9 (2005)

9 Review

9 is 2005 animated short film directed by Shane Acker. It’s an excellent SF short.

A rag doll fights a monster that has been stealing the souls of his people. Shane Acker directed this short film before he adapted it himself for a feature four years later. This filmmaker showed so much unvarnished potential here that it’s a shame that he did not get any career out of it. It just goes to show how tough Hollywood can really be. While the ending with the souls felt disappointing and somewhat lazy, the rest of the movie was excellent all around.

A story about humanity that can be found even in decidedly non-human entities, this is a dystopian tale that showcased the power of science fiction not just in the realm of ideas, but also in artistry and audio-visuals. The film is simple on the surface, but it is deeply emotional for its ten-minute runtime as you come to care for the titular main character and root for his survival.

The sound is impeccably crafted and very evocative with every effect being realistic and almost seeming to echo in eternity. The animation style is stellar. The stop-motion look to the movie is stunning, but the short was actually done in CGI, which was a great showcase of the versatility of computer animation that too often feels stale otherwise. The world building is incredibly detailed, dark and intriguing.

Shane Acker’s 9 is a terrific short that does end disappointingly, but the movie benefits from excellent world building, an intriguing story and mesmerizing audio-visuals.

My Rating – 4.2