we see of the war against the machines, and I'd like to know more about certain roles that people played. There's a lot of possibilities to flesh out 9's story in other media, and I hope it can be exploited.

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