Still from the animated film, 9 _460
EXPANDED from an Oscar-nominated 2005 short film, 9 is a computer-animated odyssey set on a post-apocalyptic Earth devoid of human beings.
Writer-director Shane Acker greatly embellishes his original 11-minute vision into a 79-minute quest to sow the seeds of a new man and womankind.
His protagonists are a race of tiny, man-made sack people.
These Hessian heroes have distinct personalities, enriched by vocal performances from Hollywood stars including Elijah Wood, Christopher Plummer and Jennifer Connelly.
Disappointingly, Acker’s feature is a triumph of dark, steampunk-styled visuals over plot and character development.
The script, co-written by Pamela Pettler, is too linear and simplistic, and tension dissipates every time the film treads water before the next set-piece.
In the absence of a deeper emotional connection to the characters, Acker’s adventure falls short of the lofty praise befitting of its title.
