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Theatrical release poster

9 is a 2009 American computer-animated science fiction film directed by Shane Acker, and produced by Tim Burton and Timur Bekmambetov. The film stars Elijah Wood, John C. Reilly, Jennifer Connelly, Crispin Glover, Martin Landau, Fred Tatasciore, and Christopher Plummer; and it's based on Acker's Academy Award-nominated 2005 short film of the same name.

As of 2021, this is the only adult animated film released by Universal Pictures Studios (Comcast proprietorship of Focus Features ) to date.

Plot

Synopsis

When 9 first comes to life, he finds himself in a post-apocalyptic world. All of humanity is wiped out, and it is only by chance that he discovers a small community of others like him taking refuge from fearsome machines that roam the Earth intent on their extinction. Despite being the neophyte of the group, 9 convinces the others that hiding will do them no good. They must take the offensive if they are to survive, and they must discover why the machines want to destroy them in the first place. As they'll soon come to learn, the very future of civilization may depend on them.

Setting

The time period that the movie takes place is ambiguous and the history presented doesn't correspond clearly to events in actual history. The Fabrication Machine and the machines that it creates are technologically advanced, but primitive electronics are also shown. When 3 and 4 hold up a newspaper the date reads “Saturday May 16 1930.” When 4 projects a movie, it's in grayscale, to which the hologram of The Scientist is also in grayscale. The music that the stitchpunks listened to, after the presumed death of The Fabrication Machine and the destruction of The Factory, was "Over the Rainbow", a song from 1939 on a hand-cranked phonograph. Additionally, flashbacks show a war fought in trenches, reminiscent of World War I, possibly hinting that the movie takes place after the war. In the first third of the film, when 9 and 5 entered a tunnel to save 2 from the Cat Beast, a sign along the tunnel ceiling reading, "Vorsicht"(German for “caution/care”) be seen.

The machines (not yet designed) created/built by the Fabrication Machine sported World War I era Mini guns, as well as the ability to launch mortar strikes without warning. Also, the bombers that are seen flying over the battlefield and one crashed into the Church having cloth propellers, combining WWII era bomber designs with WWI era materials. Some of the automobiles were scattered  across the range from the 1920s to the 1930s. The Chancellor apparently almost resembles Adolf Hitler but without the mustache and with a thinner face.

Plot

Prior to the events of the film, The Scientist (a former toymaker) had been ordered by Chancellor Ferdinand to build an autonomous machine in the apparent name of 'progress.' The Scientist worked tirelessly to create the B.R.A.I.N. (Binary Reactive Artificially Intelligent Neurocircuit), an advanced automaton capable of creating new machines in its own image. But the Chancellor quickly seizes it and integrates it into The Fabrication Machine. The Scientist is concerned, since he created the B.R.A.I.N. with his own intellect, meaning they had no way of knowing how it would handle the stress of mass production; he warns the Chancellor, who blatantly ignores this. The Fabrication Machine is then commissioned to construct an army of war machines ordered by the Chancellor to further his plans of world conquest and crushing his enemies. Lacking a soul, and therefore any sense of morality, the Fabrication Machine eventually snaps under the stress and re-evaluates its priorities, which eventually lead to it forming new goal: to exterminate all life on Earth. The Fabrication Machine began to alter the machines it created, to indiscriminately kill any sign of life they encounter. The war machines go haywire, slaughtering all mankind with powerful machine guns and gas bombs which the Chancellor once prided himself in, capable of killing any and all forms of life. Humanity was now fighting a second great war, but this time... it was for their own survival, against the onslaught of the machines. The Scientist, full of regret in all his part in this, began to create 9 homunculus-like rag dolls while on the verge of destruction by using portions of his own soul via The Talisman. He dies upon finishing the last doll.

In the film, the audience is met with an introductory scene before the Scientist's death, where he adds the finishing touches in creating his final stitchpunk, 9.

