"9"

Movie: “9”

Released: 9/9/09

Directed by Shane Acker

The end of the world has never looked so cool! Director Shane Acker and Tim Burton team up to produce the post-apocalyptic animated movie, “9”. Although animated, this movie is not for your child.

The concept of life trying to overcome the destruction of the human race gives a moviegoer the feel of apprehension. “9” keeps its viewers on the edge of their seats with suspense and shocking moments. Whether it is the visual creation or the auditory sensation, the film brings you into the world Acker and Burton created.

The creators of the movie use all aspects of sound to bring the intensity to the viewer. The surround sound feature uses the sound of crumbling rocks to generate the feeling of someone behind you, and the tense music plays softly until the climax of a scene. To go along with the music and sounds, detailed scenes, images, and objects generate a lifelike scenario. The bullet holes in planes and the massive destruction engulfing a city set an intense mood and create a realistic world. It is difficult to fathom at times that the movie is animated.

Possibly the film is deeper than one is led to believe. The flashback of the war that left the world in ruins is familiar of World War II. The use of machines, weapons, and toxic gas cause the population of one community to decease. Images of Nazism and genocide flood the screen during the main character’s flashback creating the sense that we have been in this situation before.

The thought that this was once real brings about the curiosity of the chance that it could happen again. Is the movie “9” a propaganda film describing what would happen if there was to be another global war.

“9” does not try to scare its watchers with gore, surprises, or loud sounds like most suspenseful movies. This movie pulls those tactics together with the prominent storyline to build a deep, anticipating journey with odd characters. Even though the film is barely over an hour long, it constructs relationships with the characters and gives the audience a background of past events that leaves the viewers wanting to know more. Unity, friendship, teamwork, and above all sacrifice, are common themes throughout the film

Tim Burton’s earlier films, “The Nightmare before Christmas” and “The Corpse’s Bride”, are just as disturbing as this movie, but they hardly convey the realistic realm in which we live in. It is intriguing to think about the connection of “9” to that of Walt Disney’s animated World War II propaganda films. I think that this movie will be successful because of its use of real emotion, frightening scenarios, and developed storyline. Many animated shows and movies have become ignorant and lack possibilities for the characters. “9” is a movie that offers excitement and an element never before seen in an animated tale.