Director Shane Acker was nominated for an Academy Award in 2005 for his 9 animated short film and has spent the past four years working on the feature-length version. Dazzling animation and original storytelling will enthrall viewers in this post-apocalyptic world.
The story begins when a scientist is ordered to create a machine that would help build more machines to relieve humans of their daily tasks. This machine, called the B.R.A.I.N. (Binary Reactive Artificially Intelligent Neurocircuit), is apprehended by the tyrannical Chancellor to build battle machines to help him seize control of the world.
However, the B.R.A.I.N. eventually is pushed to its limit and begins turning on humankind, killing the Chancellor and building horrific machines whose sole purpose is to wipe out mankind.
Along the way, we’re introduced to a “stitchpunk” character called 9 (voiced by Elijah Wood.) Stitchpunks resemble dolls made of burlap sacks and old clothing zippers. Then 9 discovers that he is in a post-apocalyptic world, devoid of humankind as a result of years of war between humans and machines. He accidentally comes across eight other “stitchpunks” (voiced by an A-list cast including Christopher Plummer, Martin Landau, Jennifer Connelly, and John C. Reilly) each with their own number, distinguishing features, and representation of a unique human quality—courage, loyalty, fear, knowledge, curiosity, invention, strength, creativity, and leadership.
These stitchpunks are mankind’s remaining hope. Under the leadership of 9, they forge a daring and dangerous war against B.R.A.I.N. and its evil creations (including the Cat Beast, the Winged Beast, and the utterly frightening Seamstress).
The Movie 9 entertains and challenges on many levels. Placing the brilliant animation aside, 9 skillfully cautions against the danger of over-dependence and reliance on computers and machinery while reminding us of the beauty and magnificence of the human spirit.