The scene fades to the ruined workspace, several years later, when the rope that held the rag doll 9 into place finally snaps. 9 and the Talisman fall to the desk, and 9 awakens for the first time. Curious, 9 looks at his surroundings and spots the Talisman. He also catches sight of the Scientist lying dead on the floor, covered in papers, and becomes frightened. The gusts from the window then catch his attention, and he discovers that the world has been left in total ruin. Looking at the total wasteland of the Nation, he notices something moving and tries to call out to it, but upon doing so finds out that he is voiceless.

9 goes down the Scientist's apartment, not noticing a box with his name on it. As he goes down, he explores the streets. 9 sees a deceased human mother holding her baby in a ruined car, causing him to stumble. He spots a poster that has the word, 'revolt' on it and sees The Chancellor's Symbol on the wall. 9 continues to wander further and eventually is found by 2, a frail inventor who gives 9 a voice box, allowing him to speak. 2 is ecstatic that 9 had found the Talisman. 9 asks 2 if they are alone, but as 2 reassures him, he is cut short by an all-too-familiar growl. 2 ushers 9 to hide in a nearby can and prepares himself for battle. The last surviving machine, The Cat Beast (truncated to "The Beast"), strikes 2 from behind. While 2 is temporarily knocked unconscious, the Cat Beast sights the Talisman and confiscates it. Hearing a rustle from the can 9 had hid himself in, it attempts to attack 9, but gets distracted when 2 throws a stone at its skull to taunt it. The Cat Beast falls for 2's sacrificial ploy and kidnaps him. 9 is unable to follow The Beast because of his injury and falls unconsciously to the ground.

9 awakens in The Cathedral, where he meets more of the stitchpunk dolls: 5 (the cyclops engineer), 8 (a large bodyguard), the dogmatic leader 1, and the seemingly mentally unstable oracle, 6.

1 begins to explain to 9 what happened to the world when they first woke.
A flashback is shown in which humanity is in a full-blown war against the machines. Two humans can be seen running for their lives after a bomb was dropped from one of the planes flying overhead. 7 is seen running towards a soldier's helmet, where some of the stitchpunks are hiding for cover. 8 lifts the helmet, allowing for 7 to inform 1 that she has found others, letting the other stitchpunks move in with them. They are briefly interrupted when an artillery shell explodes nearby and some debris falls at them.

7 tells 1 there's a clear path ahead and she immediately leads the way as 1 tells them to follow her. 5 begins breathing heavily but 2 calms him down. While going towards the path, artillery strikes are heard in which a wall explodes, the debris pinning 5 down. 5 attempts to get up and witnesses three Steel Behemoths headed his way. He gets bumped and sees a human (who appears to be a resistance member) throw a molotov cocktail at a Behemoth. This leads to the machine to aiming and firing a powerful machine gun at the supposed resistance member, killing him. 5 tries to run away, merely dodging a bullet. Suddenly the War Machines launch gas bombs in an attempt to ensure that the area had been cleared of organic life. 5 is hit by one of the gas bombs and tumbles, heavily damaging one of his eyes.

During this process, gas bombs are exposed and begin to spray toxins that kill everything off. 2 looks for 5 and spots him, barely able to get up due to his badly damaged eye. 2 picks up carries 5 and fails to notice the machine about to crush them. Luckily 7 pushes them out of the way, allowing them to escape death. 2 and 7 lead 5 to safety and 7 looks at 1; disappointed by his cowardice, the stitchpunks seek refuge at a nearby cathedral where a war plane just recently struck the roof of the church, ending the flashback.

1 quickly labels 2 as dead but 9 does not believe this. 9 manages to convince 5 to go on a search and rescue mission to The Factory in order to save 2. They find 2, but see the Cat Beast trying to dig out something and almost putting the Talisman into the Fabrication Machine. The Cat Beast goes to attack the dolls but are saved by the sudden appearance of 7, who slays the Cat Beast. The other rag dolls celebrate their reunion with 7, but 9 grabs the Talisman and curiously puts the Talisman into the Fabrication Machine. The Fabrication Machine actives and captures 2, sucking the soul out him and dropping his corpse.

