Official Trailer (HD)

Early Thoughts & Opinions

 
When I first saw this film advertised I was not that interested, but by investigating it further I am starting to gain some anticipation. It definitely has the Tim Burton branding, but can we trust rookie director Shane Acker? I say yes! Shane was an animator at Weta Digital, one of the top three Visual Effects companies in the world, so I believe that he has the VFX knowledge to visually deliver a quality animated feature. Not to mention, he wrote and directed the 11 minute short of 2005 to which this film is based. Aside from the animation, I have to say that the score sounds quite impressive! Deborah Lurie is the lead composer of the film, and may be recognized for her work on films like Hellboy II: The Golden Army, Wanted, and Spider-Man 3, and although these previous movies did not put her on my “People to Watch” list, 9 may if its’ complete score is as good as the sample from the trailer. With Peter Jackson producing and some good vocal talent, I’m hoping for a 4/5 overall, but I have doubt that the story may fall short.
 

My Review

 
Did you ever wonder what Toy Story would be if it were directed by Tim Burton and full of clichés? I didn’t, until I saw 9! This story lacked originality. It’s an all too familiar story of sacrifice and redemption in the aftermath of a technological war. The first things that came to mind were Terminator, for the large similarities in story, and Jurassic Park for the Predator/Prey suspense scenes that they insist upon throwing at you multiple times throughout! It just got old and I lost interest very quickly. The only thing that kept me watching was the hope that I would actually get to see the answer behind the mystery of the living/talking dolls, which I almost didn’t get! This movie actually slaps you in the face after dragging you through the mud! I am not going to spoil any details, but I’ll say that there is a very infuriating false ending that will almost make you want to walk out and demand your money back.
Aside from that, the visual direction is pretty top notch. It delivers on that Burton feel. So with the violence, dark/cultish theme, and a strange “drug reference” that you will really have to see for yourself… this is definitely not a Pixar film for the young kids! I would say that it is possibly a rental for anyone who might be interested, but don’t get your hopes up for anything new. The music & score were a huge disappointment from that on the trailer and the story just wasn’t unique. In my opinion, a solid 3 star rating perfectly suits this average film.
 

My Critique
Film Characteristics
Direction:
Cinematography:	N/A
Story:
Dialogue:
Acting:
VFX Design/Animation
Costume Design:
Character Design:
Props:
Sets/Locations:
Camera
Framing:
Depth of Field (1st AC):
Uniqueness:
Balance:
Specialty
Practical Effects:	N/A
Visual Effects:
Sound
Score:
Sound Effects:
Soundtrack:
Viewer Experience
Energy/Interest:
Wow! Factor:
Story Complexity:
Continuity:
Comprehension:
Theater Worthy?:
Overall Rating
Average:
*Critique Ver 2.7