The Whole 9 Yards?

These days, it seems every animated film released raises the bar in terms of visual effects. Classic titles like ‘The Little Mermaid’ and ‘The Lion King’, although fine movies, look decidedly dated when compared with the stunning CGI animation on offer in Shane Acker’s latest feature, 9.

The kind of rapid advances in technology that have paved the way for 9’s incredible graphics are, as it happens, somewhat central to the film’s premise. Set in a reality where super-intelligent machines have turned against and over-powered their human creators, the story warns against the perils of “mankind’s relentless pursuit of technology”.

When doll-like creature 9 (voiced by Elijah Wood) awakens in this post-apocalyptic world, he’s unsure of how or why he has come to be there. However, it's not long before he discovers he's not alone and finds himself caught up in a last-ditch effort to overthrow the menacing machines and restore life to the planet.

9 certainly presents some interesting ideas but its clumsy resolution leaves too many questions unanswered and it’s difficult to shake the notion that the ground-breaking visuals came at the cost of a plot almost as hollow as the barren landscapes the film depicts.

Verdict: Visually stunning but the plot is considerably less impressive. Maybe check out ‘Up’ instead, if you haven't already.