The Fabrication Machine, now powered by 2's soul, attacks the dolls, but the trio barely make their way out of The Factory. 5, full of regret, hysterically asks 9 why he placed the Talisman. 9 apologizes before seeing that The Factory is now up and running again. As 5 questions what the machine may do, 7 takes them to the library. Meanwhile, The Fabrication Machine quickly creates the Winged Beast, a flying machine, and programs it to capture the stitchpunks.

At the library they meet the twins: 3 and 4, who show them The Fabrication Machine's origins. 3 and 4 show everyone else in which the Chancellor is seen presenting The Fabrication Machine to the public. The Machine is now activated and is seen constructing war machinery while the Chancellor announces that this new era will restore peace and that all will live in a glorious new era of wealth and prosperity. The clip then cuts to a newspaper heading, reading "WAR DECLARED!" - referring that the Chancellor now declares war on the other struggling nations. Three images of the war raging on are shown before cutting to another newspaper front page, reading "MACHINES TURN AGAINST US!" - inferring that the Fabrication Machine has at this point turned against humanity. Another newspaper claims that the Chancellor denounced the Scientist, blaming for him for the mayhem caused by the machines. The screen cuts to images showing War Machines indiscriminately killing humans, ending with a last image of the ruined city. The stitchpunks are left in shock as to what they just saw.

9 asks what was the thing (Talisman) that woke the Machine. The twins are unfamiliar, but when 9 draws the symbols of the Talisman on the wall 5 points out it's what 6 always draws. 9 insists they go back and meet him, but 7 lashes out, refusing to go back to the Cathedral because of 1 and runs off. 9 and 5 decide to go back to the Cathedral themselves to seek some of 6's drawings, but are caught by 8 who then brings them to 1.

1 is shocked to hear to what they have awakened. 9 questions as to why was 2 sent out to begin with, in which 1 replies that he was sent to scout. 9 suggests that they all need to find out what's going on, leading to 6 walking to 9 with a drawing in hand, saying "The source...The source...go back to the source."

9 realizes 6 has drawn the Talisman, asking him what he knows about this. 9's persistent curiosity angers 1, signaling 8 and claiming that they cannot be trusted. He orders 8 to confiscate their belongings. 9 attempts to fight back by calling 1 a coward, but their arguing is disrupted by The Winged Beast breaking into the stitchpunk's sanctuary; this causes a fire to break out. 1 and 8 escape and 9, 5, and 6 follow but 9 gets separated from them. 1 and 8 runs across the roof before The Winged Beast circles on them before going straight towards them. 8 manages to stop it temporarily by throwing one of his weapons at The beast but he falls. Now only barely hanging on, 5 and 6 run to the rescue.

The Winged Beast is about to launch its harpoon against the stitchpunks, but 9 counters by shining The Winged Beast's eyes with a loose roof shingle. The Winged Beast fires the harpoon and almost hits 8, causing him to the fall onto one of the plane's wings. The Winged Beast crashes and falls to the plane along with 9 and 1 who are rescued by 8. 9, 1 and 8 regroup near the plane only to be surrounded by The Winged Beast. 1 sees 7 arrive as she tries to slay the Beast but fails. She attempts this again, only to be shot with a harpoon to the leg. The Winged Beast reels her in her using this, but 9 grabs 7 and 8 manages to cut the cable, causing it to get stuck on the plane's propellers.

The plane begins to fall, but the stitchpunks hang on before falling off the wing. The Winged Beast climbs and gets closer to the stitchpunks, meanwhile 5 and 6 grab one of the cable wires of the propeller and make it activate again, dragging The Winged Beast with it. The Winged Beast bites 1's cape as 9 yells at to 1 to let it go. Reluctantly, 1 lets go and The Winged Beast falls, getting crushed by the wing's propellers. With the Cathedral on fire, the stitchpunks seek refuge on The Library, much to 1's disappointment.

The Seeker finds the dolls and reports back to the Fabrication Machine, The Factory is seen covered with spider-like machines and the Seeker gives the destroyed Winged Beast's head to the Fabrication Machine. The Fabrication Machine lashes out on this, and starts to create a new machine. It sees 2's dead body lying on the ground and uses it to build his next machine. Back at the Library, 9 is certain that there will be more machines coming to hunt them whilst 1 commands 8 to stand a look out. 1 searches for a safer area of retreat around the Library, while 5 mends 7's injured leg.

On lookout, 8 'drugs' himself with a magnet before hearing a sudden shift. He ignores this and continues to play with the magnet. At The Library, the twins indicate 9 to come with them and finally show new info on the Talisman. They show 9 a book that reads 'Transmutata Vitae' and show an image of a person transferring their soul to another inanimate object. 6 continues to talk about the 'source'. 9 tries to ask again about his but 6 prompts him to 'go back'. 9 ask where but 1 interrupts, calling the newly found info "Dark Science". 9 looks at 1, realizing that he knows something and demands he tell them what he knows. 1 lectures that this is what caused the chaos in the first place and recommends the stitchpunks to leave it be. He points to 9 and explains how he asks too many questions, comparing him to 2. Upon 1 claiming 2 knew too much, 9 figured it out that 1 had actually sent 2 to his death. 1 'justifies' this, saying that 2 was too old and weak. The stitchpunks are left in shock due to 1's harshness and 7 grows anxious. 1 continues on to say how "Sometimes one must be sacrificed for the good of many." 7 lashes out on 1 and puts her spear to his neck, nearly killing him. 9 stops her, causing her to run away. 1 leaves a final word to 9; that he will only lead everyone towards catastrophe. 9 looks back at 6's drawing and recommends that they go back to The First Room in which he woke.

8 - still messing with the magnet - finally decides upon hearing a noise to check it out. The noise continues as he scans his surroundings, before something lurking behind him stuns him using intense flashing of its eyes. Meanwhile 1 talks to himself of what's right and wrong, unaware that something is sneaking up on him. He sees 2's dead body and tries to convince himself that it 'can't be true'. 2's body looks at him and its eyes start flashing, seemingly hypnotizing 1.

The Seamstress makes its appearance and sees the chance to try and sew 1's body. 9 hears 1's calls for help and tells the twins to find 7. The Seamstress sews 1 and drags his body towards it, revealing 8 inside its body with his mouth sewn shut. 9 and 5 arrive and The Seamstress tries to hypntoize them, only catching 5's eye. A spear thrown at 2's body indicates 7's arrival and she retrieves her spear while dodging The Seamstress' claws. She cuts The Seasmstress' hypnotizing tail (2's body), while 9 tries to awaken 5 from his hypnosis.

9 grabs a knife inside 5's tools and cuts the ropes of 1. The Seamstress sees this and attacks 9, but 7 retaliates. Just as 7 is about to slice the machine, her spear is grabbed from her. 9 finishes cutting the ropes off of 1 just as Seamstress tries to cut 7's body. Before this can happen, the Seamstress's eye is hit with 5's crossbow, damaging its vision. The Seamstress is outnumbered and flees with 7 and 8. 9, unable to catch up to the Seamstress, escapes the Library.

1 finally wakes, shocked to see 2's lifeless body. 9 shouts to go after them just as 1 asks f where 8 is. 9 answers that the Seamstress had captured him and 7. 1 confirms that it's too late and recommends that they find another sanctuary, but 9 says there's no point hiding and that they need to retrieve them. 1 warns and reminds him of what happened during his first search and rescue, which had led to the death of 2.

Before setting out the retrieve the others, the stitchpunks give 2 a meaningful funeral in the Library, and 1 turns away from 2's lifeless body drifting away.

The stitchpunks venture to the Factory to rescue 7 and 8, which becomes difficult when hundreds of Seekers are found guarding and patrolling the Factory. 9 suggests that he goes in alone; 5 wants to come with him, but 9 says no, saying that he needs him to stay there. 9 tells 5 that if he doesn't make it back, destroy it. 5 asks how, but by this time 9 had left. 1 asks him what his brilliant plot is and 5 sees the oil leaking, leading him to say that they need a full barrel. In the Factory, 9 sees the Seamstress giving 8's soul to the Fabrication Machine, killing him. 9 is horrified at the sight of it and begins a scheme to trick the Seamstress before 7's soul is sucked out too. He lures it with his light bulb which is tied to one of the Factory's machines. The Seamstress sews is fooled and sews the decoy but spots 9 and chases him. Much to the Seamstress's dismay, the decoy is still tied to it and pulls it towards its destruction. 9 manages to catch 7 before she is taken with it.

Outside, 1 expresses how its been too long and tries to light the barrel, but 5 replies that they need more time. They get caught in the Seeker's searchlight but 5 shoots it with his crossbow and the other stitchpunks try to help him pull it down. Unfortunately the Seeker had already pulled its siren, alarming the Fabrication Machine which sees 9 and 7 escaping. The Fabrication Machine sends out all of it's spiderbots to capture 9 and 7 and they run through the escape hole as the spiderbots follow. The other stitchpunks manage to keep the seeker in-tact but 1 grabs 5's match and attempts to lights the barrel. 5 stops him just before he hears 9 about to come out, in which he finally lights the barrel. While the stitchpunks push the barrel to roll inside the Factory, 9 and 7 dodge it and the Seeker is pulled inside.

The barrel rolls inside, burning all of the oil and causing a massive explosion that destroys the entire factory. 9 and 7 barely make it out but managed to be a safe distance away along with the other rag dolls. The stitchpunks stare at the Factory burning, as 5 declares to 9 that it's over and the stitchpunks celebrate. The twins find a record player that still works and play the song Over the Rainbow. 3 and 4 manage to make 7 laugh before 9 awkwardly joins her as the others have fun (like 6, who is saying things inside the record player). 1, who is still silent, sits alone.

5 looks for other record discs, but one rolls out and he chases it. He catches his breath for a second but notices something; the Fabrication Machine. 5 runs for dear life and warns the others, the happy music is still playing. The music stops and the Fabrication Machine manages to catch 5, sucking out his soul. The stitchpunks left in horror as 6 declares that 'they're trapped'. They all flee to the bridge, but 6 refuses to leave and keeps saying 'they' are trapped. 9 and 7 carry him out to The Bridge with the Fabrication Machine in pursuit. The bridge collapses under the machine's weight, but it manages to grab only the rail and evade falling.

7 tries to cut the rail that the Fabrication Machine is holding in order for it to fall down the cliff, but 6 orders 7 to stop, and that she must not destroy the Machine. 7 orders him to go away, but 6 then faces 9 and tries to tell him that they must not destroy the machine as because the other stitchpunks souls are trapped inside the Fabrication Machine. 7 manages to cut the rail and the other side of the bridge begins to collapse, the Fabrication Machine's claws grabbing 6 and getting to safety while 9 and 7 escape before the bridge falls. 6 cast his final words to 9 that he must go back to the 'source' which is located in the 'first room', which will give them answers. The Fabrication Machine takes 6's soul before dropping his lifeless body into the drop below it.

1 things that the machine must be destroyed but 9 says that they can still save them, now believing 6's words, 7 asks how, 9 replying that they need to go to the 'source'. 7 doesn't believe him and says that it needs to be destroyed, to which he still refuses. 1 says that they're out of time and 7 confirms to 9 that the others are gone. He says that they're wrong and goes back to the first room alone; 7 tries to call him but 1 says to let him go. Back at the Scientist's workshop where 9 first woke, 9 tries to find the 'source', in which be finds the Scientist's Artificial Intelligence Schematic of the B.R.A.I.N. and sees the talisman was built for it. He finds another schematic but this time it's him. Just as he was about to touch it, a sudden wind current burst inside through the window, and blows the paper.

He discovers the Scientist's message box and opens it up. When he does, a holograph message appears in greyscale and plays the Scientist's message, where the Scientist tells his great creation and that it was supposed to be "an instrument of progress, of creation". A flashback is shown in which the Scientist is seen developing the B.R.A.I.N.. While he narrates the interrogation, we see the Chancellor opening the door confronting the Scientist; the Scientist tries to figure out what's going on after four soldiers enter his lab. It turns out the Chancellor had decided to take away the B.R.A.I.N. seeing it is now operational, suggesting that he was growing impatient and wanted his plans of the State's campaign for world domination to happen sooner. The Scientist tries to convince the Chancellor that this is risky but he walks away. One of the soldiers interferes and tales the Scientist for interrogation. The B.R.A.I.N. grabs his arm and tries to make him stay but fails as the Scientist is pulled away.

One soldier tries to remove the B.R.A.I.N. but is grabbed by the face and has his body twisted. The other soldiers were finally able to control the situation and remove the B.R.A.I.N.. The Scientist explains to 9 that the machine was born purely of his intellect but not enough as he realizes it later. The machine became corrupted because it lacked a human soul: this was why, he explains, he created the stitchpunks. Because they are all that's left of humanity. They are all pieces of his soul.

The Scientist shows 9 how to use the Talisman, the key for their survival. As the Scientist finishes the message, the scene cuts to the Scientist about to give up his soul for 9, killing him in the process. 9 now understands and looks at the Scientist's face for one last moment, realizing he is The Source.

9 runs to find the other stitchpunks, finding them at the sight and sound of nearby explosions. The stitchpunks are trying to destroy the Fabrication Machine by using a piece of long-range artillery. They fire a shell but it misses. 1 orders to reload, but 9 arrives and tells them that the 'source' is the Scientist who gave them his soul to them. 1 orders to load the cannon again, but 9 tells them to stop. The Fabrication Machine closes in and 1 pulls the trigger and blast the Fabrication Machine which heavily damages it, but is not enough.

The stitchpunks escape and dodge the falling cannon. The Fabrication Machine chases after them but is stopped after getting tangled at on of the wires. The stitchpunks regroup at a tunnel and under some ammo equipment as 9 tells them that he's gonna sacrifice himself so they have a chance to grab the Talisman as he dies. 7 is reluctant but 9 tells them it'll be okay and quickly shows them the sequence. The Fabrication Machine spots them and they flee. The machine uses a flamethrower to burn them out and burns one of the explosives, causing an explosion. The stitchpunks barely make it; 7 is knock out cold and the twins go to her aide, while 1 crawls into one of the sandbags and looks at his damaged hand. 9 wakes and looks at the Fabrication Machine face to face, about to sacrifice himself. 7 pleads with 9 to not do this, but he reasons with her explaining that they all died because of him; he started it so he has to end it.

7 finally accepts this, while 1 comments to himself that "one must be a sacrifice". Just as the Fabrication Machine opens the Talisman, 1 pushes 9 out of the way and sacrifices himself. 9 grabs the Talisman as soon as 1's soul is absorbed, causing the Fabrication Machine to malfunction. The Fabrication Machine explodes and 9 runs, but is seemingly crushed by the Fabrication Machine. 7 and the twins go after him only to find that 9 still alive, and congratulate him. However, 9 says that he's not done, and that he still has to do one more thing.

9 assembles a funeral near the Scientist's apartment. 9 opens the Talisman (which rattles rapidly), freeing the souls of 8, 6, 2, 5, and finally 1. 1 smiles at 9 and pats his shoulder in a way of 'passing the baton.' They all go to their designated spot, and begin to ascend. 5 doesn't want to leave them, but 9 encourages him to go. 5 finally ascends to the sky along with the other souls to finally enjoy their freedom.

When they reach the sky, a sound of thunder is heard, and it begins to pour rain for the first time. The stitchpunks embrace it together and watch the rain. 7 asks what happens next to which 9 says he's not sure exactly, but one thing is he knows is that this world is theirs, and it's what they make of it that counts.

Before the film cuts to the credits, drops of water with glowing flecks of bacteria inside each one are shown, indicative that life will return to the world once more.

Characters & Cast

Stitchpunks

Each stitchpunk has a component of The Scientist's soul.

Humans

  • The Scientist (Alan Oppenheimer) - An old yet kind man who is the creator of the B.R.A.I.N., the Talisman, and the stitchpunks while also formerly a toymaker, which he takes pride in.
  • The Chancellor (Tom Kane) was responsible for the Fabrication Machine turning against humanity.
  • Radio announcer (Fred Tatasciore) - The radio announcer is a typical announcer who usually gives out daily news.
  • Newscaster (Helen Wilson) - A newscaster who releases news of the world/nations.

Machines

  • Fabrication Machine - The primary antagonist of the film. It is powered by the B.R.A.I.N. and was used by the government and the Chancellor to help the country prosper. When the Chancellor declared war on other struggling countries, he stressed the Machine hard onto making more war machines in order to win. Unfortunately, the Machine snaps under pressure, betrays the humans, and reprogrammed its machines to kill all humanity.
  • Cat Beast The big cat-like machine create by the Fabrication Machine before the Machine went deactivated and dormant. It was created to hunt for the Talisman, the only thing that can awaken the Machine completely.
  • Winged Beast - The pterosaur-like machine created by the Fabrication Machine after it was reactivated by the Talisman. It was created to hunt the stitchpunks and presumably kill or take them to the Fabrication Machine.
  • Seamstress - A machine that appears to be a mix of a cobra, an anglerfish, a spider, and a crab created by the Fabrication Machine. It's made out of fabric, a broken doll's face (to act as a head), metal, electricity, and spider-like legs along with a pair of metallic scissors (which acts as a crab's claw). It also has a cobra hood that can extend out or fold in, a snakelike body while slithering like a snake, three red thread spools (that are attached onto its back, the thread attached to the spider legs), and has the lifeless 2 on the tip of its tail. The Seamstress used 2 as a "hypontizer" to paralyze its prey.
  • Seekers - large hot air balloon like robots with alarms, searchlights and eye stalks to scout around the factory.
  • Steel War Behemoths - The first autonomous machine that the Fabrication Machine built, The Chancellor surreptitiously built hundreds of these Steel Behemoths without informing the public until they were complete. These 30+ foot tall machines, are equipped with powerful machine guns and toxic spraying gas bombs that are launch by a built-in mortar in the machine's back. When the unprovoked war was declared by the Chancellor, these Steel Behemoths quickly wiped out every known enemy of the Chancellor as they form a bulk for its army. Later, when the Fabrication Machine snapped, the Steel Behemoths were suddenly reprogrammed to indiscriminately kill life, mainly humanity. Thousands of Steel Behemoths, quickly manage to wipe out every known land that is inhabited by organic life. After Humanity's last counterattack, all of the Steel Behemoths are now destroyed and lie dead in the ruined world, along with humanity.
  • Spiderbots- small spider-like robots that kept the Fabrication machine company in the factory.

Production

9 (2009 film) was produced in part by Tim Burton, Timur Bekmambetov and Jim Lemley, and released on September 9, 2009. Animation began in Luxembourg at Attitude Studio, but subsequently moved to Starz Animation in Toronto, Canada. The film was released by Focus Features. Shane Acker directed the film and wrote the story. Pamela Pettler and Ben Gluck contributed to writing the script. This animated film is not produced by Illumination Entertainment and Chris Meledandri

Concept Art

Deleted Scenes

See also: Deleted Scenes

Soundtrack

There is a soundtrack called, "9: The Original Motion Soundtrack". It is composed by Danny Elfman and Deborah Lurie and it was released on August 31, 2009, ten days before the release of the film and available on the Adult records.

Errors

During the film

  • When 2 motioned a voiceless 9 to unzip his zipper, it remained open. When 9 and 2 are by 2's cart, 9's zipper is back up. Once 2 places the voice box into 9, the zipper once again remains open. However, in the next shot, 9's zipper is closed. The following shot has the zipper open again. 9 is later shown zipping his zipper closed.
  • When 5 and 9 are directly across from the tunnel leading to the factory, 5's map blows away and gets stuck on a piece of wood while he and 9 are searching for 2. After 5 tries and fails to reach it,, it is blown away, seemingly lost forever. When 7 finds it, though, it is still stuck on the exact same piece of wood that is directly across from the tunnel.
  • When 9 meets the Twins (3 & 4), they open his zipper. During this scene, several close-ups show 9 with the zipper closed and open again without anyone closing or opening it.
  • When 8 threw his scissor blade at the fan (which was on the Winged Beast), it jams the blades and sticks onto it. But on the later shots of the Winged Beast, the scissor blade is not on the fan anymore. Maybe it fell off?
  • When 8 fell, his helmet fell to the plane's wing along with his knife blade. But when 8 picked his blade back up, his helmet is no where to be seen.
  • As Seamstress is sewing 1, he falls and the coin falls off his hat. However, in the full shot, 1's coin is back on his hat.
  • When the Seamstress is capturing 7, the scar on 7's back cannot be seen and her original number is fully visible.
  • When the factory explodes, in the shot where it can be seen fully blowing up play in slow motion and you can see the eye of the factory blows up too, but in the next shot its back again and then explodes too.
  • When 1 and 8 look back at the burning church, an ash above 1's head disappears. (This was noted by the commentary crew)
  • In 6's introduction shot, he pins a drawing onto the wall. But as the camera pans out, you can see it vanish.
  • In the wide shot before the Winged Beast crashes through the window, 6 isn't wearing his key. In the next shot, it's back on.
  • At the beginning of the "Dark Science" scene, 5's hand is partially clipping through the Light staff.
  • During the "Dark Science" scene, 6 is holding a drawing of the Source. When 1 enters the room and a wide shot is shown, the paper is nowhere to be found. When 6 is the focus again just a few moments later, the drawing returns.

The Plot BumHole: Before the Seamstress is attacking, there was a quick shot of 8. His mouth was sewed so he couldn't scream for help. Why didn't the Seamstress sew 1's mouth closed? However, this could just be because 8 had a larger mouth, compared to 1's small one

Reception

Critical

9 has received mixed to positive reviews from critics, with its visuals being the most highly praised aspect. Based on 112 reviews collected by Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an overall "Rotten" approval rating of 56% from critics, with the Top Critics ranking it slightly lower, giving it a "Rotten" rating of 50% and the film having an average score of 6/10. The rating from the RT Community has been slightly higher, with a rating of 73%. On Metacritic, it currently holds a score of 60 out of 100 mixed or average reviews. The general sentiment by critics is that the film is "long on imaginative design but less substantial in narrative." Varietys Todd McCarthy says "In the end, the picture's impact derives mostly from its design and assured execution."

Box Office

On its opening day (September 9, 2009), the film made #1 with $3,115,775 and its opening weekend landed the film at #2 behind I Can Do Bad All By Myself with approximately $10,856,000 and $15,264,000 for its 5-day opening. As of October 8, 2009, it has grossed US$39,432,162; and as of November 29, 2009, the film has grossed US$41,859,395 worldwide.

Home DVD release

According to Focus Features, 9 was released on BluRay and DVD on December 29, 2009 in US (Region 1) and February 22, 2010 in Europe (region 2).

Possible Sequel

No plans for a sequel have been made, but possibilities were mentioned via the film's 2009 DVD commentary. Director Acker has also mentioned the possibility of a sequel being made because of the lack of darker animated films, claiming that everything is G- and PG-rated with little to no dark elements. In 2009 he said that he will continue to make darker animated films, either doing so with a sequel to 9 or original ideas for future films. Before the theatrical release of the film, Acker and producer Tim Burton stated they were open for a sequel, depending on how well the film was received. Since the film's home release, there have been no further mentions of a sequel, with Acker focusing on projects announced in 2011 (Thomas the Tank Engine), 2012 (Deep) and 2013 (Beasts of Burden), all 3 of which have not been released as of December 2017.

However, despite the silence from Acker, in January 2017, the Facebook profile of the character "the Scientist" was updated with a rather cryptic message. The profile had been inactive since 2009, leading some to speculate the teasing of a sequel.

It was later revealed that Focus Features themselves were responsible for preventing Shane Acker from creating a sequel, due to Focus Features being the IP holder.

Trivia

TBA

External Links

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